**InternalOnly**Director/Assoc or Full Prof-Kansas African Studies Ctr
Kansas African Studies Center
Position Overview
Provides leadership and oversight for all Kansas African Studies Center activities, as well as fulfilling teaching, research, and service responsibilities as a faculty member at the University of Kansas.
Salary
Academic year salary, plus an administrative supplement and summer salary, as determined by the Office of the Provost or the Director of the Institute for International & Global Engagement.
Term
Term of approximately 5 years with the possibility of renewal pending satisfactory performance.
Job Description
Director of Kansas African Studies Center (KASC) (.50 FTE)
- Provides oversight and leadership for all Center activities.
- Provides oversight and leadership of diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives/activities for the Center.
- Monitors the undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the Center.
- Reviews and modifies, in consultation with Center governance and faculty, the long-range planning for the Center.
- Oversees all internal budgetary, administrative and personnel matters for KASC.
- Supervises and reviews the Center's faculty and professional, academic, and support staff activities. Provides, recommends and support faculty and staff professional development.
- Seeks enhancement of all Center resources by actively seeking external funding.
- Develops and enhances research and educational relationships between the Center and other units across the University, as well as with agencies outside the
- University, governmental, public or private.
- Develops long-term planning for future leadership by cultivating/mentoring future faculty members.
- Executes University policy in the Center effectively.
- Represents the Center toother University entities and reports to the Institute of International & Global Engagement.
Faculty Member (.50 FTE)
20% Teaching/Advising
- Teaches courses in their field of specialty.
- Advises students, including student mentoring and providing directed readings.
- Supervises graduate teaching assistants, as assigned.
- Serves on committees that supervise and evaluate student progress.
20% Research
- Engages in scholarly research, including publishing appropriate peer-reviewed books and articles and presenting papers at professional conferences on a regular basis.
10% Service
- Provides general service to one's home unit, the College/School, the University, the state, and the profession.
Required Qualifications
Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) descriptions of work experience and educational experience in letter of application and (2) record of accomplishments and productivity addressed in CV.
- Tenured appointment with the rank of Full Professor or Associate Professor at the University of Kansas
- Commitment to interdisciplinary and international scope in teaching, research, and service.
- Evidence of first-hand experience in Africa and knowledge of at least one African language.
- Demonstrated ability to serve as an academic leader and team builder, developing and enhancing research and educational relationships among faculty and between the Center and its affiliated units.
- Teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and commitment to teaching excellence.
- Strong record of scholarly achievement, as evidenced by an established program of research with the promise of continued productivity.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and to manage interpersonal relations, maintaining civility and respect among faculty, staff, and students.
Preferred Qualifications
- Rank of Full Professor
- Excellence in administrative and management skills.
- Successful track record of obtaining government and private foundation grants.
- Experience with KU and KUCR administrative procedures.
- Experience in seeking outside funding and managing multiple projects.
Contact Information to Applicants
Prof. Melissa Birch
mhbirch@ku.edu
Additional Candidate Instruction
Application materials should include:
1. A cover letter including a statement of the candidate’s goals and vision for the Program; and
2. A curriculum vitae containing information about accomplishments in teaching, research, service, and administration.
In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant's contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU's mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:
- Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Applications are due by January 22, 2024.
Review of applications will begin January 23, 2024.
