Valdosta State University
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences invites applications for Department Head of a newly‑formed department that brings together the Communication and English disciplines. This new department will become part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and will launch on July 1, 2026. Reporting to the Dean, the Department Head directs and participates in the teaching and other functions of an academic department. Hiring will be at the associate or full professor level with tenure.
The newly‑formed department will house a combined BA degree in Communication and English, MA in Communication, as well as the MA and the online MAESLAT (Master of Arts for English Studies for Language Arts Teachers) in English. Faculty are currently working on developing the combined BA degree that will replace the separate BA in Communication and BA in English degrees. This new degree will launch in fall 2027. The department will be home to almost 30 full‑time faculty, more than 110 undergraduate majors, and more than 50 graduate students. With a significant and important presence in the core curriculum, the department will offer general education courses in Composition I, Composition II, World Literature, Human Communication, and Public Speaking. The department will also be home to signature experiential learning opportunities at Valdosta State University (VSU) such as the VSU Debate Team, Omnino (the VSU undergraduate research journal), and Odradek (the VSU creative writing journal).
Application materials should include:
Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae
Statement on leadership philosophy
Names and contact information (including email addresses) for at least three professional references
Online application is required. For full consideration, please apply by January 16, 2026. For more information contact Dr. James LaPlant, Dean via email at jlaplant@valdosta.edu or phone 229‑245‑6517.
Responsibilities Position is responsible for the overall day‑to‑day functions of the department and serves as its primary spokesperson and advocate. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Hiring, managing and evaluating faculty and staff members in the department
Conducting regular departmental meetings
Fostering a positive department environment that supports excellent teaching, scholarship, and service
Establishing a collaborative department vision and agenda that is aligned with the university and college strategic plans
Scheduling classes and sections for each faculty member in each academic semester
Supporting students through mentoring, overseeing internships, and providing curricular overrides, where appropriate
Teaching courses throughout the academic year
Participating in research and scholarly activities
Attending academic and professional conferences
Supporting department experiential learning activities, including undergraduate research
Facilitating departmental curriculum reviews to maintain program viability and alignment with both industry trends
Participating in College of Humanities and Social Sciences Executive Committee meetings
Attending monthly Council of Department Heads meetings
Promoting student internships and community partnerships
Maintaining a wide variety of service courses in the core curriculum
Serving as Budget Manager for the department
Valdosta State University, founded in 1906, is a comprehensive university with a student enrollment of approximately 10,200. The city of Valdosta is located just north of the Florida state line on Interstate 75, is served by a regional airport, and is within a two‑hour drive of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information on the university visit https://www.valdosta.edu and for more information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com. VSU is an equal opportunity educational institution. It is not the intent of the institution to discriminate against any applicant for admission, or any student or employee of the institution based on the age, sex, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation of the individual.
USG Core Values Statement The University System of Georgia is comprised of 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values are the foundation for all we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct. Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression, as stated in Board Policy 6.5, Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom, which can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.
Required Qualifications
An earned Ph.D. in Communication and/or English from an accredited university
Tenure, or a record meritorious of tenure, at a previous institution
A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service
A strong record of progressively responsible and relevant leadership experience
An awareness of current trends in higher education and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning
Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
A commitment to shared governance and a consultative leadership style
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with grant writing and extramural funding
Record of successful outreach to the community
Experience with faculty evaluation and promotion and tenure processes
Experience with mentoring faculty
Experience as a department head
Experience with multi‑disciplinary collaboration and curriculum
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The newly‑formed department will house a combined BA degree in Communication and English, MA in Communication, as well as the MA and the online MAESLAT (Master of Arts for English Studies for Language Arts Teachers) in English. Faculty are currently working on developing the combined BA degree that will replace the separate BA in Communication and BA in English degrees. This new degree will launch in fall 2027. The department will be home to almost 30 full‑time faculty, more than 110 undergraduate majors, and more than 50 graduate students. With a significant and important presence in the core curriculum, the department will offer general education courses in Composition I, Composition II, World Literature, Human Communication, and Public Speaking. The department will also be home to signature experiential learning opportunities at Valdosta State University (VSU) such as the VSU Debate Team, Omnino (the VSU undergraduate research journal), and Odradek (the VSU creative writing journal).
Application materials should include:
Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae
Statement on leadership philosophy
Names and contact information (including email addresses) for at least three professional references
Online application is required. For full consideration, please apply by January 16, 2026. For more information contact Dr. James LaPlant, Dean via email at jlaplant@valdosta.edu or phone 229‑245‑6517.
Responsibilities Position is responsible for the overall day‑to‑day functions of the department and serves as its primary spokesperson and advocate. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Hiring, managing and evaluating faculty and staff members in the department
Conducting regular departmental meetings
Fostering a positive department environment that supports excellent teaching, scholarship, and service
Establishing a collaborative department vision and agenda that is aligned with the university and college strategic plans
Scheduling classes and sections for each faculty member in each academic semester
Supporting students through mentoring, overseeing internships, and providing curricular overrides, where appropriate
Teaching courses throughout the academic year
Participating in research and scholarly activities
Attending academic and professional conferences
Supporting department experiential learning activities, including undergraduate research
Facilitating departmental curriculum reviews to maintain program viability and alignment with both industry trends
Participating in College of Humanities and Social Sciences Executive Committee meetings
Attending monthly Council of Department Heads meetings
Promoting student internships and community partnerships
Maintaining a wide variety of service courses in the core curriculum
Serving as Budget Manager for the department
Valdosta State University, founded in 1906, is a comprehensive university with a student enrollment of approximately 10,200. The city of Valdosta is located just north of the Florida state line on Interstate 75, is served by a regional airport, and is within a two‑hour drive of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information on the university visit https://www.valdosta.edu and for more information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com. VSU is an equal opportunity educational institution. It is not the intent of the institution to discriminate against any applicant for admission, or any student or employee of the institution based on the age, sex, race, religion, color, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation of the individual.
USG Core Values Statement The University System of Georgia is comprised of 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values are the foundation for all we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct. Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression, as stated in Board Policy 6.5, Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom, which can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.
Required Qualifications
An earned Ph.D. in Communication and/or English from an accredited university
Tenure, or a record meritorious of tenure, at a previous institution
A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service
A strong record of progressively responsible and relevant leadership experience
An awareness of current trends in higher education and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning
Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
A commitment to shared governance and a consultative leadership style
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with grant writing and extramural funding
Record of successful outreach to the community
Experience with faculty evaluation and promotion and tenure processes
Experience with mentoring faculty
Experience as a department head
Experience with multi‑disciplinary collaboration and curriculum
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