Department Chair

The Department of Communication Studies ( www.communication.charlotte.edu) has 27 full-time faculty members emphasizing Media and Technology, Public Advocacy, Organizational Communication, Public Relations, and Health Communication. The department serves approximately 950 majors, 125 minors, 22 MA students, and 125 minors in Journalism. Additionally, it offers a Ph.D. in Organizational Science in partnership with Management and Sociology departments and faculty are affiliated with Health and Human Services, American Studies, International Studies, Film Studies, School of Data Science, Health Psychology Ph.D. and the Honors College. The department defines its overall mission as one of providing instruction, scholarship, and service to the university, the region, and the discipline in the field of Communication Studies. The department focuses explicitly on blending theory and praxis to provide a holistic education for all undergraduate and graduate students, as the guiding principle for its research agenda, and as characterizing the kind of informed professional service it can offer to the region and discipline. The department has developed its strategic direction through a theoretical and applied approach to communication practices. Specifically, the department's goals entail (1) providing a quality educational experience for all undergraduate students in the B.A. in Communication Studies, the department's two minors, and its service and cross-disciplinary offerings; (2) providing a quality educational experience for its graduate students in the M.A. degree program in Communication Studies and the Ph.D. degree program in Organizational Science; (3) making significant contributions to research in the discipline; (4) integrating the department's research with the resources and needs of the region; (5) serving the discipline in ways that enhance the educational and research missions of the discipline; and (6) serving the communication needs of the region in a professional and scholarly manner.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the second largest institution within the University of North Carolina system. This past Fall, UNC Charlotte enrolled 32,207 students and experienced record growth with its incoming first-year class and graduate programs. UNC Charlotte is also the fastest growing institution in the UNC System, comprising seven academic colleges offering 171 undergraduate majors in 77 programs leading to Bachelor's degrees, 65 Master's degrees, and 24 Doctoral degrees. UNC Charlotte is proud to have 3,545 passionate and committed faculty and staff members and more than 120,000 living alumni.

As the largest and most academically diverse college at UNC Charlotte, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences houses 15 departments, 18 interdisciplinary programs, and 6 applied centers. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs with extensive honors and early-entry options. The College plays a pivotal role in delivering on the university's goals in the areas of research excellence, student success and experience, and community engagement. Through their scholarship and teaching, the College's 350+ faculty members seek to deepen our understanding of complex problems and lead the university in interdisciplinary collaboration

The College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences focuses on student-centered teaching, innovative research and community collaborations that prepare our graduates to help solve the pressing problems of our world today.

Our supportive faculty and staff strive to engage with students in all areas of development, offering a welcoming environment that encourages students to gain real-world experience, explore their unique goals and thrive.

The Department of Communication Studies at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte invites internal (colleagues from UNC Charlotte) applications for the department chair position. The successful candidate will be engaged in the interdisciplinary field of communication studies and be familiar with its challenges and opportunities, possess a record of academic leadership and administrative experience necessary to serve as chair of the department, and have a scholarly record commensurate with a tenured appointment.

Requirements for the position include 1) a Ph.D. in communication studies or in a related discipline; 2) a record of scholarship, teaching, and service commensurate with a tenured appointment; 3) the ability to provide the vision and leadership necessary to preside over the department and to facilitate its continuing advancement; 4) a commitment to multi-disciplinary approaches to scholarship and teaching as it relates to the further development of the department's mission and curricula; 5) a commitment to the education of the department's student population; and, 6) the ability to contribute to the department's scholarly, instructional, and service activities.

Also desired are (1) administrative experience, and/or (2) experience in a multi-disciplinary department, and (3) experience with curriculum assessment. The department chair is responsible for overseeing all administrative tasks that fall within the purview of the position, including (but not necessarily restricted to) strategic planning, management of the budget, supervision and evaluation of the unit's faculty and staff, monitoring of academic policies and procedures, curriculum development, class scheduling, student advising, representing the department at meetings and events, and interfacing with both on and off-campus constituencies.

Review of applications will begin October 17, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted electronically to https://jobs.charlotte.edu, #005223. Please attach the following documents with your electronic application: (1) letter of application outlining your leadership philosophy and skills, administrative experience, scholarly interests and agenda, teaching activities, and programming ideas related to the qualifications outlined above; (2) curriculum vitae; and (3) the names and contact information for three references.

Questions may be directed to Dr. Bibi C. Reisdorf, Communication Studies Search Committee Chair, UNC Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Colvard 5003, Charlotte, NC 28223 or bianca.reisdorf@charlotte.edu

The chosen for this position will be subject to Criminal Background Check.The candidate selected for this position will be required to submit their official transcripts of their highest degree upon hire.

Questions may be directed to Dr. Bibi C. Reisdorf, Communication Studies Search Committee Chair, UNC Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Colvard 5003, Charlotte, NC 28223 or bianca.reisdorf@charlotte.edu.