Chair, RTA School of Media

Chair, RTA School of Media
TheCreativeSchool-RTA Media
Posted: April 18, 2024
Deadline to Apply: Thursday, May 9, 2024

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the RTA School of Media in The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) invites applications for the position of Chair of the School. The successful candidate, who has achieved (or will soon achieve) tenure at their current/previous institution, shall be appointed with tenure at the rank of Associate Professor. The appointments shall be effective July 1, 2024, subject to budgetary approval. The appointment as Chair shall be for a term of five years (subject to extension in year 3), commencing July 1, 2024 with the possibility of renewal for an additional three or five-year term.

In recognition of the under-representation of members of equity-deserving groups in academic leadership, applications from those who self-identify as one or more of the following groups are particularly encouraged: First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense.

The duties and responsibilities of Department Chair are laid out in detail in article 26.1.E. of the Toronto Metropolitan University Faculty Association Collective Agreement. Reporting to the Dean, the Chair will be a visionary, energetic, entrepreneurial, and accomplished team builder. They will: i) have a meaningful impact on how the media shapes research, creativity and society at large; ii) provide exemplary academic and administrative leadership, including stewardship of human and financial resources; iii) work collaboratively to provide leadership for curriculum and faculty development, research and scholarly activity, while promoting and coordinating the continued evolution of the School, and; iv) participate actively in the intellectual life of the School, the Faculty, the University, the community, and collaborate with other academic institutions and the industry. As a tenure stream faculty member, the successful candidate will be responsible for engaging in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities.

The RTA community will look to their Chair to identify opportunities and build bridges across an expansive footprint of activities that will allow the Chair to champion a School in which there is always something exciting happening. Though RTA is a large portfolio overall, working collectively, the Chair will undertake academic and administrative leadership of the School. The successful candidate will be a member of the Dean’s strategic and operational councils and will additionally be supported by , an active and engaged RTA School leadership group including an Associate Chair and Program Directors from each undergraduate and graduate program along with administrative and support staff. Together, the leadership team will offer dynamic educational programming and connect the work of the School to the wider industries and communities it touches.

The RTA School of Media has a long and continuing history in broadcast television and radio. In addition to these foundational programs we embrace emerging fields such as AI, game design and audience analytics. Our faculty are producers, scholars and artists that are critically and creatively engaged in defining and understanding media in a wide range of forms. In addition to the above, virtual production, AR, VR, podcasting and eSports are all encompassed by faculty research programs.

RTA faculty and instructors take pride in their collective excellence of media making and research and high quality teaching reflected in an excellent student experience and a high rate of after-graduation success. The Chair will work with, lead and inspire thirty full-time faculty who are a diverse mix of highly regarded creative practitioners, innovators, and researchers across areas like storytelling and content creation, sport and media production, experiential media, transmedia, entrepreneurship and critical media theory, alongside about 60 industry-based or part-time academic colleagues and a team of 20 highly experienced and professional administrative and technical support staff.

The successful candidate will have experience as a leader and educator in any discipline from one of RTAs core areas or from a cognate discipline that allows you to appreciate and navigate this space. Candidates will have an appropriate combination of relevant graduate education and experience and will in addition present evidence of the following:

A demonstrated understanding of a diversity of scholarly, research and creative activities;
A track record of experience with evidence-based management practices and administration (academic or otherwise);
Strong communication skills and adaptability for working in a complex organization;
Experience in media content production and/or sport media production, including experience working with industry and related key stakeholders;
Experience working with and managing multi-functional teams, ideally in a unionized environment;
A demonstrable commitment to students inside and outside of the classroom;
Demonstrated application and commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility;
A strong ability to represent the School demonstrated by a record of internal and external relationship building.

Our committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

The position will fall under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association [TFA] [www.rfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a summary of TFA benefits.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

RTA School of Media at the Creative School
For over 60 years, the RTA School of Media has been an international leader in the practice and theory of media. Ranked by Hollywood Reporter as one of the world’s top 15 media schools, RTA offers highly popular and in-demand undergraduate programs in Media Production, New Media, and Sport Media and contributes the core of the Professional Music Program complemented by graduate programs in Media Production and Scriptwriting & Story Design, and collaborates on the Media and Design Innovation PhD.

Annually, RTA attracts over 1300 students from across Canada and the world and prepares them to become the media makers, executives, artists, storytellers and thinkers of tomorrow, providing them countless experiential and conceptual opportunities to be hands-on at all stages of their education. There is truly no other single School in Canada that offers the reach, alumni network and real-world opportunities of the RTA School of Media.

As part of the evolution and growth of the RTA School of Media, The Creative School is currently considering a proposal that New Media will become a distinct, New Media department, meaning that the RTA School of Media would consist of Media Production and Sport Media disciplines. While pedagogical, curricular and research synergies between New Media, Media Production and Sport Media will be ongoing, this proposal would see a restructuring of academic leadership and operational resources in order to maximize, enhance and support the diverse needs of these programs.

About The Creative School
The University’s Creative School is a Faculty that is a national leader in educational programs in media, applied communication, design, and the fine and performing arts. Nearly 6,000 students are enrolled in The Creative School, across nine professional schools (Journalism, Image Arts, RTA School of Media, Performance, Fashion, Interior Design, Professional Communication, Graphic Communications Management, and Creative Industries). The Faculty is actively involved in graduate studies, including a PhD in Media & Design Innovation, Master’s programs in Film and Photography Preservation & Collections Management, Documentary Media, Fashion, Journalism, Media Production, and Professional Communication, as well as the joint York/TMU program in Communication and Culture.

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.torontomu.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process”. Applications received by May 9, 2024 will be guaranteed consideration. Applications will continue to be received until the position is filled. Applications must contain the following:

a letter of application outlining:
your interest in the position and how it aligns with your qualifications and career aspirations.
your professional qualifications and achievements as an administrator, educator and a researcher.
your vision for the School based on your understanding of the challenges and opportunities present in this role.
your successful approaches to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility and how you would apply those in this role.
a curriculum vitae that demonstrates your academic and professional record and skills;
names and contact information of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to Lindsay Wiener, Sr. Human Resources Partner, at [email protected].

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Debbie Thompson [[email protected]], Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity].

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact [email protected].

Working at TMU
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU, we believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to rank number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.

We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on X (previously known as Twitter): @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

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