Chair Of Department Of Agriculture

Department

Werth College of Science, Technology & Mathematics

Job Posting Title

Chair of Department of Agriculture

Job Description

Fort Hays State University is seeking applicants for Chair of the Department of Agriculture at the Professor or Associate Professor rank. The position is a 12-month, tenure-track appointment. The successful candidate must have a distinguished record of teaching, research, and service with an understanding and appreciation for on-campus and online delivery systems. The Chair will also have excellent communication and organizational skills, have demonstrated leadership abilities, and understand the needs of faculty, staff, and students.

FHSU and the Department of Agriculture are committed to building an environment that is inclusive and representative of our students and state, and we understand that few candidates will meet all of our preferred qualification. So, we encourage all who are interested to apply.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in agriculture or closely-related field;
• Successfully earned tenure at a regionally-accredited institution;
• Recent record of teaching excellence;
• Recent record of research accomplishments.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of successful academic administrative experience including both fiscal and supervisory responsibilities;
• Demonstrated success with student recruitment and retention initiatives;
• Experience with formalized assessment;
• Record of external funding through grants and/or donor fundraising;
• Demonstrated success with online education.

Responsibilities:

The Chair of the Department of Agriculture reports to the Dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics. The Chair is responsible for the overall management and operation of the department, including:

• Management of the department budget and other financial resources;
• Overseeing course scheduling and curriculum management;
• Initiating and facilitating new, high-quality academic programs, certificates, partnerships, and other on-campus or online education opportunities;
• Facilitating annual program assessment;
• Performing faculty and staff performance and merit reviews;
• Leading student recruiting and retention efforts for the department;
• Teaching 6 credit hours per semester and 3 credit hours during the summer. Courses may include introductory courses as well as advanced courses in specialized areas, and they may be taught on-campus or online;
• Initiating and facilitating externally funded grants and donor fundraising;
• Ensuring department initiatives align with University and Regents goals and plans;
• Participating in college and university service activities;
• Engaging in original research.

Rank: Professor or Associate Professor

Benefits: To review our competitive benefit package, please visit FHSU Benefits.

Appointment Date: January or July 2025

Priority Deadline: Review of applicants will begin September 7, 2025 and continue until the position is filled.

Application Process: To apply for this position, please visit FHSU Careers. Only electronic applications submitted through the webpage will be accepted.

Required Application Documents:

Candidates should submit a single PDF containing:

• Cover letter addressing experience, qualifications, and how the applicant is suited to the position;
• Current curriculum vitae;
• The names and contact information of at least three professional references.

If you have questions regarding the position, please contact:

Dr. Grady Dixon

pgdixon@fhsu.edu

About the Department:

The Department of Agriculture has eight full-time faculty positions serving approximately 400 undergraduate students pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture or Agricultural Business with the latter available online. The Agriculture major includes options in Agricultural Education, Agronomy, Animal Science, Agricultural Leadership, Agricultural Communications, Business Agronomy, and General Agriculture. A partnership with the FHSU Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship resulted in a new "4+1" MBA program with an agriculture emphasis that launched in 2022. Teaching and research are supported by a 3,400-acre University Farm, which reports to the dean. See www.fhsu.edu/agriculture for additional information.

About the College:

The Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics was formed in 2015 by bringing together the departments of Agriculture, Applied Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics. The college employs approximately 70 full-time faculty, 1250 undergraduate majors, and 50+ graduate students. It also makes significant contributions to the university's General Education program and to the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, which is an early-college program for high-achieving high-school students. Undergraduate students participate in technical, classroom, field, and lab experiences that many schools would reserve for graduate students. Our academic programs are innovative and our facilities are outstanding. The Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics teachers embrace a one-on-one teaching and mentoring philosophy and provide robust research opportunities for our students.

Community of Hays

FHSU is located in Hays, a vibrant college town of approximately 20,000, located halfway between Kansas City and Denver on Interstate 70. Hays is the regional center for education, health care, professional services, shopping, culture, and recreation for the western half of Kansas. The community boasts excellent recreational programs and facilities, including the comprehensive Center for Health Improvement, Hays Aquatic Park, Smoky Hill Country Club, Hays Municipal Golf Course, and extensive walking, running, and biking trails. Hays is within 45 minutes of two large lakes that offer great opportunities for boating, fishing, and camping. The Hays Municipal Airport provides connecting service to Denver with several flights daily. The Hays community is home to excellent Pre-K and K-12, public and private schools. With over 60 restaurants, major retail outlets, a low unemployment rate, and very short commute times, the city provides a safe, welcoming, low-cost, high-quality living environment for the residents who call "Hays, America" home.

Notice of Non-discrimination - Fort Hays State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, color, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or veteran status.

Background Check: Final candidate will have consented to and successfully completed a criminal background check.

Notice to KPERS retirees applying for a position: Recent legislation changes working-after-retirement rules for both you and your employer if you go back to work for a KPERS employer. Please contact your KPERS representative or www.kpers.org for further information on how this might affect you.