Director Richard T Robertson School of Communication

Overview

Mission or Goal of Unit:
The mission of the College of Humanities and Sciences is to serve as the intellectual heart and soul of our institution and wider community. The College of Humanities and Sciences:

As the intellectual lifeblood of VCU and our community, the College of Humanities and Sciences seeks to inspire our students to explore their passions and dreams as individuals and provide the context to understand their place in the world and connections with others—locally, globally and throughout time. Most importantly, our educational and research environment addresses an array of technological, health-related and societal problems, as well as providing profound insights and reflections of what it means to be human and humane.

Chief Purpose of this position: Virginia Commonwealth University invites nominations and applications for an exceptional leader to serve as the next director of the Robertson School. The successful candidate will foster excellence in learning, teaching, research, creative activity and institutional development. The director will champion career readiness and student success by supporting initiatives that bridge academic learning with real-world application, including internships, employer engagement and career education.

A special focus for the School in the coming years will be the training of faculty, staff and students in the area of artificial intelligence. The ideal candidate understands the importance of cultivating strong relationships with alumni, industry professionals and community partners to expand career pathways for all students. The candidate also recognizes the need to have a robust mix of scholars and practitioners to achieve these goals and to align with the R1 mission of the university.

The director is the academic and administrative leader of the Robertson School and will collaborate with all key stakeholders in executing the School's strategic plan. The director will ensure the academic excellence and success of the undergraduate and graduate programs; promote the success of students, faculty, staff and alumni; responsibly manage and grow its fiscal, physical and professional resources; foster an environment in which research and professional excellence flourish;

and represent it effectively and collaboratively within the University and to a broad variety of external constituencies, including the School's Industry Advisory Council.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated a distinguished record of individual professional and/or academic accomplishment and leadership in one or more of the Robertson School's fields of study, as well as a passion for advancing the professional and academic pursuits of advertising, journalism, media production and public relations. A terminal degree in a related field from an accredited institution is required.

Candidates are expected to possess either documented administrative experience and a record of success at the department chair or school director level within one or more of the disciplines represented in the school or equivalent leadership experience and success within the advertising, journalism, media production and/or public relations professions. A successful candidate's scholarly record will support an appointment at the rank of professor with tenure at VCU.

Ideal candidates will have attained distinction in, and can exhibit evidence of:

• outstanding leadership and management ability
• detailed knowledge of their field
• strong sense of vision and a record of implementing that vision
• enrollment management and student recruitment potential
• faculty recruitment, retention and support
• ability to enhance academic research and professional engagement
• commitment to supporting a career-minded, student-centered culture that prioritizes access to opportunity, mentorship and preparation for industry success
• substantial administrative experience within a complex organization
• commitment to and evidence of success in fundraising
• and effective interpersonal relationship skills with groups and individuals both internal and external to the School and university.

Additionally, the successful candidate will have the following personal qualifications and characteristics: highest professional and personal integrity; outstanding listening skills and ability to foster a respectful and productive workplace; strong commitment to student success and faculty and staff development;…