Professor and Department Head

Native American and Indigenous Studies Association; Mansfield (CT); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Connecticut seeks a dynamic leader to serve as Head of the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry (SCI). This new interdisciplinary unit combines American Studies, Asian and Asian American Studies, Native American and Indigenous Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a Feminist Disability Studies focus.

The Head will guide strategy, research, and inclusive community building.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a primary field within the department or related field.
• Leadership experience at Department/Unit/Dean level with program building.
• Teaching and interdisciplinary research excellence demonstrated.
• Experience supporting engaged scholarship and community partnerships.
• Commitment to advancing diversity through research, teaching, scholarship, or other means.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for department development and program planning.
• Lead governance, budgeting, and department administration.
• Foster faculty development and mentoring, and student success.
• Strengthen public engagement and community partnerships.
• Collaborate across four areas to advance interdisciplinary scholarship.

Skills

Leadership experience

Interdisciplinary research

Teaching excellence

Engaged scholarship

Diversity commitment

Education

Ph.D. in a primary field

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

The University of Connecticut seeks a dynamic leader to serve as Head of theDepartment ofSocial and Critical Inquiry (SCI). This department is a new interdisciplinary unit that was established in 2024 through collaborative efforts of faculty across its four areas: American Studies; Asian and Asian American Studies; Native American and Indigenous Studies; and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, which includes a focus on Feminist Disability Studies. This position is the second among five additional lines planned for the Department.

The next Department Head will provide strategic leadership to guide the development and implementation of a shared and coherent academic program. The department is dedicated to public engagement and interdisciplinary research, and we therefore solicit applications from academic leaders who possess wide-ranging administrative skills, expertise in team building, experience advancing collaborative research, and directing academic innovation.

The successful candidate will be appointed fully in Social and Critical Inquiry at the rank of Professor and will be expected to lead the department’s areas by strengthening the academic and professional success of its faculty, students, and staff, and developing its diverse, vibrant, and inclusive intellectual community.

For this position, we seek applicants who teach and research in the Department’s areas or in related fields. Successful candidates will have a strong record of publication demonstrating interdisciplinary excellence and a track record of collaborative faculty initiatives that could be public, tribal, and/or community-partnered in nature.

The University of Connecticut is a public land‑grant institution that acknowledges that the land on which we gather is the territory of the Eastern Pequot, Golden Hill Paugussett, Lenape, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Nipmuc and Schaghticoke Peoples who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Department Head works collaboratively with the General Council of Area Directors. The responsibilities of the SCI Department Head include work across the following dimensions:

• Strategic Leadership and Department Development
• Academic Program Leadership and Planning
• Governance and Department Administration
• Budget and Staffing Management
• Faculty Development and Mentoring
• Student Success and Educational Impact
• Community Partnerships and Public Facing Scholarship

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a primary field in one or more of the Area’s within the department or a related field.
• Demonstrated leadership experience at the Department, Unit, or Dean’s level, including program building and curricular innovation.
• Demonstrated teaching and interdisciplinary research excellence.
• Demonstrated experience with supporting engaged scholarship and/or community partnerships.
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity via research, teaching, scholarship, or in other ways.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience supporting community partnerships with Native American and Indigenous communities.
• Demonstrated teaching and research experience in WGSS fields.
• Budget experience with preference for RCM budgeting models.
• Interest or experience in working in federally designated Minority Serving Institutions.
• Experience in grant application and management of grant‑funded activities.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 10-month, tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2027. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applicants must meet University requirements for appointment at the rank of full Professor, with tenure.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre‑employment criminal background check.

For more information regarding the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry please visit our department website.Questions may be directed to [e-mail].

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disabilities, veteran’s status, status as a victim of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and/or trafficking in persons as defined by Connecticut law, prior conviction of a crime, workplace hazards to the reproductive systems, or gender identity or expression.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO employer including for Disability and Veteran status.