General Summary

Western Michigan University invites applications and nominations for the position of Chair in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services. The Chair is the department’s chief academic and executive office, reports to and advises the dean of the College of Health and Human Services regarding the department. The Chair also serves on the College Administrative Council, which addresses college-wide policy and planning issues. The incumbent will hold rank and tenure. This position is located on the main campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Major Duties

• Recruiting, hiring, developing, supporting, retaining, and evaluating faculty and staff Strategic planning including program planning, implementation and assessment Financial and resource management
• Fostering excellence in faculty teaching and supporting a learner-centered culture Fostering scholarship and externally funded grants and contracts with continued growth in these areas
• Fundraising and development of pertinent external constituencies
• Outreach activities consistent with the duties of Chair, including community relations Engaging the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences community to build relationships for SLHS program support, including clinical education resources
• Directing accreditation processes and maintaining standards including student assessments and outcomes
• Promoting university goals and policies as well as strong advocacy for Western Michigan University and its faculty, staff, and students
• Communicating effectively with all constituents
• Adhering to all university policies and practices as well as ensuring compliance with all state and federal regulations and laws as related to the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, and relevant collective bargaining agreements
• Managing student enrollment and retention with emphasis on academic excellence and diversity
• Participating and contributing to the overall mission of the university, including but not limited to actions for and by the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences that will further the goals as described in the Diversity and Multiculturalism Action Plan (accessible at http://wmich.edu/diversity)
• Representing the department in discussions with agents of the university and greater community
• Contributing to an interdisciplinary environment of research, instruction, and community collaborations.
• Engaging in service at the department, college, university, and community level.

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned Doctorate in Speech and Hearing Sciences or a related field from an accredited institution
• Demonstrated record of academic leadership
• Evidence of academic administrative experience
• Academic rank qualifying for professor with tenure
• Evidence of integrity, ethics, equity, and compassion

Special Instructions to Applicants

• In the cover letter, please describe qualifications, accomplishments, and professional experiences related to the position.
• For the list of references, please include names, titles, postal and e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three references.

Additional Position Information

• Review of applications will begin November 15, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.
• Western Michigan University offers generous benefits to its employees including health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement, and tuition discount for the employee and tuition remission for eligible dependents. To access information about the specific benefits available for this position, go to: https://www.wmich.edu/hr/enrollment-staff
• The University: Western Michigan University (WMU), located in Southwest Michigan, is a vibrant, nationally recognized student-centered research institution with an enrollment of over 18,000. WMU delivers high-quality undergraduate instruction, has a strong graduate division, and fosters significant research activities. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies WMU as a doctoral university and one of just 185 public universities in the nation conducting research at a high level.
• The College: The College of Health and Human Services is located in a 195,000 square foot building with state-of-the-art teaching technologies and spacious research laboratories. The college enrolls nearly 3,000 students, with more than a third of those at the graduate level. The college includes programs in blindness and low vision studies, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, social work, speech, language and hearing sciences, holistic health care, alcohol and drug abuse, health administration, interdisciplinary health services, public health, and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary health sciences. The college has received a number of grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Department of Education, The College also operates the Unified Clinics, a multidisciplinary service/training clinic. Learn more about our growing college at http://www.wmich.edu/hhs, including our statement on race and anti-racism http://wmich.edu/hhs/antiracism.
• Department: The Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences oversees a two-year CAA-accredited master’s degree program in speech-language pathology, which is ranked 63rd nationwide by U.S. News & World Report and 2nd in the state of Michigan. The department also offers an undergraduate degree in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, a new undergraduate certificate, and a minor in American Sign Language. All programs are supported by our Charles Van Riper Language, Speech, and Hearing Clinic as part of the interprofessional Unified Clinics and Resiliency Center for Families and Children. The department is committed to supporting cultural-linguistic diversity, with an explicit focus on anti-racist and anti-ableist practice and policy. Faculty are dedicated to mentoring student research, teaching, and services to the professions.

To apply, visit Western Michigan University Portal | Chairperson Health and Human Services