School Director - School of Art

Description

School Director – School of Art

Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University 

Description

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University (ASU) seeks a Director of the School of Art. The director will provide innovative, aspirational leadership for the school’s vital participation in ASU’s vision of a New American University – a reinvention of higher education in the nation’s largest public university and global research enterprise in which artists and arts-based inquiry are valued. The director will lead the School of Art in its mission to prepare a new generation of artists, art historians, museum professionals, and educators from a variety of backgrounds to be socially aware, critically thinking global citizens who strive to bring about positive change by using their creative capacities to advance culture, build community and imaginatively address today’s most pressing challenges.

The director of the School of Art will report to the Dean and the Vice Dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and is one of seven directors in the Institute. This position is a full-time, fiscal-year administrative appointment. The appointment type and academic rank are open to associate professors, full professors, and professors of practice. Final rank will be based on experience and qualifications. 

About Asu

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy, and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. In 2022, ASU was named a Hispanic-Serving Institution and in 2023, ASU joined the prestigious Association of American Universities. ASU is deeply committed to advancing in innovative ways while sustaining a welcoming, supportive and empowering environment for all members of our community.

About the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the world’s most advanced and accessible design and arts school and it is located within a dynamic research university focused on transformative change. Built on a unique combination of disciplines, the Herberger Institute comprises six schools--ASU FIDM, the School of Art, The Design School, The GAME School, The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, and the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. The Institute also includes the ASU Art Museum and the ASU FIDM Museum. The Herberger Institute is committed to developing and scaling ideas that strengthen the role and impact of designers and artists across all areas of society and culture. We seek to increase the capacity of artists and designers to make a difference in their communities. For more information on the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, visit herbergerinstitute.asu.edu.

About the School of Art

The School of Art in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University prepares students for the creative and critical challenges of the global 21st century. Students are taught and mentored in an environment that values innovation, excellence and affordability. Our faculty’s active research allows us to offer a number of specialties unique to ASU and the southwest region. The school is ranked 15th nationally by U.S. News & World Report, with two of the school’s undergraduate programs ranking among the nation’s highest: 4th in ceramics and 6th in photography. Our facilities support a full range of artistic experimentation and exchange and include four public galleries. Our ties with the vibrant surrounding arts community are strong and include numerous internship opportunities and a robust visiting artist/scholar lecture series. For more information on the School of Art, visit art.asu.edu. 

The School of Art has approximately 2,100 undergraduate and 75 graduate students (30 MFA, 35 MA, 10 PhD), 45 tenure/tenure track faculty, 33 career track faculty, 70 faculty associates, and 20 staff members. The School of Art maintains four galleries: Harry Wood Gallery, Step Gallery, Gallery 100 and the Northlight Gallery. Exhibitions of student work as well as curated national and international exhibitions draw visitors from throughout the community. Our program spans 13 buildings and two campuses. Grant Street Studios, a 40,000 square-foot studio space located in downtown Phoenix, houses the MFA studios as well as Northlight Gallery and the Step Gallery. This newly renovated warehouse in downtown Phoenix provides purpose-built facilities for all of the MFA studio areas, creating a strong sense of community and collaboration across the studio disciplines. The building’s proximity to the downtown arts district has led to increased interchange between the School of Art and the larger Phoenix art world.

Essential Functions of the Director

ASU, the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and the School of Art seek a visionary leader with a broad perspective and record of innovative thought and creation. The director will guide faculty, staff and students in shaping the future of artistic and scholarly work through inventive and inclusive curricula, field-defining research, and globally renowned programs. The director will recognize the complexity of the School of Art; understand, value, and connect with the wide spectrum of scholarship and creative practice represented across the school, and engage meaningfully with the community, the Institute, and the university in shared purpose. The director will provide leadership in managing the operational, academic, financial and personnel-related aspects of the School of Art.  The director will have a demonstrated record of supporting teaching, the professional development of emerging artists and scholars, and a zest for promoting research, creative work, and collaboration across disciplines. The director is expected to foster an inclusive community through leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. The director will also play a key role in cultivating external relationships and partnerships that advance the visibility, resources, and opportunities of the School of Art; working closely with Institute leadership to strengthen connections with alumni, donors, industry, and community stakeholders. Through strategic leadership, the director will advance the School of Art’s mission of serving students by building a school culture where all can thrive while championing a bold vision for the central role of the arts in shaping society. We are especially interested in applicants who are dedicated to advancing the ASU Charter and realizing ASU’s Design Aspirations and the mission of the school.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Terminal degree in an appropriate discipline; or equivalent distinguished academic or professional experience
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and belonging in education and the arts professions
• Demonstrated scholarly, creative, or professional accomplishment that is recognized nationally and/or internationally
• Demonstrated administrative ability coupled with the ability to delegate, prioritize and make timely, transparent and well-considered strategic decisions
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching in a higher education setting

Desired Qualifications

• Passion and support for research in the varied disciplines represented in the School of Art, and sensitivity to the unique needs of a large community of practicing professionals
• Evidence of a track record of recruitment, mentoring, advocacy, promotion, and advancement of faculty, staff, and students
• Demonstrated support for traditional and emerging technologies in the development of inventive and inclusive curricula including online and asynchronous teaching models
• Experience as a leader with skills in collaborative practices, open communication, arts advocacy, fiscal planning, and development activities in a complex organizational setting
• Demonstrated experience managing financial planning and budgetary processes
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and network development that supports both tradition and innovation through authentic relationships with donors, foundations, and alumni engagement

Application Instructions

To Apply:

Please Submit:

1. A curriculum vitae
2. A letter of interest describing your qualifications for the position and how your experience and vision align with the ASU Charter and the School of Art's mission
3. A two-page statement that includes three to five compelling issues or challenges for the School of Art and artists and scholars in contemporary society
4. A portfolio of three pieces of creative and/or research publication work submitted electronically via upload to Interfolio or via a downloadable link or website (file size limit 100MB)
5. Contact information for three to five references

Applicants advancing to the second round of review may be asked to provide additional materials.

Application Deadline:

The application deadline is October 29, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool.  Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources.  ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf  You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.