Department Head Position Announcement, the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies

[Songning Zhang]

Position Announcement
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Head of the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies
Appointment starts August 1, 2023

The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences seeks a creative, dynamic, and strategically-oriented individual to serve as the Head of the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies (Head). The department head is responsible for leadership of all departmental programs and administrative planning, fiscal management, human resources, and facilities. The department head reports directly to the Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and serves as a member of the College’s Administrative Council. The successful candidate will lead the department in developing a vision for the future, based on the University's and College's new strategic plans. Specifically, the Head will implement goals of the CEHHS Diversity Action Plan, and strategically navigate the new budget allocation model governing the department's finances while advocating for the department. The department head oversees the mentoring process and evaluation for faculty and staff and ensures that the department complies with the university’s processes and procedures in these areas.

Programs: The department provides undergraduate students an opportunity to major in either kinesiology or recreation and sport management. Graduate students (MS and PhD programs) can choose to specialize in exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology/motor behavior, physical activity of epidemiology, sport management, therapeutic recreation, or socio-cultural studies. In addition to our majors, the department also serves approximately 5,500 UT students per year in promoting wellness and active living through course offerings ranging from swimming, jogging, conditioning, and strength training, to tennis, yoga, martial arts, golf, ice skating, softball, and soccer.

Required Qualifications: Doctoral degree in a field related to the disciplines of kinesiology, recreation, and sports studies; previously earned tenure in a higher education institution; must qualify for the rank of professor in the department; history of external funding in research/scholarship; an extensive record of scholarship in their field; previous university teaching experience; demonstrated experience in fiscal management; and the ability to support and sustain a department climate that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Desired Qualifications: Experience with strategic planning; history of external funding in scholarship as a principal investigator; values and has the capability to mentor faculty in research, externally-funded scholarship, and teaching; experience supervising full-time staff members; evidence of curriculum
decision-making experience; demonstrated commitment to student success at the undergraduate and graduate level; and strong interpersonal, communication, and management skills.

Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2022, and will continue until the position is filled. Individuals interested in applying for this position should submit electronically at https://apply.interfolio.com/110082
a letter of application, curriculum vita, and list of three references who can address the applicant’s leadership capabilities with complete addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Questions can be directed to Dr. Hollie Raynor, search committee chair, at hraynor@utk.edu.

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone 865-974-2498. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.