DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida (UF) seeks to hire a Director with a broad vision, excellent communication and administrative skills, and a proven record combining scholarship with program leadership and development.
The Center for Latin American Studies
The University of Florida has offered Latin American area and language courses since the 1890s. The Institute for Inter-American Affairs was formed in the 1930s and renamed the Center for Latin American Studies in 1963. It was among the first institutions in the country to be designated a National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and to receive assistance and fellowships through the USDE’s Title VI program.
Today, the Center is one of the top-ranked in the world and has a unique tradition of independence with the Director reporting directly to the UF Provost. The Center encompasses a diverse range of Latin American interests that are reflected in the work of more than 160 affiliated faculty engaged in multi-disciplinary teaching, research, and outreach programs spanning basic and applied scholarship in the biophysical sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, languages, law, business, and health sciences. The Center is also an academic unit with 20 core faculty members, two Associate Directors, an Assistant Director, and an experienced professional staff. The Center supports a rich environment of scholarship, culture, and creativity, which provides a thriving and welcoming home to all affiliated students, staff, and faculty.
Students can choose from over 400 Latin American and Caribbean area and language courses routinely offered by 50 departments at UF. The Center offers a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies (MALAS), a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development Practice (MDP), graduate and undergraduate certificates, an undergraduate minor, a joint law degree, and an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD). There are specialized research and graduate training programs in interdisciplinary programs such as TCD; Latin American Business Environment; Crime, Law and Governance in the Americas; and Latinx Studies. The UF Libraries’ Latin American and Caribbean Collection (LACC) is one of the leading research collections with over 500,000 volumes in all disciplines, with exceptional representation in literature, humanities and the social sciences. More information about the Center for Latin American Studies can be found at: http://www.latam.ufl.edu.
The University of Florida
The University of Florida is a public land-grant institution and member of the Association of American Universities enrolling 55,000 students, including more than 36,000 residential undergraduates. The university enrolls over 8,000 Latinx students and has among the highest Latinx graduation rates of any public university in the nation. UF is among the nation’s most academically diverse universities, with 16 colleges offering 100 undergraduate degree programs, 200 graduate programs, and professional degrees in the areas of dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. The University of Florida is ranked among the Top 10 Public National Universities by US News and World Report and is 2nd in the nation among public universities on the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine list of Best College Values for 2018.
The university is currently in the middle of the Go Greater $3 billion fundraising campaign, and to date more than $1.7 billion has been raised. Funding objectives for academic units, including the Center for Latin American Studies, include faculty endowments, scholarships, infrastructure, and other initiatives specific to units and collaborative programs.
More information on the University of Florida is available at http://www.ufl.edu.
The Gainesville Area
Gainesville is located in North Central Florida and has approximately 285,000 residents. The region is known for its diversity of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, social opportunities, and abundant natural resources including forests, lakes, springs, rivers, and wetlands. More information about Gainesville is available at: http://www.cityofgainesville.org and https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/gainesville.html.
The Center Director
The Director holds a tenured full professor appointment within an appropriate UF academic unit, which can include the Center for Latin American Studies. Administrative responsibilities include program development and coordination, budgetary and personnel management, faculty recruitment, liaison work with affiliated units within and outside the university, fundraising, and promotion of international linkages.
Salary
The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, and includes a full benefits package.
Qualifications
The Director must have an earned doctorate or equivalent professional degree and demonstrate active involvement in the field of Latin American Studies through a distinguished record of research, teaching, and related scholarly activities. The Director should be able to communicate effectively with diverse constituencies in English as well as Spanish and/or Portuguese, and show evidence of fundraising and administrative skills, including a strong commitment to participatory governance. The Director should also demonstrate a capacity for working collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries with faculty and students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Application Instructions
How to Apply
For full consideration, applications must be submitted online at URL and must include (1) a letter of application summarizing the applicant’s qualifications, interests, and suitability for the position, (2) a complete curriculum vitae, and (3) a list of names and contact information of four references. After initial review, applicants who are chosen to receive further consideration will be asked to request confidential letters of recommendation from the references. For additional questions regarding the application process, please contact Robin Schrieber (robinjs@ufl.edu, 352-392-0780).
Applications will be reviewed beginning January 7, 2019, and the position will remain open until filled. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be received by January 7, 2019. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the committee and/or hiring authority.
All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a review of criminal records, reference checks, and verification of education.
The selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of the United States require evaluation by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.
The University of Florida particularly welcomes applicants who can contribute to a diverse and inclusive environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.
The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida’s Sunshine Law. If an accommodation due to disability is needed in order to apply for this position, please call (352) 392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at (800) 955-8771 (TDD).
Application Process
https://apply.interfolio.com/57764
This institution is using Interfolio’s Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The University of Florida is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.
2018-11-26