Dean of the College of Mass Communication

Position Description

Search Committee

Timeline

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the College of Mass Communication. MTSU, with more than 25,000 students, is located 30 miles southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, at the epicenter of the dynamic, creative and world-renowned music industry. The College is the fifth-largest College of Mass Communication in the nation.

The College consists of the Electronic Media Communication Department, the Recording Industry Department and the School of Journalism. This unique blend of programs includes sixty-five faculty members with diverse educational and professional backgrounds. The College has 3,000 majors in its undergraduate and graduate programs, including a unique MFA in Recording Arts and Technologies and a master's degree in Mass Communication. The College maintains two radio stations, a high-definition TV station, the student-run and editorially independent newspaper, Sidelines, a student-centered record label, MT Records, and technical equipment to support and enhance all programs. The College provides students the opportunity to move a story from initial acquisition to radio and television broadcast, the Internet, and/or print. The Center for Popular Music, a 'Center of Excellence' and the nation's preeminent library/archive for study of the whole of America's vernacular music, is a featured unit within the College. The Center for Innovation in Media, The Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies, and the Office of Communication Research are also units within the College. The John Bragg Mass Communication Building houses facilities and equipment, including three multitrack recording studios, a MIDI lab, television production facilities, a mobile HD production truck, a digital animation studio, and reporting, editing, photography and design labs.

The successful candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Visionary leadership for the College known for its outstanding professional education.  This would include a focus on critical analysis of media and faculty as well as student research and creative activity.
• Extensive professional experience and a record of distinguished accomplishments in a field related to one or more of the programs in the College. Eligible for the rank of professor in a discipline in the College.
• Evidence of experience in current trends in new media, including emerging communication technologies and methodologies.
• A commitment to freedom of expression and media ethics.
• Documented administrative experience in higher education or a discipline-related industry.
• Demonstrated commitment to fundraising and the ability to develop relationships with industry, professional groups and private donors.
• A commitment to faculty governance and openness to faculty and student concerns.
• Ability to communicate well with faculty, students, administrators, and external constituencies.
• Dedication to the diversity of the College's programs, including support for effective curriculum, research, scholarship and creating and maintaining a diverse student, faculty and staff environment.
• Leadership skills to guide the College in the implementation of strategic planning and in completion of program accreditation/and program reviews.
• Experience in managing a significant planning and  budgeting process.

The salary will be commensurate with education and experience. Appointment will begin July 1, 2013.

Information about the University is available at http://www.mtsu.edu

The Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, complete CV, and list of 5 references) or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the Board. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to February 1, 2013, to:

Dan Parker, President
Ryan L. Grant, Principal
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2900
Atlanta, GA 30328
770-804-1996 ext: 115
rgrant@parkersearch.com

MTSU, a culturally diverse university, is an equal-opportunity, affirmative action educational institution and employer. Women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

A Tennessee Board of Regents Institution