Department Head & Associate or Full Professor of Counseling
About the role
The Department Head provides academic and administrative leadership for the Department of Counseling, which offers CACREP-accredited programs designed to prepare students as Licensed Professional Counselors equipped with comprehensive theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
Responsibilities
Vision: Collaborate with the department faculty and staff to establish a vision for the department in alignment with the overall vision of the school, college, and the university.
Strategic Planning: Lead the shared development and implementation of a departmental strategic plan.
Institutional Collaboration: Work with the college dean and their leadership team, as well as administrative leadership in academic affairs and across institutional divisions to fulfill the institutional strategic plan Tarleton Forward 2030.
Budget and Resource Allocation: Financial Oversight: Develop and manage the department’s budget in collaboration with college and university administration. Resource Allocation: Oversee the allocation of departmental resources, including equipment, lab space, technology, and office space. Reporting: Work with the university budget specialist for record keeping and university reporting.
Academic Program Development and Continuous Improvement: Curriculum Assessment: Ensure the ongoing review, development, and modification of curriculum to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies, and to meet the evolving needs of students, accreditation standards, and industry expectations. Program Assessment: Ensure review and evaluation of existing academic programs, using data to enhance quality and ensure alignment with institutional goals. Program Development: Work with department and university partners to propose and develop new undergraduate and graduate programs, including interdisciplinary programs, majors, minors, certificates, etc. Accreditation Compliance: Ensure that academic programs meet discipline and institutional accreditation requirements, including preparation of necessary reports and supporting documentation.
Faculty and Staff Excellence: Recruitment and Hiring: Oversee faculty and staff recruitment efforts, ensuring compliant recruitment practices and high-quality hiring. Mentoring: Provide mentorship and guidance to faculty and staff, foster ongoing professional development; encourage and support faculty in pursuing effective teaching practices and competitive scholarship. Workload Management: Oversee faculty teaching assignments; oversee the collaborative articulation of faculty teaching, research, service, and administrative goals in the yearly Statement of Expectation documents. Evaluation: Conduct annual performance evaluations of faculty and staff, including faculty midpoint, tenure & promotion, and post-tenure reviews. Communication and Conflict Resolution: Foster open lines of communication within the department as well as with [school and] college leadership; address and mediate conflicts within the department, including faculty and staff disputes.
Student Academic Success: Engagement: Foster a productive environment for student engagement, retention, and graduation; support student organizations within the department. Academic Scheduling: Ensure that class offerings meet student demand and degree progression. Conduct: Support faculty in their obligation to uphold standards of academic integrity and rigor of classes and programs; mediate departmental processes for student academic appeals. Recruitment: Work with the Division of Enrollment Management and the College of Graduate Studies to market programs to increase enrollment. Career Development: Connect students with opportunities for internships, experiential learning, and career exploration.
Teaching: Teach 15 SCH of coursework during the calendar year (2/2/1). Plan, prepare, and deliver lectures, seminars, and/or laboratory offerings to undergraduate and/or graduate students, which may include general education core curriculum. Assess student performance, provide timely feedback, and evaluate student learning outcomes to inform teaching practices and curriculum improvements. Incorporate innovative teaching methods, technologies, and pedagogical approaches to enhance student learning and engagement.
Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity: Remain an active scholar, adhering to the university, college, and department tenure and promotion guidelines. Maintain an active agenda for research, scholarship, or creative activity appropriate to the applicant’s academic discipline. Make original contributions to the advancement of knowledge/creative expression in the applicant’s discipline through scholarly publication, presentation, or exhibition. Demonstrate potential for external funding, national impact, or professional recognition.
Requirements
Required Education and Experience: Earned doctorate in Counseling or a closely related field from an accredited university. Must have a distinguished record in teaching and research that warrants a faculty appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor. Eligibility for tenure will be determined by reviewing the candidate’s record of years of experience and professional achievements in teaching, service, and research consistent with Texas A&M University System guidance.
Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities: Knowledge and understanding of disciplinary subject matter at a level adequate for graduate-level instruction. Written and oral communication skills sufficient to conduct effective teaching and research activities. Ability to interact with students, staff, and faculty in a professional, collegial, and collaborative manner.
Qualifications
Preferred Requirements: Administrative and leadership experience as department head/chair at the college/university level or experience in supervisory/management position(s) in an academic arena. Previous experience in oversight of accredited academic programs or in leading a program toward accreditation, with knowledge of CACREP accreditation and graduation from a CACREP accredited. Demonstrated ability to use and understand data to inform strategic planning and decision-making for the department. Strong evidence of ability to set operational goals from strategic plans and lead direct reports to accomplish strategic goals and initiatives.