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Job Description
California College of the Arts seeks applicants for an open rank (assistant, associate, or full professor commensurate with experience), full-time faculty position to chair the MDes in Interaction Design program beginning in August 2023.
In keeping with CCA’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, we seek candidates with a demonstrated ability to cultivate an equity-focused creative and scholarly environment. As we expand the curriculum to fully include the histories, experiences, and methods of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and LGBTQ+ designers, we will look to our next program chair to lead this work.
Through visionary leadership, curricular strategy, and professional and community engagement, the chair of the MDes in Interaction Design program plays an essential role in shaping the practices of students whose work will map the future of the field and the extent of its impact. Successful candidates will approach the development of curriculum as a creative and intellectual opportunity, and demonstrate a capacity to incorporate diverse perspectives in directing pedagogy and building community. They will demonstrate a vibrant design, strategy or research practice, a passion for excellent teaching, and prior experience in curriculum development or academic leadership. They will have worked with culturally diverse groups and demonstrated an understanding of design’s role in shaping society and culture, including critical issues such as technology, sustainability, and accessibility.
The chair is responsible for the vision, leadership, and administration of the MDes in Interaction Design program with support from an associate chair and divisional staff. The chair ensures program relevance, educational excellence, and ongoing successful operations. Responsibilities include planning, oversight, and management of the program’s curriculum, budget, and initiatives; direct supervision of the faculty involved in graduate admissions and reviews; organizational leadership for faculty, students, and staff; and faculty recruitment, retention, and development. The chair is responsible for staying actively involved with both the curriculum and relevant professional fields.
Program chairs have a three to five year renewable appointment, with the option to return to faculty at the end of the leadership appointment. Full-time faculty appointments teach five courses an academic year, and chairs receive teaching release according to the size of their program. This position reports directly to the Dean of Design and works to achieve programmatic, divisional, and institutional goals in partnership with key offices including Academic Affairs, Admissions, Alumni Relations, Marketing and Communications, Facilities, and the offices of the Provost and the President. As this is a faculty position, the Chair is expected to teach courses in the program.