Professional Employment Opportunities in the Department
Professor and Head Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology has a national and international reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and extension. The Department Head administers state, national, and international programs and is accountable to the Vice President, who is also the Dean and Director
of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The department consists of 24 tenure-track faculty members (12 in Entomology and 12 in Plant Pathology), 10 non-tenure track faculty, 21 support staff, 8 undergraduate students, and 34 graduate students. The mission of the Department is to discover, develop, and disseminate scientific knowledge concerning arthropods and plant pathogens. The Department offers the Bachelor of Science in Entomology; the Master of Science in Entomology and Plant Pathology; and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Entomology and Plant Pathology. The Department supports research and extension
programs in basic insect biology and ecology and pest management for economically important crop and animal systems. Research includes foci in arthropod and plant pathogen biology, ecology, epidemiology, management, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Outreach and service functions and facilities include the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, the Youth Science Education Center, the K.C. Emerson Insect Museum, the Pinkston Education Facility for Structural and Urban Pest Control, the Entomology Livestock Facility, and the National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Agricultural Biosecurity. The Department is located in the state-of-the-art Noble Research Center and is equipped with first class teaching and research laboratory facilities. Additional information can be found at the Department's home page,
http://www.entoplp.okstate.edu/.
Oklahoma State University is the state's comprehensive land-grant university. OSU has campuses in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Okmulgee. OSU has about 1,300 full-time faculty members and about 3,300 full-time staff. Total enrollment for all campuses exceeds 23,000 students with more than 20,000 on the Stillwater campus. A total of 4,708 degrees were granted in the 2006-2007 academic year. OSU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields as well as a professional Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees. Specialist in Education degrees are offered in selected fields.
Position Responsibilities - Duties for the position include:
providing leadership in planning, integrating, and implementing departmental programs in teaching, research, and extension;
providing leadership in recruiting outstanding faculty, staff, and students;
fostering professional and academic development of faculty, staff, and students;
managing the department's human, financial, and physical resources;
assigning responsibilities for faculty and staff and evaluating their performance;
pursuing and encouraging the pursuit of appropriate external funding;
maintaining an active role in university, regional, and national organizations and committees and encourage faculty to do the same;
representing departmental and faculty interests to administrators, other academic departments and outside agencies, individuals and communities, and groups in agriculture and industry;
promoting multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-state programs to meet the needs of students, clientele, and research sponsors; and
working with department faculty and staff to develop programs and activities supportive of the Department's and the Division's strategic plans.
Position Qualifications - The qualifications for this position include:
an earned doctorate in entomology or plant pathology, or a closely related discipline;
a record of outstanding scholarly achievement and professional activities related to teaching, research, or extension that will qualify the individual to be tenured at the rank of Professor in the Department;
evidence of administrative ability to direct an academic department engaged in teaching, research, and extension activities appropriate for a major land-grant university;
demonstrated understanding and commitment to the land-grant mission and philosophy;
demonstrated knowledge of agricultural, economic, environmental, and social issues affecting producers, business managers, consumers, and communities.
Additional considerations include:
commitment to continue professional and leadership development;
evidence of visionary and progressive leadership;
evidence of ability to manage funds in support of departmental teaching, research, and extension programs;
evidence of ability to effectively manage human and physical resources;
ability to foster the professional development, assign responsibilities, and evaluate the performance of faculty and staff;
a commitment to graduate student and undergraduate student recruitment and retention;
commitment to a strong educational program delivered through county-based extension personnel and appropriate distance educational delivery methods;
evidence of participation in and commitment to interdisciplinary research and extension programs; and a commitment to international programs;
demonstrated ability to listen, communicate, and represent the department effectively with administrators, agencies, and interest groups; and
demonstrated willingness and ability to make timely decisions.
Nomination and Application Procedure
Nominations must include the name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the nominee.
Applicants should submit a professional resume and a letter of application that include qualifications, previous professional responsibilities, achievements, administrative philosophy and leadership style, and describe how these relate to the department head position. Applicants must provide the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of five references the committee can contact for additional information. The references should be knowledgeable about the qualities that make the applicant well suited for the responsibilities described in this announcement. References
will not be contacted without prior consent of the applicant.
Formal review of applications will begin July 1, 2008, and continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Women and members of other under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Nominations, applications, and questions should be addressed to:
Dr. Gary A. Thompson
Chair, Search and Screening Committee
246 Noble Research Center
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Inquires can be made by calling 405-744-9320 or e-mailing: depthead.search@okstate.edu. Facsimile transmissions can be made at 405-744-7799.
Applicants will be considered without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. OSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. OSU participates in E-Verify to verify employment eligibility of all employees pursuant to the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act. Oklahoma State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to diversity.
