Director, School of Visual Arts, College of Arts and Architecture

The School of Visual Arts in the College of Arts and Architecture at The Pennsylvania State University (University Park Campus) invites applications for the director of the Penn State School of Visual Arts. The successful candidate must meet the qualifications for immediate tenure under Penn State University's policies and procedures at the time of appointment. This is a 48-week position with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. Reporting to the Dean, the Director works closely with the College Academic Leadership Council, the Assistant Director for Access and Equity; the academic leadership of the School (Art Education, Digital Art, Photography, and Studio Art); the administrative staff of the school; the graduate program officers in Art Education and Studio Art; and the school Faculty Leadership and Governance Council.

The College of Arts & Architecture is committed to fostering a culture that is fair, inclusive, and respectful of all individuals. We strive to create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and all members of our community have equitable opportunities to succeed. Through our curricula, values, standards, policies, and practices, we promote inclusive excellence and uphold the principles of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination. Candidates are welcome to share experiences that demonstrate their commitment to these values and goals, and their ability to contribute to an inclusive academic community for all.

The ideal candidate will lead the School of Visual Arts in support of the School, College, and University strategic plans. The director will facilitate a respectful and collegial work environment that supports the success of all faculty, staff, and students. The director will foster achievement in the scholarship of research and creative activity, teaching and learning, and service to the institution, community, and profession. The director is the budget administrator for the School of Visual Arts: responsible for oversight of faculty salaries, endowments, travel, student scholarships, and earned revenue. The director will mentor all faculty members (tenured, untenured, and non-tenure track) through promotion and/or tenure processes and conduct annual reviews for faculty and staff. The director is responsible for the successful administration of the school which includes, but is not limited to: hiring personnel, maintenance of facilities and equipment, NASAD accreditation, recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students, curriculum development and assessment, and online course curricula.

The director will develop relationships with donors and alumni and will work with the Dean and the Advancement Office in fundraising and alumni activities. The director will collaborate with School and College recruitment and advising staff to attract undergraduate and graduate students, participate in recruitment events, and implement a comprehensive recruitment strategy.

We seek a dynamic, accomplished, thoughtful, collaborative leader whose scholarship of research and/or creative activity, teaching, and service are grounded in one or more of the areas represented in the School of Visual Arts-Art Education, Ceramics, Digital Art and Media Design, Drawing and Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture-or a related area. We are interested in candidates who will lead the School of Visual Arts with a vision that includes innovative possibilities for the visual arts, such as in studio practice, digital arts and multimedia technology, community-based art practice, socially relevant art education in schools and communities, and sustainable practices.

We seek a leader who will inspire students and faculty to pursue achievement in visual art and art education in national and international spaces. The next director of the School of Visual Arts will prioritize collegiality and will be an advocate for the visual arts across campus and beyond through curriculum development, outreach, and research/creative activity.

Required Qualifications

• A terminal degree in visual art or art education (MFA, PhD, EdD, or equivalent) or a related field.
• Full Professor; Tenured (or equivalent experience).

• College-level teaching experience.

• Three years leadership or administrative experience within a department or school.

• Demonstrated record of national or international achievement, excellence, and impact in research and/or creative activity, teaching, and/or professional service or outreach.

• Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

• Experience with personnel management.

• Demonstrated efficacy and skill with managing academic budgets.

• Experience mentoring faculty and graduate students.

• Commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration in research, creative activity, teaching, and/or service within and beyond the university.

• Demonstrated success in securing external funding as evidenced in previous work with development officers to secure funding, gifts, endowments, or grants.

Evidence of equitable considerations, awareness, and practice regarding curricula development, inclusive practices in supporting student bodies, staff, and faculty members of all backgrounds, along with evidence of working collectively to cultivate a culture that supports success and enables all members of our college community to thrive.

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of on-going research, scholarly and/or creative activities and outreach.

• Experience revising and/or developing new courses, degree programs, and minors.

• Familiarity with online teaching, course development, and program management.

