Computer Science Academic Unit Head

Position Information

Position Summary Information

Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

James Madison University (JMU) seeks experienced applicants for the position of Head of the Department of Computer Science (CS) within the College of Integrated Science and Engineering (CISE). The vibrant CS Department is a community of educators, diverse in its professional experiences, dedicated to enabling its faculty, staff, and students to achieve broad successes in teaching and learning, scholarship and service.

The JMU Department of Computer Science offers undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Information Technology, and a fully-online master's degree with a concentration in Information Security. JMU is one of the original seven National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense, designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The CS department currently has 27 full-time faculty members, over 1000 students, and seven support staff members. Its strengths include dedicated and welcoming faculty and staff; engaged and invested students and alumni; carefully constructed program curricula; increasing enrollments; strong administrative and lab support; and state-of-the-art facilities.

JMU's CS department strives to provide a broad, accessible, and rigorous education to our diverse student body. With small class sizes and an emphasis on innovative pedagogy, we train our graduates to program fluently, think deeply about computational problems, communicate clearly, responsibly practice their craft, and achieve professional success. We foster a sense of shared community with our students and give them opportunities to grow their leadership skills as well as conduct research with faculty.

The CS department maintains a collegial work environment and a strong sense of shared mission. In addition to teaching, we recognize and participate in a broad spectrum of scholarship and service activities. We value the success of our colleagues, and pitch in to help each other when needed. We arrive at decisions collaboratively, while encouraging and attending to a diverse range of opinions.

The College of Integrated Science and Engineering prizes collaboration among academic units and provides unique opportunities for interdisciplinary, team-based teaching and scholarship, with a strong focus on undergraduate research opportunities. More information about the college and department may be found at and .

The new Head of the CS Department will join a supportive leadership team and report to the Dean of CISE. Department heads oversee and nurture all aspects of program administration and strategic leadership.

The new Department Head will be responsible for:

1) Fostering inclusive workplace and learning cultures;

2) Inspiring faculty, staff, and students;

3) Managing academic administrative tasks and processes;

4) Implementing a strategic vision within the evolving landscape of higher education;

5) Representing the department and its programs, both internally and externally (e.g., industry partners, prospective students, academic peers, etc.).

The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2024. The position is a 12-month faculty appointment with negotiated tenure and teaching responsibilities. A competitive salary will be commensurate with experience.

A Ph.D. in Computer Science or a related field is required. Preference will be given to candidates with an academic rank of Associate Professor or higher with academic leadership experience. We also welcome applicants from technical commercial environments with demonstrated accomplishments in organizational leadership.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished teacher-scholar, effective communicator, well-versed in the opportunities and trends of higher education, passionate about undergraduate computer science education, and committed to empowering faculty and arriving at decisions collaboratively.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

Posting Detail Information

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or . You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.

Notice of Availability - Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as: crime prevention, the university police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, protocols for the immediate notification of students and staff upon confirmation of a significant emergency on campus and other matters of importance related to security and safety. The report includes statistics for the most recent three-year period of reported crimes that have occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by JMU or its affiliates; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes campus housing fire statistics for the most recent three-year period, a description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system, the number of fire drills held during the previous calendar year, policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames in student housing; and procedures for student housing evacuation in the event of fire along with other fire safety information.

The JMU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes the Harrisonburg campus and the three overseas branch campuses; Florence, Antwerp, and London. It is available electronically http://www.jmu.edu/publicsafety/clerycompliance/2018Annual-Security-and-Fire-Safety-Report.shtml

You can obtain a copy of any of this report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, MSC 6810, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 or request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (540)568-6769/6913.

A complete submission includes:

1) a cover letter;

2) a curriculum vita;

3) a leadership statement: detail your approach to leadership, including diversity, equity, and inclusion goals in their multiple forms; (Other Document #1)

4) a teaching and scholarship statement: describe your experiences and accomplishments in these areas; (Other Document #2)

5) a list of three references who can speak to your administrative aptitude/abilities.

References will not be contacted until a candidate is being considered for a campus visit. Please do not request letters of reference unless instructed to do so by the search committee. For additional information, applicants may the co-chairs of the search committee: Drs. Afzal Upal (upalma@jmu.edu) and Stephanie Stockwell (stockwsb@jmu.edu).