Program Chair and Open Rank Professor, Cinema Studies

The School of Performing Arts (SOPA) at Virginia Tech invites applications for a full-time, nine-month position as a tenured/tenure-track faculty member of Cinema Studies and Chair of the Cinema program; currently a major in the Theatre Arts Degree. This role will be integral to the expansion of this program and, in turn, the advancement of the school’s mission and objectives.

Responsibilities:
In addition to teaching and maintaining a productive program of scholarly research, the successful candidate will serve as the inaugural Academic Program Chair of Cinema, playing a pivotal role in the SOPA leadership team. Key administrative responsibilities include:
• Contributing to annual reports and managing program-specific budgets.
• Drafting faculty performance evaluation summaries.
• Coordinating pre-tenure reviews, teaching evaluations, and developing hiring plans.
• Overseeing teaching assignments and assisting the Director with research leave requests and modified duties.
• Providing recommendations on staffing space management, budget allocation, and faculty support.
• Serving on the SOPA Personnel Committee and leading programmatic goals, faculty meetings, and cross-discipline collaboration.
• Mentoring faculty, supporting student learning, and overseeing student events and daily operations.
• Collaborating with advisors on student concerns and managing curricular development, including teaching loads and course scheduling.

Teaching and Service:
The teaching assignment includes lower- and upper-division undergraduate courses, encompassing general education courses. The Cinema Chair will collaborate closely with the Theatre Chair to ensure the continued success of the Cinema major within the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts degree program. Additionally, the Chair will work with Cinema faculty and relevant stakeholders to develop new degree programs and contribute to existing ones. Service responsibilities include participation in departmental and university committees, leading programmatic development and recruitment efforts, and spearheading strategic planning for the Cinema program in alignment with the School of Performing Arts and university-level plans.

Contract and Compensation:
This is an academic year (9-month) position.  The role of program chair will require some summer availability and will be contracted for an initial three-year term with the possibility of renewal. Compensation in recognition of responsibilities as academic program chair will include an administrative/summer stipend, one course release per semester, and annual professional development funds.

About Us:
The School of Performing Arts (SOPA) is one of four schools (along with the Schools of Architecture, Visual Arts, and Design) in the newly formed College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD), which launched in July 2022. SOPA offers programs in music, theatre, and cinema at the graduate and undergraduate level. Programs are delivered in Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District, which concentrates 11 performance spaces within a three-block area on the Blacksburg campus. Performance venues range from the 1,300-seat Moss Arts Center to a 101-seat experimental theatre.

The College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Tech affirms our collective responsibility to encourage, build, and embrace the polyculturism of our world. We do this by acknowledging and addressing our past, recognizing our current responsibility, and acting in the interests of building and sustaining communities that are truly safe, supportive, and inclusive for all. Our commitment is to engage in these processes continually and proactively for the benefit of our students, staff, and faculty across the college and the communities around the world we aim to serve.

• A terminal degree specific to the discipline such as a PhD or MFA.
• Demonstrated scholarly publication record, including articles in refereed journals, book chapters, or a monograph in film studies or related fields.
• Experience in teaching film history, theory, and related courses at the college level.
• Ability to articulate and support initiatives that promote inclusive excellence within the curriculum, faculty, and student body.
• Active engagement with film studies, cinema history, or theory communities, with a willingness to contribute to departmental, college, university, and community service.

• A professional and research profile that warrants an initial hire at an advanced rank.
• A distinguished publication record or critical contributions in key areas of film history/theory that demonstrate significant influence in the field.
• Experience in curriculum development, budget management, strategic planning, and/or program assessment.
• Familiarity with designing or revising curricula to align with current trends in media studies, cinematic technology, or digital theory.
• Demonstrated ability to lead academic programs, mentor faculty, and foster collaboration within a department or equivalent academic unit.
• Strong collaborative skills and experience in interdisciplinary research.
• Successful record of securing research funding, including grants or partnerships that support academic programming and research.
• Research or professional experience with global or transnational perspectives on cinema, supporting an understanding of international contexts.

• The letter of intent should include the candidate’s proven experience, the potential capacity to fulfill duties and responsibilities (required and preferred qualifications listed above) and address the applicant’s interest in Virginia Tech and the Blacksburg community.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Research statement.
• A one-page personal statement detailing the candidate's ideas for supporting an equitable and inclusive educational environment consistent with the Virginia Tech Principles of Community. Specific examples of experiences, activities, and plans will help us identify candidates who can support our college’s aim to sustain an equitable climate and extend our University's commitment to inclusive excellence.
• Portfolio of creative works, if applicable.
• The references (names and contact information only). Reference letters will be requested from finalists only.

Regular

Salary range is $70,000-140,000, commensurate with rank

January 31, 2025

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.