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Dean of the School of Film/Video

Details

Position Category: Academic
Position Title: Dean of the School of Film/Video
School/Department: Film/Video
Reports To: Provost
Time: Full Time
Term of Employment:
Appointment: Regular
Position Starts: 07/01/2012
Search Closes: 02/15/2013

Information & Responsibilities

The CalArts School of Film/Video has been ranked among the top 10 film schools in the world by the Hollywood Reporter in 2011 and 2012. It is the only film school in North America to have been given a historical retrospective by the Museum of Modern Art (2006), and our world-renowned animation programs continue to graduate leaders at the forefront of animated film-making. Our faculty enjoy international reputations as film-makers, artists, scholars and critics. Our alumni include major innovators in the fields of independent film, experimental film, documentary, animation and gallery-based cinema/installation. Our students consistently place work in the most prestigious international film festivals. CalArts fosters and nurtures a vibrantly creative environment of innovative film, video, animation, and new media across multiple platforms. We regard every path the moving image has taken in the past or might take in the future as fair game for interrogation and re-imagining.

The dean will provide the visionary leadership to build upon the current vigorous state of the school as it enters the next stage in an already distinguished history, combining a keen interest in the legacy of CalArts with an openness to forward-looking technologies and ways of thinking. S/He will lead the faculty in articulating and elaborating the school’s future perspective and will represent the school externally to ensure visibility and support. Strong communication skills are required as the dean has a critical responsibility to engage with a range of audiences, from donors and supporters, to practicing artists, film-makers and industry leaders, to students and parents. A deep knowledge of cinema in all its forms of expression is essential, as is a commitment to the language of film culture in the context of wide-ranging experimentation, open to all varieties of image making. The dean will be conversant with the concerns and constituencies of experimental and independent cinema, and the evolving film/animation industries, interested in the productive tension between these arenas and able to move between them effectively to ensure that CalArts supports our students in realizing their career goals.

The dean must be someone of distinguished accomplishment as an artist/film-maker, curator, scholar or critic, with a record of outstanding work commensurate with the internationally-recognized standing of the school. Extensive teaching and administrative experience are desirable, as are strong organizational skills and the ability to productively balance consensus-building and decision-making. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated interest in creative production and interdisciplinary, critical thinking, and s/he will have the possibility of teaching, as well as mentoring students and guiding student projects at her/his discretion.

The dean will collaborate with the president and the Office of Advancement and External Affairs to identify sources of funding and to develop grants for technology, project production and completion to ensure that the school remains at a top level in all its programs and production capabilities. The dean will also participate actively in Deans’ Council with the provost and the deans of the other schools, playing a key leadership role in managing human and fiscal resources in support of institutional priorities. CalArts provides a rare and dynamic opportunity to engage in dialogue and capacity building across the disciplines. The ability to work collaboratively with leaders in all forms of contemporary arts distinguishes the creative ecology of the Institute.

The school consists of five programs, all of which emphasize the individual work of their students through teaching, mentoring and guidance in their professional and artistic growth. The dean supports these programs, assuring their integrity, balance and evolution. The programs include Character Animation, Experimental Animation, the Program in Film and Video, the Film Directing Program and a joint interdisciplinary program (spanning all of the schools of the Institute involving innovative uses of digital technology), with over 385 students enrolled at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The dean supervises a full and part-time faculty that currently includes 89 distinguished artists and scholars whose expertise spans the full range of combined disciplines. S/He will lead faculty searches as necessary and coordinate the evaluation of faculty on a regular basis. The administrative support staff includes the Associate Dean of Finance and Operations, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Associate Dean of External and Student Affairs, an assistant dean, program directors, an Administrative Service Manager and additional office and technical personnel. The dean works proactively with the faculty and staff on matters of budget, space and technology, in order to secure and develop the operations of the school, also engaging students in school decision-making processes as appropriate. CalArts values a collaborative decision-making process. The dean must welcome vigorous discussion, especially in the areas of curriculum development and strategic planning.

The position of dean includes the following responsibilities:I

In collaboration with faculty, developing, refining and evaluating the School’s learning goals for both the undergraduate students and the School’s graduate students, as well as creating / revising the curriculum to meet those goals;

  • Working closely with the Program Directors of Character Animation, Experimental Animation, Film Directing and Film & Video to ensure the Programs’ health, viability and growth for the future;
  • Hiring and evaluating faculty and staff in accordance with Institute policy;
  • Preparing / administering the School budget;
  • Maximizing existing resources, while working collaboratively to develop a long-range strategic plan for the School;
  • Working with the Office of Advancement and External Affairs to help secure funding opportunities and publicity for the School;
  • Appointing and annually evaluating any Associate/Assistant Deans and Program Directors for the School of Film/Video;
  • Representing the School of Film/Video on key councils and committees, including Deans Council and the Academic and Campus Affairs Committee;
  • On a limited basis and as appropriate, in collaboration with faculty in the School, contributing to the programming of lectures, seminars and events at the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater (REDCAT), at CalArts and at other public venues.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

  • An earned terminal degree in the arts, humanities, social sciences or related field (MFA or Ph.D. preferred), or commensurate professional experience;
  • A minimum of three years' administrative experience at the level of Department Chair, Program Director or higher in a college or university setting (or equivalent experience);
  • Experience teaching at the college level;
  • A solid history of critically informed artistic practice and/or scholarly/curatorial productivity, with significant screenings, exhibitions, and publications as appropriate;
  • Experience with regional accreditation processes and expectations (preferred);
  • A commitment to fostering a supportive atmosphere for teaching and learning;
  • A dedication to all modes of diversity in the recruitment and retention of faculty and students, as well as in all aspects of curriculum development – cultural, political, ethnic, intellectual, artistic, etc.;
  • An ongoing engagement with best practices related to pedagogy, assessment, retention and student learning;
  • A commitment to both faculty and staff development, in the context of an institution without tenure.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should send the following materials by January 31, 2013 to the Office of the Provost for priority consideration:

  •  Cover letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Examples of recent creative/scholarly work
  • Names and contact information for five references

Send to:
Film/Video Dean Search Committee
Office of the Provost
California Institute of the Arts
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
Materials can also be sent electronically to Diane Hunt, Search Coordinator, provostjobs@calarts.edu.
Interviews will begin in early spring 2013, with an anticipated appointment date of July 1, 2013.

Equity & Diversity

CalArts is proud of its diverse student body and deeply committed to supporting the cultural and artistic aspirations
of all its students. A commitment to increasing opportunities for low-income students and currently disenfranchised
groups is necessary, as is the desire to work to support institutional goals of equity and diversity in an ongoing way.
CalArts is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). www.calarts.edu In our efforts to reach a diverse application
pool, please follow the link to fill out an optional survey. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Eq_Div

Further Information

CalArts has a multidisciplinary approach to its studies of the arts through six schools: Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater. CalArts encourages students to explore and recognize the complexity of the many aspects of the arts. It is supported by a distinguished faculty of practicing artists and provides its Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts students with the hands-on training and exposure necessary for an artist's growth. CalArts was founded in 1961 and opened in 1969 as the first institution of higher learning in the United States specifically for students interested in the pursuit of degrees in all areas of visual and performing arts.

California Institute of the Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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