Chair and Full Professor, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders
College of Education and Human Sciences
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders (SECD) announces an exciting leadership opportunity for a collaborative scholar who shares the department’s dedication to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families, schools, and communities. The college recently completed a $10M renovation of The Barkley Memorial Center, state-of-the-art-clinic and academic home. With a longstanding tradition of both clinical and research excellence, the department stands ready for the next leader to continue the journey from excellent to extraordinary. This opportunity is ideal for an established scholar to apply their leadership skills in a welcoming, energized, and collaborative department with a vision for the future.
SECD offers notable academic programs in audiology, special education, and speech-language pathology within the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS). The department’s faculty enjoy esteemed national and international reputations for research, teaching, and service. The speech-language pathology and audiology programs have been rated in the top 25 programs nationwide by US News and World Report. Taught by award-winning faculty members, program graduates are competitive practitioners and scholars nationally and internationally.
Situated in the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS), the department is one of seven academic departments comprising a diverse community of scholars with more than 200 faculty members, 175 staff, and 3,200 students united around a mission to positively impact the human condition. This is an exciting time to be at UNL and CEHS. The college is currently undergoing a national search for a new Dean. Twelve CEHS researchers have been named to the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% list of scientists in the world. CEHS is one of ten colleges at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , the state’s flagship, R1, land grant, and Big Ten university. UNL is located in Lincoln, NE, the state capital, a growing city of 295,000. Residents enjoy an affordable cost of living, lively arts, and athletic activities. The city’s history as an immigrant and refugee resettlement community brings rich diversity to the area’s culture. Omaha, the state’s largest city (metro population 967,000+) is less than an hour’s drive.
The College of Education and Human Sciences respects people, ideas, voices, and perspectives. Diversity strengthens our ability to problem solve and build more equitable and inclusive solutions for complex challenges.
The highly regarded Lincoln Public Schools offer an International Baccalaureate Program, extensive school-to-career pathways, alternative classroom settings, and unique focus areas in science, arts, information technology, entrepreneurship, and more. The area is also home to many respected private and parochial schools and several private and community colleges.
The search website includes a wealth of information about UNL, CEHS, SECD, The Barkley Memorial Center, Lincoln, and more.
The new leader will focus primarily on administrative responsibilities as department chair of SECD and the Barkley Memorial Center. Anticipated start date is July 1, 2025. The new chair will focus on these responsibilities:
1. Leadership and Administration:
a. Provide leadership in the maintenance, implementation, and evaluation of the department's three programs (audiology, special education, and speech-language pathology).
b. Support research, teaching, outreach, public service, international programs, and inclusive excellence across the department’s programs and their interdisciplinary collaboration.
c. Oversee the direction and operation of the department's Barkley Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic.
d. Strengthen an inclusive, interdisciplinary culture in which contributions to the team are appreciated and recognized, collaboration and innovation are encouraged, and the abilities of all are engaged to fully recognize the potential of the team; and
e. Maintain compliance with university, state, and federal regulations including licensing, accreditation, and safety.
2. Vision:
a. Activate the department’s vision and steward a positive culture with input from faculty, staff, the Barkley Trust, and stakeholders that encompasses all programs, seeks, and deploys personnel and financial resources strategically, and is continuously examined for relevancy and refreshed as needed.
b. Provide support and leadership for academic, research, and outreach excellence; and
c. Work with faculty and others in developing and advancing the department’s plans for enrollment growth, priority of inclusive excellence, and external communication of student and faculty success.
3. Personnel and Resource Management:
a. Facilitate and recognize the achievements of faculty, staff, and students.
b. Maintain and update department policies/procedures/handbook to support efficiency and transparency.
c. Attract, develop, and retain diverse faculty and staff within the department.
d. Coordinate workloads and supervise and evaluate faculty and staff.
e. Maintain an engaged, positive, productive environment.
f. Support professional development for faculty, staff, and students.
g. Manage financial and physical resources responsibly to maximize the effectiveness of these resources.
h. Develop and administer budgets for the department, clinic, and the Barkley Trust with appropriate input; and
i. Advocate for the needs of SECD faculty, staff, and students.
4. Communication and Collaboration:
a. Ensure opportunities are open to all, programs are inclusive of all constituencies, and efforts are made to engage diverse audiences, especially those who are traditionally underrepresented.
b. Maintain a strong relationship with members of the Barkley Trust Board and NU Foundation.
c. Inform the Dean, NU Foundation, and Barkley Trust Board members about use of the Barkley Trust funds consistent with the intent of the donor.
d. Continue momentum on partnerships, outreach, and collaborative efforts within and across the department, college, community, and schools.
e. Serve as liaison between faculty and university administrators.
f. Maintain a positive working relationship with the special education and communication disorders program chairs at other institutions in the state.
g. Facilitate linkages with external groups to strengthen ties with alumni; relevant professionals and organizations; private companies; industry, state, and federal agencies; and citizens of Nebraska.
5. Teaching, Research, and Outreach:
a. Engage in academic activities based on applicant's strengths, interests, and needs of the department and college.
Minimum Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in audiology, special education, speech-language pathology, or closely related discipline
- Excellence in teaching, research, and outreach with a record that meets the qualifications for promotion and tenure to full professor based on UNL's metrics.
- Experience in higher education including record of programmatic extramurally funded research, teaching, outreach, and service.
- Demonstrated leadership abilities.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity and equity supporting and stewarding an environment in which every person and every interaction matters.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience managing financial, physical, and human resources.
- Leadership experience with multidisciplinary programs.
Salary dependent upon experience and qualifications. This is a 12-month appointment.
Review of applications will begin January 21, 2025, and continue until the position is filled or the search is closed.
To view details of the position and make application, go to http://employment.unl.edu, requisition F_240191, or apply using this quick link: http://employment.unl.edu/postings/94456. Click “Apply to this Job” and complete the information form. Applicants will be required to attach the following documents:
1) Letter of intent that includes a description of qualifications, leadership philosophy, and fit with the position.
2) Curriculum vitae.
3) Statement on experience and commitment to diversity (attach as “Other Document”); and
4) Contact information (mailing address, phone number and email address) for three professional references who can speak to the candidate’s abilities to carry out the responsibilities of the job.
For more information, candidates should contact Search Committee Chair, Professor Susan Swearer at email: sswearer@unl.edu.
