Department Chair

Department Overview

The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (PRT) in the College of Health at the University of Utah offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees with undergraduate emphases in Outdoor Recreation Studies, Community Recreation and Sport Management, and Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management, plus minors in PRT, Hospitality Management, and Sport Administration. The department hosts ~255 undergraduate students (including 175 primary majors) and ~20 graduate students, supported by 12 faculty members, 2 staff, 6 contract instructors per semester, and ~30 adjunct instructors for outdoor experiential (U‑EXPLORE) courses. Faculty research focuses on health and wellness, human development, sustainability, access, and community impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, visionary, and collaborative leadership to advance departmental excellence and future growth.
• Support faculty success in research, teaching, service, mentoring, and professional development.
• Strengthen extramural funding, research productivity, and scholarly impact.
• Manage departmental resources, including budget, personnel, and facilities.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across the university and with community, industry, governmental, and other external partners.
• Advance a culture of inclusive excellence, transparency, and shared governance.
• Recruit, develop, and retain outstanding faculty, staff, and students.
• Enhance the department's regional, national, and international visibility and reputation.

Opportunities and Challenges for the Next Chair

• Develop and communicate a strategic vision that enhances academic excellence, research productivity, student success, community engagement, and national visibility.
• Elevate the department’s national impact through strategic faculty hiring, research growth, and program innovation.
• Strengthen connections between PRT and health sciences, leveraging the unique position within University of Utah Health.
• Expand interdisciplinary research and teaching collaborations across colleges and clinical partners.
• Enhance external partnerships with public agencies, nonprofits, and industry leaders in recreation, tourism, and outdoor sectors.
• Grow and diversify revenue streams, including grants, contracts, and philanthropic support.
• Advance inclusive excellence to attract, support, and retain a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.
• Innovate academic programming, including online/hybrid delivery and integrated degree pathways that align with Utah’s economic interests.

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate or other terminal degree in parks, recreation, tourism, hospitality, sport management, or a closely related discipline.
• Record of scholarly achievement and academic leadership sufficient for appointment as a tenured Associate or Full Professor at the University of Utah.
• Demonstrated success in academic leadership, including faculty development, strategic planning, program administration, and resource stewardship.
• Preferred experience leading an academic department, program, center, or other complex academic unit.
• Ability to develop and implement a strategic vision for program growth and excellence.
• Experience recruiting, mentoring, developing, and retaining faculty and staff.
• Experience managing budgets, personnel, and other departmental resources.
• Demonstrated success in securing external funding and building productive partnerships.
• Ability to foster interdisciplinary collaborations in research, teaching, and service.
• Commitment to collaboration, transparency, inclusive excellence, and shared governance.
• Strong commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service in an R1 research university environment.

Location

Salt Lake City offers an exceptional quality of life with world‑class outdoor recreation, a vibrant arts and culture scene, and a rapidly growing economy. The University campus sits at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, providing unparalleled access to year‑round outdoor activities.

Application Instructions

Applicants must apply online at https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/209367. Required materials include a cover letter addressing leadership experience and vision, curriculum vitae, a leadership statement (up to 3 pages) describing your leadership philosophy, administrative experience, vision for the future of parks, recreation, tourism, and hospitality education and research, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative academic community, and the names, titles, and contact information for three references. Upload all documents as PDFs under “Applicant Document – Other”. Preferred start date is July 1, 2027. Inquiries may be sent to Julie Barkmeier‑Kraemer, Professor and Chair, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, College of Health, at JulieB.Kraemer@hsc.utah.edu.