Application Deadline
December 10, 2021

Position Details
Chair of the English Department, Texas Christian University
The English Department of Texas Christian University—a private, secular institution—is hiring a new department chair (Associate Professor or Professor). Research area open: we welcome applications from candidates specializing in any of the three fields represented within the Department (Literature, Rhetoric & Composition, Creative Writing). We seek a creative and experienced leader who is both prepared and eager to provide intellectual and administrative leadership in our department. Our efforts are supported by the dean of the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Sonja Watson (Spanish and Hispanic Studies), who is excited about growing the Department, cultivating leadership, and continuing our efforts in innovating effective antiracist praxis on campus and beyond.
While diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our students’ liberal education and vital to the current mission of Texas Christian University, the English Department aspires to be actively antiracist as an ongoing collective commitment. We welcome applicants who are committed to advancing justice and equity. As members of the English Department, we assert that racism is something not just to be avoided but to be actively stamped out.
The position requires teaching at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. The position start date is in August, 2022.
Position Qualifications
Required:
• Terminal degree in any of the three field cohorts of the Department (Literature, Rhetoric and Composition, Creative Writing)
• Record of effective undergraduate teaching
• Experience in mentorship across various demographics and levels of the academy (students and faculty)
• Experience with related administrative responsibilities (budgets, records, reporting, programs, assessment)
• Experience representing and promoting English to other fields and constituencies within and beyond the university
Preferred:
• Record of success in providing mentorship to faculty and students of all levels and ranks, especially those of underrepresented/underserved groups
• Readiness to direct and support dissertations and theses in the Department’s graduate programs
• Success in working with and bringing together different areas and constituencies of English Studies
• Experience in program-building or administrative roles through related positions or appointments (e.g. Associate Dean, Associate Chair, Department Chair, Program Director)

Department Details
Students and faculty in the English Department at TCU are committed to a variety of intellectual and creative pursuits fostered by the exploration of literature, rhetoric, and writing. The Department includes tenured, tenure-stream, and non-tenure-stream faculty in British, American, and Diasporic literatures; rhetoric and composition; and creative writing. Faculty who are Instructors are voting members of the Department who enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, support for professional development, and opportunities for promotion and advancement within the Instructor rank. With over 35 full-time members, both tenure-stream and non-tenure-stream faculty work together to schedule courses, organize curriculum, and serve on committees. The Department offers minors in English, Writing, and Creative Writing; majors in English and in Writing; an M.A. in English; an Accelerated M.A.; and PhD. degrees in both English and Rhetoric and Composition. Our faculty serve in campus-wide leadership roles, contributing to the Center for Digital Expression (CDEx), the Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies Department, the Women and Gender Studies Department, and many other areas of the University.

School/College Description
Named for TCU’s founders, Addison and Randolph Clark, the AddRan College of Liberal Arts is home to the core academic disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. The College includes approximately 155 full-time faculty members, 11 departments (Criminal Justice, Economics, English, Geography, History, Modern Language Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, Sociology & Anthropology, and Spanish and Hispanic Studies), and two units of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (Army and Air Force). AddRan College departments confer 15 Bachelor of Arts and six Bachelor of Science degrees, a Bachelor of General Studies, an online master’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Master of Liberal Arts degree, and master’s and Ph.D. degrees in History, English, and Rhetoric and Composition.

University & Fort Worth Description
ABOUT TCU

Founded in 1873, Texas Christian University sits on 299 acres nestled in a primarily residential part of Fort Worth, just minutes away from downtown. The University includes eight schools and colleges, in addition to the John V. Roach Honors College and the new TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, which is operated in collaboration with the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

Currently, TCU enrolls 9,474 undergraduates and 1,490 graduate students. Twenty-six percent of students self-identify as a member of a minority group, 5 percent are international students, and 42 percent are from out-of-state. Our students are supported by more than 2,200 faculty and staff. The University has more than 700 full-time faculty members, 87 percent of whom hold a terminal degree. For nine consecutive years, TCU has been selected as one of the Great Colleges to Work For®.

At TCU, diversity, equity and inclusion are an educational imperative that is tied directly to our University mission and vision. For the second consecutive year, TCU has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which highlights our ongoing commitment to build a comprehensive DEI strategy that aligns with our core values and to create a campus culture where everyone is respected and feels included. Among TCU’s actions this year was approving a resolution to adopt DEI into its core curriculum.

ABOUT FORT WORTH

Like TCU, Fort Worth has the approachable, friendly charm of a smaller town, but offers the amenities, cultural activities, diversity and unique personality of a much larger city. Fort Worth, Texas, is the 13th largest city in the United States with an ever-growing population nearing 1 million. Fort Worth is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States, and the number 1 tourist destination in Texas. In 2018, bizjournals.com ranked Fort Worth the 7th most affordable city to live and work in the United States and U.S. News and World Report named Fort Worth one of the Best Places to Live. Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington all rank among the top 25 most diverse cities in the country.

Fort Worth is known for its vast array of cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities. The city boasts three world class art museums—the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The Bass Performance Hall is one of the premier performance venues in the country. Concerts, film festivals and other events are held regularly at Sundance Square, Panther Island and Near Southside venues.

Required Application Materials & Application Instructions
To apply, candidates should submit the following (by December 10, 2021):
1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Vision statement for a contemporary English Department (1-2 pp.)
After initial review of applications, candidates advancing to the second round of consideration will be asked to submit supporting teaching materials (e.g. teaching philosophy, syllabi, observation letters) that demonstrate ongoing teaching effectiveness; a statement of past and current research (1 p.); and 3-5 letters of recommendation (by December 5, 2021).
All materials are to be submitted online at https://jobs.tcu.edu/en-us/listing/.
Questions regarding the application process may be directed to Human Resources at hrtalentacquisition@tcu.edu or 817-257-7790. Other questions may be directed to the search committee chair, Dr. David Colón, Associate Professor of English, at david.colon@tcu.edu.

AA/EEO Statement
As an AA/EEO employer, TCU recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.