Faculty Position Information:

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Iowa State University (ISU) is actively seeking candidates for the position of chair for the Department of Interior Design in the College of Design. The chair is the designated executive officer of the department and is responsible for leadership and oversight of central departmental administrative operations. As a dynamic and accomplished leader, the chair must articulate a mission for the department within both disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts. The successful candidate must have a passion for design education and professional commitment to excellence that supports all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research/creative inquiry, and outreach. The chair must also demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion among students, staff, and faculty.

The approximately 180 undergraduate students, 15 graduate students and 10 faculty members who comprise the Department of Interior Design share a commitment to excellence. Over the past decade, ISU interior design students and studios have won multiple national and international awards, including 17 winners or finalists in the Hospitality Design Awards since 2008, and students have participated in several Venice Biennale Sessions. The department is recognized for its development of interdisciplinary collaborations.

In 2019-20, DesignIntelligence ranked our CIDA-accredited undergraduate program 15th among 169 accredited undergraduate interior design programs in the United States, Canada, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Also in 2019-20, our undergraduate and graduate programs ranked seventh in the “Most Hired From” category according to DesignIntelligence. In 2018, our graduate program ranked 9th in the nation in the focus areas of sustainable built environments, adaptive design, and resilient design.

The Department of Interior Design offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design (BFA), a Master of Arts in Interior Design (MA), a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA), and an interdisciplinary double degree with the Department of Architecture (MA-MArch). The department also offers experiential learning in immersive study abroad programs, a professional internship program, many interdisciplinary initiatives, and strategic collaborations with other highly ranked colleges and departments.

The ideal candidate for the next chair of the Department of Interior Design is someone who values innovation and discovery, understands the interior design practice and aspirations, is an effective and responsive communicator, is a consensus-builder and collaborator, demonstrates competencies in successful budget planning, and will advocate on behalf of the department with alumni and industry. In this capacity, the chair serves at the pleasure of the dean of the College of Design.

Duties of the Chair

• Provides leadership, strategy, and vision to the department in collaboration with faculty, students, and administrators.
• Articulates departmental mission, values, and interests, within the university and beyond.
• Implements a clear vision for advancing the department in all three dimensions of the land-grant mission: education, research/creative inquiry, and outreach.
• Supervises curricular development and teaching and oversees program assessment and accreditation.
• Mentors and supports the departmental faculty members through promotion and advancement.
• Manages the departmental budget and personnel.
• Maintains and strengthens interdisciplinary connections with other college/university programs, as well as with communities, professionals, and other external stakeholders (alumni, donors, and industry partners).
• Supports college/department/university efforts in recruitment, marketing, communication, and fundraising.
• Promotes the visibility and impact of the department and its community within national and international contexts.
• Engages in scholarship and teaching activities.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• An advanced/post-professional degree in interior design or interior architecture, or equivalent.
• Scholarly credentials and/or professional achievements that meet the standards for tenure in the College of Design at Iowa State University.
• Working knowledge of interior design professional practice.
• A successful record of academic or professional leadership experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Holds an earned doctoral degree in interior design, interior architecture, architecture, or related field.
• Administrative leadership in a similar size department, at a comprehensive institution of higher education.
• Involvement in professional associations at national and/or international levels.
• A successful record of professional accomplishments in interior design and/or other related fields (e.g., industry awards and/or recognition, strong portfolio).
• Experience with, and knowledge of, accreditation standards in interior design.
• Demonstrated evidence of diversity and inclusion practices.

This position is set to begin July of 2022 and is a full-time (9 month) appointment, an additional summer month is negotiable.

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Application Instructions:

Review of applicants will begin December 30, 2021, and will continue as needed until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. 

 

Evaluation of requirements will be based on:

1) Letter of application addressing your qualifications for this position and your vision for interior design education and practice

2) A current resume or CV

4) A portfolio including 5 work samples in research, practice and/or student projects (5MB maximum, may include links to audio/video content)

5) Contact information (email and phone) for three professional references

Contact Information for Applicants

For information concerning this position, or to make a nomination, please contact:

Seda McKilligan, seda@iastate.edu

Search Committee Chair for Chair of the Department of Interior Design

Only complete applications will be accepted. If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

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