Department Chair - Department of Community and Regional Planning

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Position Title:

Department Chair - Department of Community and Regional Planning## Appointment Type:

Faculty##

Job Description:

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* Job Description:

** The Department of Community and Regional Planning (CRP) in the College of Design at Iowa State University is seeking an administrator with demonstrated achievements in planning for the role of Department Chair to support and promote the interdisciplinary and collaborative work of all departmental faculty and staff.

As a Carnegie Foundation- designated Research-Extensive institution, we seek an individual in the field who will support the department's long-standing scholarly excellence in education, research, and practice. The Chair will be expected to foster collegiality and enhance our unique land-grant university status by upholding and inspiring our work both on and off campus. The Department Chair will enrich our community as we pursue an appropriate balance in knowledge building and sharing, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Founded in the late 1940s, the program has a long history of excellence. The CRP department integrates research, teaching, and outreach consistent with the tenets of Iowa State’s land grant mission. Planning at Iowa State is known for strong community-based learning and scholarship and for maintaining a close relationship with the University’s Extension and Outreach program. The department offers two accredited, on-campus degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Community and Regional Planning (one of  16 accredited undergraduate planning programs in the United States) and a Master of Community and Regional Planning.

The department also offers a fully online Master of Community Development program, as well as graduate certificates in Geographic Information Systems and Heritage Preservation. The department supports joint graduate degrees between Planning and Sustainable Agriculture, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Business Administration.

The successful candidate will oversee a department comprised of 12 faculty with wide ranging experience and expertise, including two faculty who hold joint appointments with Iowa State Extension and Outreach. The Chair will be an advocate for members of the department in their relationships with allied programs, college and university administration, alumni, the profession, and the public. We seek a candidate who can support all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research, and outreach.

Candidates must demonstrate experience and aptitude in strategic planning and facilitating communication to support success for students, faculty, and staff. As an academic administrator, the candidate should possess an in-depth knowledge of the field of planning, an understanding and appreciation of the breadth of planning research and practice, and an appreciation for allied design disciplines.

The Chair is the designated executive officer of the department and is responsible for personnel matters, including faculty recruitment and advancement, budgeting, departmental governance, and collaborative engagements. The chair also maintains relationships with the department’s extensive alumni network around the state, region, and nation. The Chair oversees administrative operations of the department, including teaching assignments, as well as assessment and accreditation.

The Chair serves at the pleasure of the Dean of the College of Design. The proposed start date for the position is January 1, 2026. This is a full-time position, and candidates must be eligible for appointment with tenure.
** Duties of the Chair
*** Provides leadership, strategy, and support for the department
* Assists in the articulation of the department’s mission, values, and interests within the university and beyond
* Supports the advancement of the department in all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research/creative inquiry, and outreach
* Supervises teaching assignments, program assessment, and accreditation
* Mentors and supports departmental faculty members through promotion and tenure
* Plans and manages departmental financing, budget, and workforce in coordination with finance and human…