Description
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for Department Head of a newly-formed department that brings together the Communication and English disciplines. This new department will become part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and will launch on July 1, 2026. Reporting to the Dean, the Department Head directs and participates in the teaching and other functions of an academic department. Hiring will be at the associate or full professor level with tenure.
The newly-formed department will house a combined BA degree in Communication and English, MA in Communication, as well as the MA and the online MAESLAT (Master of Arts for English Studies for Language Arts Teachers) in English. Faculty are currently working on developing the combined BA degree that will replace the separate BA in Communication and BA in English degrees. This new degree will launch in fall 2027. The department will be home to almost 30 full-time faculty, more than 110 undergraduate majors, and more than 50 graduate students. With a significant and important presence in the core curriculum, the department will offer general education courses in Composition I, Composition II, World Literature, Human Communication, and Public Speaking. The department will also be home to signature experiential learning opportunities at Valdosta State University (VSU) such as the VSU Debate Team, Omnino (the VSU undergraduate research journal), and Odradek (the VSU creative writing journal).
Application materials should include:
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Statement on leadership philosophy
- Names and contact information (including email addresses) for at least three professional references
Online application is required. For full consideration, please apply by January 16, 2026. For more information contact Dr. James LaPlant, Dean via email at jlaplant@valdosta.edu or phone 229-245-6517.
Responsibilities
Position is responsible for the overall day-to-day functions of the department and serves as its primary spokesperson and advocate. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Hiring, managing and evaluating faculty and staff members in the department
- Conducting regular departmental meetings
- Fostering a positive department environment that supports excellent teaching, scholarship, and service
- Establishing a collaborative department vision and agenda that is aligned with the university and college strategic plans
- Scheduling classes and sections for each faculty member in each academic semester
- Supporting students through mentoring, overseeing internships, and providing curricular overrides, where appropriate
- Teaching courses throughout the academic year
- Participating in research and scholarly activities
- Attending academic and professional conferences
- Supporting department experiential learning activities, including undergraduate research
- Facilitating departmental curriculum reviews to maintain program viability and alignment with both industry trends
- Participating in College of Humanities and Social Sciences Executive Committee meetings
- Attending monthly Council of Department Heads meetings
- Promoting student internships and community partnerships
- Maintaining a wide variety of service courses in the core curriculum
- Serving as Budget Manager for the department
Valdosta State University, founded in 1906, is a comprehensive university with a student enrollment of approximately 10,200. The city of Valdosta is located just north of the Florida state line on Interstate 75, is served by a regional airport, and is within a two-hour drive of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information on the university visit https://www.valdosta.edu and for more information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com. VSU is an equal opportunity educational institution. It is not the intent of the institution to discriminate against any applicant for admission, or any student or employee of the institution based on the age, sex, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation of the individual.
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values are the foundation for all we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.
Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression, as stated in Board Policy 6.5, Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom, which can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- An earned Ph.D. in Communication and/or English from an accredited university
- Tenure, or a record meritorious of tenure, at a previous institution
- A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service
- A strong record of progressively responsible and relevant leadership experience
- An awareness of current trends in higher education and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning
- Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
- A commitment to shared governance and a consultative leadership style
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with grant writing and extramural funding
- Record of successful outreach to the community
- Experience with faculty evaluation and promotion and tenure processes
- Experience with mentoring faculty
- Experience as a department head
- Experience with multi-disciplinary collaboration and curriculum
