English Program Director

Wenzhou-Kean University (WKU), located in Wenzhou, China, one of three Sino-American universities along with NYU Shanghai and Duke Kunshan University, is approved by the Ministry of Education of China. Launched in 2012, WKU offers a unique model of higher education in partnership with Kean University, a comprehensive, public university in the state of New Jersey that is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. WKU sits on approximately 500 beautiful acres and currently enrolls about 4,500 undergraduate students, and it is now in the midst of a rapid growth that will bring enrollment to 7,500 students within the next five years. All instruction is in English, and all curriculum is provided by Kean University. In addition to its current 18 undergraduate programs, WKU has been approved by the Ministry of Education for offering 8 Master’s and 3 doctorate programs. Wenzhou is one of the most vibrant and economically advanced developed cities on China’s East Coast, located one hour by plane and just over three hours by high-speed train from Shanghai.

About the Job:

The Program Director is both a tenure track faculty member with academic rank and an academic administrator who assumes a pivotal role in providing academic leadership, articulating the department's goals and needs, and shaping the vision of the department/program to elevate its educational quality and academic reputation. The core administrative responsibilities of the Program Director encompass, but are not confined to, the following:

• cast and maintain a vision for the department that is consistent with the broader WKU institutional strategic plan;
• grow and develop the program(s) to enhance the department’s academic reputation and national/international presence;
• assist in recruitment events such as high school visits and open houses;
• course scheduling and assignment of other responsibilities to faculty;
• manage program budget and allocate resources efficiently;
• annually evaluate tenure-track faculty performance in teaching, scholarship, student advising, and service. Following the assessment, engage in one-on-one discussions with each faculty member to review the evaluation results and collaboratively formulate improvement plans. The assessment of the Program Director, in conjunction with evaluations conducted by the ARTP committee and the deans, plays a crucial role in fostering the ongoing enhancement of faculty members' performance in teaching, research, student advising, and service.
• conduct classroom observation, complete observation reports, review portfolios for reappointment applications, provide written evaluations to Lecturers, make recommendations on reappointment or non-reappointment of Lecturers to the dean; and make recommendations on Lecturer salary raises to the dean;
• in collaboration with administrative departments, develop and implement plans to recruit, advise, mentor, retain, and graduate students in a timely manner;
• adjudicate faculty and student concerns and grievances in a fair and consistent manner while upholding University policies and processes;
• maintain professional decorum and create a climate of collegiality among faculty, staff, and student;
• conduct curricular review and communicate the needs to the WKU Campus Dean who will work with Kean USA for curriculum revisions;
• oversee graduation audit, accreditation process, and assessment activities including gathering data and preparing reports;
• appoint faculty search committee and monitor the search progress;
• appoint and monitor various standing and ad hoc committees pertinent to the development and maintenance of the program;
• provide mentorship to new faculty and support professional development;
• conduct program faculty meetings at least once a month;
• supervise administrative staff;
• coordinate with WKU administration on program-related matters;
• establish connections with industry, government agencies, and the local community to develop research collaboration, facilitate technology transfer, and create internship and community engagement opportunities for students; contribute to the technological, economic, and/or cultural development of the local community through these initiatives;
• foster collaboration with external professional organizations and communities. 

The Program Director will be a full time, 10-month tenure-track Assistant/Associate/Full Professor. Each term is set for three years, allowing the incumbent Program Director to reapply, alongside other candidates, for the subsequent term. Program Directors are required to be on campus at least four days a week (Monday through Friday) throughout the contract period exclusive of university holidays and winter break, with a requirement of at least seven hours per day, to assist faculty and students, and perform administrative duties. Upon receiving approval from the dean, Program Directors have the option to work remotely during the winter semester. However, it is important that they remain available to respond promptly to students and faculty throughout the winter semester. A Program Director can hold the position for a maximum of two consecutive terms. Tenure track faculty members typically teach 24 credits per academic year. However, the Program Director is granted 12 credits reassigned time for administrative duties per academic year. In the summer, if deemed necessary by the program and upon request from the dean, Program Directors are anticipated to commit to a minimum of three days per week for four weeks following the conclusion of their 10-month contract. This commitment aims to fulfill the administrative responsibilities of the program during the summer period. The summer duty will be remunerated with a 3-credit overload, or alternatively, through approval of the dean, can be exchanged for 3-credit reassigned time in the fall or spring semester.

As a tenure track faculty member, the Program Director should possess a strong track record for publication and are ready to lead their own research groups independently. These positions are full-time assignments appointed on a 3-year contract at the first instance. For the external candidate, the university will provide start-up grants (up to 300,000 RMB) in support of her/his research programs. After joining WKU, faculty will apply to a variety of internal research funds including international research collaboration grants (up to 300,000 RMB per project) as well as external grants at the municipal, provincial, and national levels. Tenure-track faculty are also expected to provide service to the university and/or professional community.

Teaching assignments and related responsibilities may include day, evening, and online courses. Interest or experience in using advanced instructional technologies to improve the teaching/learning process is highly desirable. All faculty may be required to teach General Education courses as needed. Opportunities are also available to teach disciplinary support courses.

Qualifications:

A Ph.D. in English literature, linguistics, translation, or rhetoric and composition is required. Candidates who obtained their degrees from reputable universities (Carnegie R1 institutions or comparable research institutions with strong academic reputation in the fields), are encouraged to apply. English fluency is required. Candidates should be able to teach upper-level undergraduate courses within their area of expertise. Candidates should possess a strong track record for publication and are ready to pursue ongoing and/or new research projects. They are expected to plan and conduct research and develop extramurally funded research programs involving students, which is essential for tenure and promotion. Candidates are also expected to publish peer-reviewed journal articles in high impact journals in their fields. In addition to teaching and student-engaging research duties, candidates are also expected to contribute to the growth of the programs, including but not limited to curriculum development, program assessment, student recruitment/advisement, senior project supervision, internship opportunities, research experiences for undergraduates (REU), etc.

Application Information:

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please send cover letter, resume, statement of teaching philosophy, statement of research goals, unofficial transcripts, two most recent peer-reviewed academic publications, and contact information of three professional references by email to the Search Committee at englishpd@wku.edu.cn. Official transcripts for all degrees and three current letters of recommendation are required before appointment.

Faculty positions at WKU offer:

• Salary that is internationally competitive and commensurate with experience
• Start-up grants to support the research programs of tenure track faculty
• A well-rounded healthcare coverage, academic travel up to $2,000, housing options and subsidy up to $3,000, home traveling up to $6,000 (2 international round-trip airfares), a reimbursement to cover relocation expenses up to $1,000
• Up to 8% front-load retirement benefits in accordance with completion of years of service with the university
• Shuttle bus services for faculty to travel to and from campus
• The opportunity to teach high quality students. About 60% of students were admitted to graduate schools in the World’s Top 50 Universities ranked by QS or Time Higher Education.

Background Screening:

Wenzhou-Kean University conducts background screenings on all candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third-party administrator to conduct background screenings.