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The Department of Art & Art History in the School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut invites applications for a full-time, tenure track position in Painting/Drawing at the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will play a vital role in the department through teaching five courses per year at the undergraduate and graduate levels, contributing to governance and development of the Painting/Drawing Concentration, and being an artist with a strong professional exhibition record and evidence of growing national visibility. This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2019.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is entering a transformational period of growth supported by the $1.7B Next Generation Connecticut (http://nextgenct.uconn.edu/) and the $1B Bioscience Connecticut (http://biosciencect.uchc.edu/) investments and a bold new Academic Plan: Path to Excellence (http://issuu.com/uconnprovost/docs/academic-plan-single-hi-optimized_1). As part of these initiatives, UConn has hired more than 450 new faculty at all ranks during the past three years. We are pleased to continue these investments by inviting applications for a full-time tenure track Assistant Professor in Painting/Drawing within the Department of Art and Art History.

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding (in disciplines where applicable), high quality publications, impact as measured through citations, performances and exhibits (in disciplines where applicable), and national recognition as through honorific awards. In the area of teaching, the successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, development of innovative courses and mentoring of students in research, outreach and professional development. Successful candidates will also be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement the richness of diversity in the learning experience; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.

The Department of Art & Art History has over 170 undergraduate majors, 15 graduate students, and a full-time faculty of 21, along with a number of specialist adjunct faculty and a committed team of staff. The department is dedicated to the cultivation of artists and scholars with a wide-ranging understanding of the concepts, aesthetics, techniques, and social functions of contemporary art practices within broader historical and cultural contexts. The Department of Art and Art History offers a BA in Art History, a BFA in Studio Art, a newly formed BA in Art, and an MFA in Studio Art. The department is also committed to enriching the wider university and regional community through a range of courses for non-majors, minor programs in Studio Art and Art History, and a variety of offerings at UConn’s regional campuses across the state, as well as through major public exhibitions and thematic programming in collaboration with other departments and schools across the university. Additional information about the Department of Art & Art History can be found at: http://art.uconn.edu.

Painting/Drawing in the Department of Art and Art History is a Concentration in the context of five other undergraduate studio art and design Concentrations, including Graphic Design, Illustration/Animation, Photography/Video, Printmaking, and Sculpture/Ceramics. While courses in the Concentration provide a solid foundation in drawing and painting materials, processes, and concepts, emphasis is also placed on interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary studio art.

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a comprehensive, public, Research 1 institution. The Storrs campus is located in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historic experiences, and the surrounding area offers affordable quality housing and top schools for faculty and families.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Teach 5 three-credit undergraduate or graduate courses per year with a 3/2 teaching load, which may include all levels of courses in Painting/Drawing, a team-taught freshman Foundation course, Independent Studies, or supervised internships.  Graduate level courses may include studio, thesis, or teaching pedagogy seminars.

• Serve on individual MFA thesis committees and participate in midterm and final group critiques
• Contribute to the evolving future of the undergraduate Painting/Drawing Concentration within the department through reevaluating current curriculum, innovative new course development, and interdisciplinary approaches to content, practice, and teaching
• Assist with organization and maintenance of studio spaces
• Advise students in the Painting/Drawing Concentration, both academically and professionally
• Coordinate with full-time faculty in the Concentration regarding curriculum, events, and visiting artists
• Attend faculty meetings and serve on committees as determined by the Painting/Drawing Area Coordinator or Department Head
• Participate in school and faculty governance
• Contribute to recruitment and outreach activities
• Contribute to other service at department, school and university levels
• Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•  Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio Art, or equivalent degree, with a focus in painting
• 3+ years teaching experience beyond the MFA
• A command of skills necessary for teaching a range of contemporary painting and drawing techniques and processes; evidence of ability to teach introductory, intermediate and advanced level courses
• A strong working knowledge of the history of painting, and an ability to articulate recent trends in the visual arts
• The ability to effectively use written and verbal communication
• Service as a mentor for undergraduate students
• Rigorous commitment to creative research with an exhibition record in quality selective venues; evidence of the promise of continued professional achievement through national dissemination

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience teaching graduate level studio art or art theory courses and demonstrated service on graduate advisory committees
• Experience mentoring/supervising graduate teaching assistants
• An expressed ability to contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives and to work across disciplines within the department
• A proven track record of having worked on curriculum development
• Demonstrated strengths that compliment those of current painting and drawing faculty, and provide new perspectives not currently represented within the Department of Art and Art History
• A creative practice that may blur the lines between traditional painting mediums and expanded interpretations
• Experience working within a strong art department situated within a strong liberal arts institution, and a reflection of this in teaching pedagogies

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2019. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus, though faculty members may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

TO APPLY

Select "Apply" to be directed to Academic Jobs Online to complete your application. Please submit letter of application, artist statement, statement of teaching philosophy, curriculum vitae, 2 course syllabi, and contact information for three academic/professional references. Please include in your letter of application a link to 20 digital images of professional work and a link to 20 digital images of student work. The application deadline for this position is January 20, 2019.

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

Employment of the successful candidate will be contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.  (Search # 2019038)

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics, which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

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The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. The diversity of students, faculty, and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural, and diverse community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.