Chair, School of Image Arts

Posted: November 29, 2022
Deadline to Apply: Saturday, January 28, 2023

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) invites applications for the position of Chair in the School of Image Arts. The successful candidate shall be appointed with tenure at the rank of Associate Professor. The appointments shall be effective July 1, 2023, subject to budgetary approval. The appointment as Chair shall be for a term of five years (subject to extension in year 3), commencing July 1, 2023 with the possibility of renewal for an additional three or five-year term.

In recognition of the under-representation of marginalized communities in academic administrative roles, members of equity-deserving groups who can demonstrate a deep commitment to the principles of equity, inclusion and student support are invited to apply and applications from candidates who self-identify as Indigenous and/or racialized are particularly encouraged.

The duties and responsibilities of Department Chair are laid out in detail in article 26.1.E. of the Toronto Metropolitan University Faculty Association Collective Agreement. Reporting to the Dean, the Chair will be a visionary who is an energetic, entrepreneurial and accomplished team builder. They will: i) advance the profile of the School as a leading centre for the production, study and research of film, photography
and other related media arts; ii) provide exemplary academic and administrative leadership, including stewardship of human and financial resources; iii) work collaboratively to provide leadership for curriculum and faculty development, research and scholarly activity, while promoting and coordinating the continued evolution of the School, and; iv) participate actively in the intellectual life of the School, the Faculty, the University, the community, and collaborate with other academic institutions and the industry. As a tenure stream faculty member, the successful candidate will be responsible for engaging in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities.

The successful candidate will have subject expertise in the creative industries, with a speciality in the areas of film, photography, digital arts or media studies. The candidate will have a substantial reputation and experience in theory or practice in these fields. The successful candidate shall be a dynamic academic leader and educator who is a tenured faculty member.

In addition to being appointed as the Chair, the successful candidate must be eligible for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor in The Creative School, and must present evidence of the following:

  • a PhD or a Master’s degree combined with well developed experience in teaching, research and academic administration;
  • a capacity to provide effective academic and administrative leadership, including stewardship of human and financial resources;
  • strong, active track record of scholarly and/or creative activities;
  • proven track record of teaching excellence;
  • a demonstrated ability for strategic planning, visioning, and actioning/implementation;
  • superior organizational, leadership, collaborative and interpersonal skills;
  • an ability to function effectively in a team-oriented environment, forging productive relationships with pre-tenure faculty, tenured faculty, students and staff;
  • a commitment to building an inclusive and supportive environment for quality student life and engagement;
  • proactive support and demonstrated abilities with faculty mentoring and professional development, particularly for pre-tenure faculty and faculty from under-represented communities;
  • a commitment to curriculum development that balances studio-based education and its vital relation with studies in design, history and theory;
  • enthusiasm for leading and supporting a rich diversity of curriculum within the School at both the graduate and undergraduate level;
  • a strong commitment to supporting a diverse array of creative and research practices and output that represents the diversity of the School;
  • an ability and willingness to promote the School across the University and within the creative industries and cultural sector, which will include academic partnerships, liaising with industry, fundraising, and community engagement, as well as further developing a collaborative relationship with The Image Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University and;
  • a commitment to upholding the values of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly, research or creative activities.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Toronto University Faculty Association (TFA) (www.rfanet.ca). The TFA collective agreement can be viewed here and a summary of TFA benefits can be found here.

About the School of Image Arts

The School of Image Arts’ unique and professionally-focused undergraduate curriculum supports programs in Photography, Film and Integrated Digital. The School’s programs are designed to lead to careers in film, photography, new media, fine arts, communications, education, culture, and broader creative industries. The School’s full-time faculty comprises dedicated individuals with established professional, research, and teaching experience in their respective areas of expertise.

Its innovative graduate programs include an interdisciplinary PhD in Media and Design Innovation, the MFA in Documentary Media, an interdisciplinary program in Scriptwriting and Story Design (MFA), and the Film + Photography Preservation and Collection Management (MA) program. The School of Image Arts shares the same building with The Image Centre, which is dedicated to the research, teaching and exhibition of photography and related media. The Image Centre hosts major exhibitions of contemporary Canadian and International lens-based art. It is also home to several significant archival collections, including the Berenice Abbott Archive, the Black Star Collection of press photographs, and the Jo Spence Memorial Archive. The Image Centre develops some exhibition and research projects in collaboration with the School faculty.

About The Creative School

The University’s Creative School is a Faculty that is a national leader in educational programs in media, applied communication, design, and the fine and performing arts. Nearly 6,000 students are enrolled in The Creative School, across nine professional schools (Journalism, Image Arts, RTA School of Media, Performance, Fashion, Interior Design, Professional Communication, Graphic Communications Management, and Creative Industries). The Faculty is actively involved in graduate studies, including Master’s programs in Fashion, Journalism, Media Production, and Professional Communication, as well as the joint York/TMU program in Communication and Culture.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment
Portal
[https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin.

Applications, consisting of the following, must be received by January 28, 2023:

  • a letter of application which includes 1) the candidate’s vision for the School which builds upon the applicant’s perceptions of the existing strengths of the School; 2) the candidate’s views about the characteristics required to successfully lead a department of this size
    (which includes diverse academic programs); and 3) clarification as to whether the candidate holds tenure at their current institution.
  • examples of the candidate’s creative and research outputs: film excerpts, portfolio, exhibition catalogues, published works, etc.;
  • a curriculum vitae;
  • examples of past academic leadership experience which provides evidence of the candidate’s management style;
  • a statement of research interests;
  • a teaching dossier including a statement of teaching philosophy and evidence of teaching effectiveness (e.g. course evaluations); and
  • a one-page statement on past, current and/or planned contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) such as, but not limited to: research/ teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented groups; inclusive pedagogies; public engagement activities that reach out to marginalized communities; mentoring students from underrepresented groups.

Please provide the names, professional affiliations and contact information for three referees in the cover letter. Candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted and letters of reference will be requested at that time. Please note that names of further references may be requested at a later stage in the selection process.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

Contacts

Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to Lindsay Wiener, Sr. Human Resources Partner, at l2wiener@ryerson.ca.

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Tracey King, Indigenous Human Resources Lead at t26king@ryerson.ca.

Black identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at shurla.charlesforbes@ryerson.ca.

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact hr@ryerson.ca.

Working at TMU

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their family, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

 

Comments are closed.