Associate or Full Professor of Art, Future Department Chair

Rice University•Houston, TX

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Art at Rice University is seeking to hire a full-time senior level artist, filmmaker, or critical practitioner conversant in the many intersecting fields of contemporary art practice who will also serve as the next department chair for a term (renewable) of 3-5 years. As the next Department Chair, we are seeking an individual that has significant administrative experience, is strategic, inspirational, and visionary, with a broad-minded and interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art. We are seeking a candidate with extensive experience and familiarity with many levels and avenues of public engagement with art, and with theoretical positions and ideas of art and aesthetics; an experimental mindset, and the desire to foster a creative environment in a diverse educational setting. Given that Rice students are predominantly double-majors, our program’s curriculum is in dialogue with other disciplines (such as engineering, creative writing, architecture, and biology), to a degree that might exceed other programs. We are looking for a candidate who can participate in the process of expanding and redefining an arts curriculum in this context. Rice has a small but growing Art Department in which mentoring of individual advanced students is a core part of a professor’s teaching experience. The Department consistently ranks in the top 5 in Niche despite its small size due to the high quality of art instruction and of mentoring. A successful candidate will bring organizational and strategic thought leadership as future Departmental Chair; engaging and maintaining an active and ambitious program of research and creative scholarship; participating in student mentoring and advising; and serving on department and university committees. There is a reduced teaching load during term as Chair, to two classes per year (one fall semester and one spring semester). The department has recently occupied our new state of the art, DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO building, Sarofim Hall.

Requirements

For Visual Artists and Filmmakers: MFA in Studio Art, Film, Media Arts, or a related field.
Substantial record of national and international exhibitions or screenings.
Deep grounding in the history, theory, practice, and criticism of contemporary art.
Exceptional organizational and collaborative skills.
Minimum of five years of undergraduate- or graduate-level teaching experience.
For Critical Practitioners: PhD in Art History, Visual Studies, Film and Media Studies, Curatorial Studies, or a related field.
Proven record of scholarly publication and service commensurate with career stage.
At least five years of undergraduate- or graduate-level teaching experience.

Nice To Haves

Significant administrative experience
Strategic, inspirational, and visionary leadership
Broad-minded and interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art
Extensive experience and familiarity with many levels and avenues of public engagement with art
Familiarity with theoretical positions and ideas of art and aesthetics
Experimental mindset
Desire to foster a creative environment in a diverse educational setting
Ability to participate in expanding and redefining an arts curriculum in dialogue with other disciplines
Experience in mentoring individual advanced students
Ability to engage and maintain an active and ambitious program of research and creative scholarship
Ability to serve on department and university committees
Ability to address how teaching, research, and service contribute to building an engaged, collaborative, and inclusive learning community.

Responsibilities

Bring organizational and strategic thought leadership as future Departmental Chair
Engage and maintain an active and ambitious program of research and creative scholarship
Participate in student mentoring and advising
Serve on department and university committees