Professor - Director of the School of Art and Design

Scope of Job:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) invites applications for the position of Director of the School of Art and Design. This is a tenured, full-time, 12-month administrative faculty position. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The appointment begins in July 2026.

The School of Art and Design offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in studio art and visual communication design and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art (Teacher Certification). The school also offers Master of Fine Arts degrees in design and studio art and a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Art History. New minor programs to the school include Art and Entrepreneurship and Visual Communication Design.

The School of Art and Design enrolled nearly 1,000 majors in Fall 2025 (962 ug; 33 grad) with a faculty of 26 tenured/tenure-track, 10 full-time professional faculty, and 18 part-time faculty. Additionally, the school has an associate director and 5 full-time staff.

The School of Art and Design is seeking a Director with a history of administrative experience and an established record of teaching and creative excellence. The ideal candidate will have experience collaborating with faculty and leaders in the Arts community. The School of Art and Design is hosted on two locations (Brownsville and Edinburg) approximately 65 miles apart, and the Director will be expected to have a presence and support the work of faculty, staff, and students in both locations.

In Edinburg, the school is hosted in the 50,000 square-foot Edinburg Visual Arts Building, located three miles from the main campus. In Brownsville, the school is scheduled to move into the Brownsville Visual Arts Complex, a renovated elementary school, located 0.5 miles from the main campus in August 2026. This $35 million renovation project will yield 45,000 square feet in 14 separate buildings, hosting individual studios and offices.

The Director of the School of Art and Design reports directly to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts. Duties will include providing artistic, administrative, and academic leadership of the school in recruitment, grant writing, and community outreach; managing the department's budget; supervising and evaluating faculty and staff; a continued commitment to teaching by teaching two courses a year; and contributing as a member of the Dean's College Leadership Council.

The new Director will be responsible for:

Providing leadership and direction to all the academic and scholarly activity programs within the School of Art and Design, leading by example with the highest standards of personal and professional integrity.
Advancing the school's academic and research/scholarly activity programs, working with faculty to articulate a shared vision of excellence, and focusing on developing, expanding, and strengthening excellent academic programs across the Rio Grande Valley.
Working with the Dean, Associate Deans, and fellow school directors and department chairs to implement UTRGV's core priorities and the College of Fine Arts Strategic Plan.
Contributing to UTRGV's goal of becoming an R1 institution (very high research activity) by 2028, the Director must work with faculty to develop, expand, and strengthen the school's research/scholarly activity portfolio, with a focus on increasing externally-funded research, as well as building graduate programs.
Leading School of Art and Design faculty and staff to apply for initial accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Maintaining budgetary and administrative oversight.
Overseeing the School of Art and Design facilities.
Building and maintaining relationships with external partners, including but not limited to, educational institutions, Arts non-profit organizations, and financial supporters.
Integrating student engagement and experiential learning initiatives throughout the student-life cycle that will enable students to contribute to our society, locally, regionally, and globally.
Promoting, encouraging, and supporting shared governance.
Cultivating a college environment that promotes and values communication, collaboration, and collegiality.
Fostering leadership within the School of Art and Design.
About UTRGV: UTRGV serves the Rio Grande Valley and beyond via an innovative and unique multicultural education dedicated to student access and success. By championing leading research, healthcare, and application of university discoveries, we support sustainable development, community engagement, and well-being. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is committed to building and sustaining a highly qualified and talented faculty to pursue excellence in everything that we do, including teaching, research, and service.Drawing on our unique identity as the leading Hispanic-Serving Institution in a bilingual and bicultural environment, UTRGV will promote student access and success by building from strength in education and creating a vibrant campus experience. By 2027, we will accelerate transformation in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond by driving meaningful advancements in research and creative works, expanding access to high-quality and affordable healthcare, and fostering authentic community engagement and integration. UTRGV is a distributed campus, one university spanning four counties and multiple locations. Our purpose is to be a university for the entire Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Over 91% of the students enrolled at UTRGV identify as Hispanic, making UTRGV one of the top 3 universities with the highest percentage of Hispanic students. For additional information, please visit UTRGV website.
About the College of Fine Arts: The College of Fine Arts is led by Dr. Jeffrey Ward, who began his tenure as Dean in 2022. The college leadership team consists of Associate Deans for Academic Affairs, Research and Outreach, and Student Success; and the College Administrator who coordinates all staff across the college. The college consists of five academic units (School of Art and Design, Department of Creative Writing, Department of Dance, School of Music, and Department of Theatre), the Center for Latin American Arts, and UTRGV ARTS, which manages public performances, exhibits, and outreach.The College of Fine Arts has over 1,800 majors, 71 full-time faculty, and 25 full-time staff. In fiscal year 2025, the College of Fine Arts initiated a five-year strategic plan that identifies key aspirational objectives and articulates the college's role within an R1 institution and a vibrant student-life community.

