The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) seeks a Department Chair who will provide innovative, socially engaged, and collaborative leadership for its Department of Dance.   The anticipated start date is August 23, 2025.  The Chair will serve as the department's administrative head, overseeing faculty, staff, curriculum, budget and strategic direction.  The new Chair will be responsible for crafting and implementing an innovative vision that enhances the department's reputation and fosters an environment that supports the creative and scholarly work that faculty and students find meaningful and important to their overall success.  The ideal candidate will be a visionary and inspiring leader committed to work that is collaborative and fearless in its approach/mission to the department's inclusive and interdisciplinary future.  This tenured, Associate Professor appointment requires a leader skilled in directing change with a varied group of people representing diverse areas of study and who is perceptive in developing the academic and creative potential of faculty, staff and students.

The Dance Department resides in UMBC's new Performing Arts and Humanities Building, which features large, fully equipped studios and state-of-the-art performing spaces.  The department values innovation and is particularly interested in a leader who is thinking about the changing world of dance and what it means to be a dancer or dance artist today and into the future.  Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, UMBC offers B.A. in Dance and a Dance Minor.  Department enrollment includes approximately 45 dance majors and 10 dance minors.  UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research, and service.  The campus offers students a strong liberal arts foundatin and is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity social responsibility, and lifelong learning.  UMBC is especially proud of the diversity of its student body, and we seek to attract an equally diverse applicant pool for this position as our strong commitment to increasing faculty diversity.

UMBC is located along the Baltimore-Washington corridor.  The campus is situated on the edge of Patapsco State Park, and nearby Catonsville is randed one of the best places to live in Maryland with its farmers markets and arts district.  The historical Old Ellicott City, with its eclectic community full of artists, shop keepers, and restauranteurs, is only a 10-minute drive from campus.  UMBC is 15 minutes from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and 45 minutes from Washington, DC.

The successful candidate will have a terminal degree in dance and be a dedicated educator with a strong studio practice background, a significant national or international reputation in the arts, and a distinguished record of professional accomplishment.  The successful candidate will be deeply invested in practices and scholarship, with expertise in one or more of the department's areas of teaching, scholarship, and practice.  She/he/they will be expected to establish and strenghten relationships both within and beyond the university.  UMBC's Department of Dance is committed to enhancing the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of its curriculum, pedagogy, faculty, and student outreach.  The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

-   MFA and/or PhD in Dance, Dance studies or allied fields.

-    National/International record of scholarly or artistic achievement commensurate with the rank of a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, including a distinguished record of creative and/or scholarly achievement, teaching excellence at the post-secondary level, and professional service; and evidence of continued excellence in creative and/or scholarly achievement.

-    Teaching expertise in technique practice and one or more of the department's teaching areas with demonstrated evidence of teaching effectiveness.

-    Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with demonstrated ability to lead effective change with a diverse body of students and colleagues.

-    Experience with academic program review processes.

-    Possessing an innovative vision for the future of the department and its various disciplines and the ability to lead a department with multiple areas of strength.

-    Experience with successful collaborations and recruitment initiatives, for example, those with other academic units in and outside of the university, community partners, and professional arts organizations.

-    Demonstrated experience in leadership and administrative management, including being operationally and fiscally astute.

Please upload the following application materials to apply.interfolio.com/148027

A complete applcation consists of:

-  A letter of application that includes a detailed explanation of your leadership vision and how you meet the qualificatins for this position.

-  Current curriculum vitae.

-  A diversity statement that articulates your demonstrated commitment and leadership in contribution to diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, mentoring, and/or outreach and engagement. 

-  Four work samples of research (links to creative work, publications, etc.)

-  List of five professional references with contact information.

Review of applications will begin by November 1, 2024 and will only be accepted through Interfolio.  Please upload to

apply.interfolio.com/148027

UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Ann Sofie Clemmensen at asclem@umbc.edu

UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

About University of Maryland, Baltimore County

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility and lifelong learning.

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