Job Description

General Information:

• Direct Supervisor: Dean, College of Allied Health
• FTE: 100%
• Appointment Type: Full-Time, Tenure/Tenure-Eligible or Consecutive Term - 12 month
• Title/Rank: Chairperson - Associate Professor or Professor
• Primary Location: OU-Oklahoma City, OK

About the Department

Accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation since 1965 – the fifth program to receive that designation nationwide – the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) has a proud history of developing clinical leaders and scholars in hearing, speech, language, and balance.  The Department offers Oklahoma’s only Doctor of Audiology and the state’s top-ranked Master’s degree in SLP.  Students train on a comprehensive health campus that offers an unmatched variety in clinical rotations and opportunities for collaborative science.  The department’s programs are provided by a team of 16 full-time faculty, supported by the expertise of adjunct instructors in specialty areas.

The College also benefits from exceptional clinical and community resources, including a state-of-the-art sonography clinic, the broader clinical and research infrastructure of the OU Health Campus, and strong regional partnerships with the Hough Ear Institute and the Hearts for Hearing Foundation, both of which enhance clinical training and research opportunities. Students in all CSD programs participate in the Keys Speech and Hearing Center, a comprehensive teaching clinic providing services to the Oklahoma City metro community.  Those services include specialty clinics in tinnitus, professional voice, teletherapy for pediatric speech and language, and vestibular assessment.  Additionally, the Keys Center is a United Way of Central Oklahoma partner agency, offering public service programs to provide hearing healthcare to underserved Oklahomans and a language-enriched pre-K environment for children on the autism spectrum.  Unity at Keys, an after-hours no-cost interprofessional clinic for uninsured and underinsured patients, offers CSD students further opportunities to serve their communities and learn about other health professions.

Newly accredited for the 2025-2033 cycle and featuring new simulation experiences supported by a $1.5 million investment by the Inasmuch Foundation, CSD is growing to meet Oklahoma’s health workforce needs.  For more information on the Department and its future, please visit our website.

Summary of Opportunity:

The College of Allied Health invites applications to serve as Chairperson of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), which offers professional degrees in audiology (AuD) and speech-language pathology (MA), as well as a pre-professional Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, the department houses the John W. Keys Speech and Hearing Center and the Interprofessional Language Enrichment and Pre-Kindergarten (iLEAP) Program.

The Chairperson of the Department will provide strategic leadership for the department and will play a pivotal role in supporting innovation, inspiration, and sustained growth. Responsibilities include leading departmental short-term and long-term strategic planning for research and scholarship, teaching, and service, as well as providing administrative oversight to current and future department centers of excellence. The Chairperson will also foster and maintain positive relationships with College and University leadership and community stakeholders.  Critical to the Chairperson’s success will be their ability to develop and articulate a clear vision and strategy for the department that aligns with the University of Oklahoma’s Lead On, University Strategic Plan.

Scope and Responsibilities

The Department’s value proposition leverages its unique history and position in Oklahoma to shape the future of audiology and speech-language pathology state- and nationwide.  The Chairman will lead this effort by identifying and obtaining new resources, cultivating partnerships throughout OU’s academic and clinical enterprise, and plotting a course to meet growth goals in the short and long term.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders or related field
• Evidence of experience in academic leadership
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and responsibly steward resources
• Record of substantial research accomplishment, including extramural grant funding and dissemination of scholarly products
• Ability to lead teams with positivity, adaptability, and a growth mindset
• Ability to mentor and champion junior faculty
• Commitment to academic freedom, freedom of speech, and intellectual independence

The ideal candidate for the Chair of CSD will have an exemplary track record in research and scholarship, teaching, and service to professional communities, as well as proven academic leadership skills, including mentorship of junior faculty. Substantial experience in guiding the education and training of students and junior faculty is expected.

The Chair will foster a collaborative, welcoming, and transparent environment to promote and define overall strategic interests and growth within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. These efforts will involve close collaboration with the Dean and other senior leadership within the College of Allied Health (CAH) and across the OU Health campus to promote the core missions of research, education, and service.

Candidates should apply online at http://apply.interfolio.com/178560, including a cover letter describing qualifications and experience, a complete curriculum vitae, and names and contact information for three references. Questions about the position should be directed to Ms. Deborah Martin at [email protected]. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The start date is negotiable.