Minimum Qualifications:

All Ranks:• A terminal degree (MFA, PhD or EdD) from an accredited institution in studio art, design, art history and/or art education.• 3 years of substantial administrative experience in a department of the above disciplines.• Active record of scholarly and/or creative achievement on a national and/or international level respective to the candidates' discipline.
Full Professor: record of scholarly and/or creative achievement that meets the UTRGV and School of Art and Design standards of a full professor with tenure.
Associate Professor: record of scholarly and/or creative achievement that meets the UTRGV and School of Art and Design standards of an associate professor with tenure.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications:

The successful candidate should show a demonstrated capacity to contribute to the scholarly and creative life of the School of Art and Design at UTRGV. Candidates from all scholarly backgrounds are encouraged to apply. While not an exhaustive list of scholarly pathways, below are some discipline-specific expectations of a candidate for Director:
If the candidate has a Graphic Design background, the candidate is expected to have an advanced working knowledge of the leading technology and software in the field and have fluency in new media tools and digital skills. Evidence of innovative professional achievement and an active practice of exhibiting is essential at the national and international level. The candidate is also expected to show activity in creating interdisciplinary digital projects for both undergraduate and graduate students. Experience in illustration and/or sequential narrative imaging is a plus.If the candidate is from the field of Art History, the candidate is expected to have a substantial record of publication in this discipline, as well as demonstrate excellence in teaching and mentorship. The successful candidate will help train our graduate students to work in academic fields and be accepted into competitive PhD programs nationwide.
If the candidate has a background in a studio discipline, the candidate is expected to possess a demonstrated, recognized studio practice and a substantial record of exhibition at the national and/or international level relative to one or more creative visual disciplines. The UTRGV School of Art and Design currently supports concentrations in multiple studio areas including painting and drawing, printmaking, photography, jewelry and metals, ceramics, and sculpture. Within the 3-D areas there are rapid prototype and 3-D printing capacities.
If the candidate has an Art Education specialization, the candidate is expected to demonstrate a record of national and/or international scholarly and artistic achievements with the understanding that pedagogy in the field has both visual and scholarly applications. The successful candidate will be expected to assist in developing a graduate program in this discipline. The position can also serve as a liaison between the College of Education and School of Art and Design.

Preferred Qualification:

The successful candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with the demonstrated ability to develop a nationally competitive School of Art and Design and cultivate an environment conducive to growth.

Other preferred qualifications include:

1. A proven track record as a qualified administrator.

2. Demonstrated experience with recruitment at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

3. Minimum of six years of experience teaching full-time in an institution of higher education.

4. Experience working with graduate students and part-time faculty.

5. Demonstrated experience in development of new degree plans and a graduate program.

6. A commitment to promoting excellence in research, art practice, and teaching across the undergraduate and graduate programs.

7. Ability to contribute to UTRGV's bilingual, bicultural mission.

8. Experience with the NASAD accreditation process.

9. Evidence of external grant awards.

Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

License or Certification Required?: No
Number of Vacancies: 1
Desired Start Date: 07/01/2026

EEO Statement:

It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

If you are applying for the first time, please complete all biographical information, including address, email, and phone number. You may update this at any time by selecting to edit your profile in the application. Security sensitive; All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check (CBC). CBCs will be conducted for all candidates invited for an on-campus interview.
To be considered for this position, a complete application must be fill out online: visit careers.utrgv.edu.

Required Documents

1. Curriculum Vitae

2. List of 3 References

3. Letter of Interest that addresses the scope of the job.

4. Unofficial Transcripts

5. Additional Documents: Examples of research and/or creative work:

If in studio art or design, 20 images of personal work with accompanying image lists. Provide link(s) to online portfolio.
If in art history or art education, two examples of publications or book chapter excerpts in PDF format.

Additional Information:

UTRGV is a distributed institution. As such and as assigned, the position may require presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Work is performed primarily in a general office environment. This position is security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215. The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length

Please Note:

Texas law requires faculty members whose primary language is not English to demonstrate proficiency in English as determined by a satisfactory paper-based test score of 500 (computer-based of 173 or internet-based of 61) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a satisfactory test score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. All positions are subject to budget approval.

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

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Professor Director of the School of Art and Design