& Literature
Florida Gulf Coast University
Job Summary
Florida Gulf Coast University's College of Arts & Sciences
invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of
Language and Literature. The Chair will play a pivotal role in
leading the department's mission and spearheading the ongoing
development of both the BA and MA English majors as well as
providing oversight for General Education courses and language
course offerings within the department. This is an out-of-unit
faculty able to be appointed at the rank of Full Professor with a
1-1-1 teaching load. The Chair reports directly to the Dean of the
College of Arts & Sciences.
Academic Department Chairs occupy a unique place in the continuum
of academic administrators, as the facilitating link among
Department faculty members, students, and higher administration.
Chair persons play five essential roles, serving as academic
leaders of their Department; representatives of their Department
and faculty to the rest of the University, specially higher
administration; representatives of higher administration to their
faculty members and Department; managers of Department resources;
and representatives of the Department and University to external
bodies.
Located between the Everglades, Naples, Florida and the most
pristine beaches on the Gulf Coast, Florida Gulf Coast University
is a comprehensive university dedicated to quality education,
research and service. All faculty are expected to be excellent
teachers, responsive to changing professional needs; committed to
innovative delivery of instruction resulting in improved student
learning; committed to effective use of technology including
distance learning; produce peer reviewed scholarship; and provide
service to the College, University and Community. Teaching
assignments may be on the main campus or at off-campus sites within
our region.
FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and
collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others
and drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive
action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation,
accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home
here.
Job Description
Typical duties may include but are not limited to:
- Coordinating the development of and implementing the Department
Vision and Goals Statement.
Leading Department effort toward achieving University and
College goals and initiatives.
Developing a Department budget.
Managing the fiscal affairs of the Department.
Leading and coordinating Department strategic planning and
curriculum development.
Assigning and assessing the distribution of faculty workload
including instructional, research, and service
responsibilities.
Promoting excellence in instruction, scholarly and
service.
Leading and coordinating the governance of the Department.
Leading the processes of faculty selection and ensuring that
the appointment follows university, college, and departmental
policies.
Coordinating the professional development of faculty
members.
Leading the evaluation of faculty members for retention, and
promotion.
Providing recommendations to the Dean and Provost regarding
sabbaticals and other leaves for faculty and staff.
Managing non-faculty staff members.
Developing, leading, and encouraging outreach and public
service efforts.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Additional Job Description
Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in English, Comparative
Literature, or other closely related discipline.
- Record of scholarly achievement, teaching excellence, and
service appropriate for appointment as Full Professor at FGCU (or
equivalent standing at another accredited institution).
- Evidence of successful teaching and scholarship.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in English, Comparative
Literature, or a closely related field.
- Previous service as a department chair, program director, or
comparable administrative role in higher education.
- Candidates without prior chair experience may be considered if
they have significant evidence of academic leadership, such as
leading program development, assessment initiatives, or
community-engaged projects.
- Substantial experience in faculty governance, curriculum
development, or program coordination that demonstrates readiness to
assume chair-level responsibilities.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Skills in working in a rapidly developing regional
comprehensive university with a focus on creating a
student-learning environment among various academic
disciplines.
- Ability to successfully develop relationships and interact with
external university constituents in construction, business, and
technology and to establish relationships internally.
- Ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, mentor and
coach faculty and students, and participate in regional/national
seminars, workshops and committees.
- Ability to lead continuing education programs.
- Ability to deal effectively with a various range of learners
and to use information technology as a pedagogical and professional
tool.
- Ability to collaborate both within and outside of the
university in the development and delivery of instruction.
- Ability to collaborate with other faculty to develop a shared
vision of the future.
- Proven ability to think strategically and approach challenges
with creativity
- Demonstrated track record of reliability, meeting goals, and
holding oneself accountable
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively
across teams
Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectation
In this role, the successful candidate will be expected to:
- Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open for
feedback and new ideas.
- Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work;
persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve
deliverables.
- Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships
across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to
achieve common goals.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Appointment will be made at an out-of-unit faculty rank
commensurate with the candidate's experience on a 12-month
out-of-unit multi-year appointment basis with an anticipated start
date of July 2027.
Because applications and materials are subject to public review and
retention under Florida's Public Records Law, please DO NOT send
examples of your project/scholarship unless requested to do so.
Therefore, all submitted materials including articles, disks,
slides, books, etc., become the property of FGCU and CANNOT BE
RETURNED. As applicable, finalists will be notified of the need to
submit specific additional materials. Such materials will become
the property of FGCU. Under Florida's Public Records law,
applications will be available for public review upon
request.
Required Application Materials:
- Unofficial transcripts
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Curriculum vitae
- Cover letter
- Five (5) Professional References
The position is listed as "open until filled", however
applications received by December 15, 2026 will receive priority
consideration.
FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal
Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,
color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or
protected veteran status.
To apply, please visit: https://jobs.fgcu.edu/jobs/chair-department-of-language-literature-fort-myers-florida-united-states
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