The Pennsylvania State University

Founded in 1855, The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is one of the premier research universities in the world and a driver of economic growth and prosperity for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With 24 campuses throughout Pennsylvania, Penn State is the Commonwealth's only land-grant institution and represents a strong economic engine across the state. Granted the highest rating for research universities by the Carnegie Foundation, Penn State prepares students to be leaders with a global perspective. With more than 6,400 full-time faculty and more than 160 baccalaureate degree programs, Penn State is a comprehensive academic institution with a $6.5 billion annual operating budget. It enrolls approximately 98,000 students in one University on 24 campuses and online. At the University Park campus, degree programs are administered in 12 colleges: Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Architecture, Business, Communications, Earth and Mineral Sciences, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Development, Information Sciences and Technology, the Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Science.

Learn more about The Pennsylvania State University: http://www.psu.edu. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission. As a land grant university, Penn State is responsible for providing a wide array of programs in the professional and technical disciplines, as well as a balanced offering of undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts and sciences. The University Park campus is located within State College, PA, which was recently ranked number 5 in a ranking of top college towns by the American Institute for Economic Research, and number 15 in a ranking of the Safest College Towns in America by Safewise. Located in a valley in Centre County, Pennsylvania, employment at Penn State offers incredible opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the central Pennsylvania outdoors combined with all the culture, sports, and entertainment a large university community can bring, and is within drivable distance from New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC.

The College of Arts and Architecture

Founded in 1963, Penn State's College of Arts and Architecture is a comprehensive arts community including academic programs in music, theatre, visual arts, art education, graphic design, art history, architecture and landscape architecture. The College is home to approximately 200 full-time faculty, 60 part-time faculty, and 120 full-time staff. The College of Arts and Architecture is committed to artistic and scholarly creativity, research, and the preparation of specialized practitioners in all of the arts and design disciplines, along with community engagement in its programs. Penn State's College of Arts and Architecture is a comprehensive Research 1 institution with approximately 1,200 undergraduate and 260 graduate students and housed in sixteen buildings at University Park. To learn more about the College of Arts and Architecture: https://artsandarchitecture.psu.edu

The Penn State School of Visual Arts

The Penn State School of Visual Arts is a place where creative and critical thinkers, makers, and educators shape awareness about what is possible and, in doing so, change the way our world is seen, experienced, and understood. Our visual arts and design programs enable individuals and communities to respond imaginatively to the continuous rush of social and cultural change through exploration, expression and communication that takes place in a multiplicity of ideas, forms, actions, and settings.

The School of Visual Arts is accredited by NASAD and has an annual operating budget of ~$4M. The director has over 100 reports, direct and indirect (tenure line, non-tenure line, and adjunct faculty; graduate students; administrative and professional staff, and wage payroll hires). The school is comprised of four broad programs: Art Education, Photography, Studio Art, and Digital Art and Media Design. The school delivers eight on-campus degrees: five undergraduate; three graduate; two minors, one post-baccalaureate certification; courses in the Digital Multimedia Design degree program (online), and one online certificate.

The School is housed physically in six buildings and facilities include a shop, exhibition spaces, and galleries including the Zoller Gallery, the Patterson Gallery, and a student-run gallery. The School hosts a lively visiting artist program, the John M. Anderson Endowed Lecture Series, which brings in nationally renowned artists for lectures, workshops and critiques. Additional interactions and creative collaborations take place across the College with the Arts & Design Research Incubator (ADRI), the Borland Project Space (BPS), and the Center for Pedagogy in Arts and Design (C-PAD). The School also benefits from proximity to The Palmer Museum of Art, and is part of the Campus Arts Initiative, a project extending across all Penn State campuses. For more information, visit http://www.sova.psu.edu

Application Procedure

All applications should include a current cv (with the names and contact information of at least four referees), a letter of application, and a one-page statement about your current research and creative activity.

The letter of application should address your experience and background regarding the specific required and preferred qualifications listed above. In your cover letter, also describe how your academic research, creative activity, pedagogy, and service experience engage with diverse programmatic populations in ways that are inclusive, equitable, and open to all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or other protected characteristics. If you have a professional website, please provide a link in the letter.

Applications received by November 15 will be assured of full consideration. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries may be directed to Search Committee Chair at SoVAdirectorsearch@psu.edu.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.