Posting Details

Title Information

Faculty Title

Job Class Code

FLSA

Position Information

Posting Number
FRGV2048

Working Title
Chair of the Department of Health Sciences CoHP 2027-2028

Number of Vacancies
1

Location
Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Division/Organization
Division of Health Affairs

Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position

Tenure Status
Tenured

FTE
1.0

Scope of Job

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) invites nominations and applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Health Sciences. Reporting directly to the Dean of the College of Health Professions, within the Division of Health Affairs, the department chair provides strategic leadership, fosters academic excellence, and ensures alignment with the goals of the College of Health Professions and the broader university. This plays a critical role in advancing the department's mission in teaching, research, service, and community engagement. The college seeks a dynamic leader who will collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to foster a culture of excellence.

The Department of Health Sciences is a dynamic academic unit dedicated to preparing professionals to work in the health science associated fields. The Department of Health Sciences currently has 5 full-time (tenure-track and non-tenured) faculty teaching in the program and over 3,500 students enrolled. Providing coursework at both the Edinburg and Brownsville teaching sites as well as online coursework the Department of Health Sciences prides itself on preparing students to advance health, improve outcomes, and lead compassionate, innovative care across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond Leadership Role of the Chair.

The Chair of the department serves as the academic and administrative leader. This role requires visionary leadership, strategic planning, and a commitment to advancing the mission of the university and the College of Health Professions.

The Chair is expected to:

• Provide strategic academic leadership to advance the department's mission in teaching, research, and service, with a focus on innovation, excellence, and impact.
• Drive enrollment growth at all levels.
• Champion research development, fostering a culture of inquiry and scholarship that supports UTRGV's goal of achieving R1 status as designated by the Carnegie Commission.
• Cultivate a collaborative and inclusive academic community, promoting shared governance, transparency, and mutual respect among faculty, staff, and students.
• Lead the department's administrative operations, including budget management, policy enforcement, and resource allocation to support strategic priorities.
• Recruit, retain, and mentor high-quality faculty and staff, supporting their professional development and fostering a culture of academic excellence.
• Oversee faculty evaluation, promotion, and development processes, ensuring alignment with university standards and best practices in higher education.
• Strengthen external partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations, enhancing the department's visibility and impact within the university and broader community.
• Advance curricular innovation and student success initiatives, ensuring academic programs are responsive to evolving professional and societal needs.
• Foster effective communication and conflict resolution, addressing concerns and promoting a positive and productive academic climate.
• Engage stakeholders in shaping the department's direction, including faculty, students, alumni, community partners, and university leadership.

As a faculty member, the Chair is also expected to maintain an active role in teaching

(with a reduced load), research, and service, modeling the values of academic

engagement and leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

The successful candidate will:

• Have an earned doctorate in Health Science or similar (e.g., Public Health, Health Education, Health Promotion, or Healthcare Administration.
• Be a tenured associate professor or higher.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to student success and satisfaction.
• Have strong organizational and management skills
• Have experience with faculty governance.
• Have a demonstrated ability to secure grants and external funding.
• Have a proven record of scholarship and current knowledge of the state of the field.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Tenured, full professor.
• Experience as chair, assistant chair, or program director.
• Experience at a Carnegie classified R1 doctoral university - high research activity or higher.
• Experience and/or knowledge of distributed campus models.
• Fluency in Spanish.

License or Certification Required?
No

Salary
Commensurate with qualifications and experience

Desired Start Date
09/01/2027

Posting Detail Information

Open Date
09/10/2026

Close Date

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.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Dear Applicant,

Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following:

Date of BirthSocial Security Number
GenderEthnicity/Race

Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reserves the right to discontinue accepting applications prior to the stated close date of this position, after meeting the posting requirement of three (3) calendar days.

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

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.

Quick Link
https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/52497