Job Description

Working Title

Director of the School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies

Posting Number

F01774P

Department

SDSU-School of Psych, Soc & Rural Studies

Physical Location of Position (City)

Brookings

Posting Text

The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University (SDSU) invites applications for the position of Director of the School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies. This posting is internal to South Dakota State University. Only full-time, permanent employees will be considered. This is a full-time, 12-month, benefit-eligible, tenure-track position with the rank of Professor with an anticipated start date of June 22, 2026. This position is supervised by the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The successful applicant will serve as the leader of a multidisciplinary unit residing within the College.

The School seeks a dynamic leader who will build upon the strengths of the School in psychology, sociology, rural studies, and criminology to chart a course that will elevate social science disciplines at SDSU. Leadership opportunities include the development and growth of SDSU’s new Ph.D. program in social sciences that includes specializations in rural well-being and environmental and rural development. The successful candidate will provide forward-thinking leadership; facilitate strategic planning and goal setting; actively participate in campus and college-based student success initiatives; mentor faculty and staff; provide effective scheduling and budgeting; and engage thoughtfully with donors and other external stakeholders. The successful candidate will serve primarily as an administrator but may establish, through consultation with the dean of the college, appropriate workload dedicated to research and scholarship and/or teaching.

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Reporting to the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the new Director will build community among faculty, staff, and students and establish a clear agenda for the development of the School that supports program growth; faculty, staff, and student success; and the land-grant mission of SDSU.
• The Director manages School resources and ensures that they are efficiently utilized to achieve student learning outcomes, enhance student success, facilitate faculty research and scholarship, meet the professional needs of faculty and staff, and foster a collegial working environment.
• The Director serves the School by providing leadership; coordination and administration in the ongoing development, implementation and assessment of academic programs; provides support for faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA); develops structures to ensure student success and increase enrollment; and sets a clear vision for the growth and success of the School.
• The Director is responsible for general oversight of the faculty, staff, and facilities assigned to the programs housed within the school.
  

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Serves as primary administrator for the School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies.
• Collaborates with the dean, associate dean, and other school directors within the college to elevate the overall standing of the college and its schools.
• Provides leadership throughout the School to ensure that programs and degrees align and meet the School’s mission, vision and goals.
• Collaborates with the dean, the college’s development director, and foundation personnel to cultivate and steward relationships with alumni, donors and other external partners in pursuit of the college’s and the university’s fundraising priorities.
• Strengthens existing programs and ensures their success, including strategic management of financial resources; careful oversight of course schedules, course topics, instructor assignments, methods of instruction and locations; attention to the assessment of student learning as well as the evaluation of program effectiveness; and regular review of the curriculum for currency with disciplinary standards and best practices and alignment with established learning outcomes.
• Mentors faculty to achieve success in teaching, research and scholarship, and service/shared governance.
• Completes faculty workload and annual review processes fairly, accurately, and on time.
• Provides leadership to recruit and retain students in the program and works closely with faculty and advisors to develop programs and initiatives to increase student success.

BENEFITS :

SDState offers a wide range of excellent benefits including medical, dental, and flexible benefits, retirement plans, compensation packages, paid holidays, and vacation leave. We offer a generous retirement plan that includes 6% matching, 10 hours of annual leave, 9.34 hours of sick leave each month, and eleven paid holidays. Employees also have access to internal and state-sponsored training as well as reduced tuition for state-supported courses at all State of South Dakota academic institutions. Relocation benefits are available per university’s guidelines.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :

• Earned Ph.D. in psychology, sociology, or a closely related field and a strong record of peer-reviewed publication and teaching excellence commensurate with appointment as a tenured faculty member with the rank of Professor.
• Experience in academic administration or shared governance, such as in the roles of department head, school director, or chair, assistant/associate department head, assistant/associate school director, assistant director of an academic unit, chair of a substantial university-wide committee, or similar leadership positions that require a substantial amount of administration and/or leadership.
• Well-developed collaboration, consensus-building, and leadership skills in a multi-disciplinary context.
• Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective resource and time management skills.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS :

• A strong understanding of student success issues in higher education.
• Evidence of mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students, as well as faculty.
• Experience in assessment and curriculum development.
• A record of successful application, management, and execution of external grants.
• The motivation and dedication needed to develop and maintain positive relationships with donors, alumni, and the professional community.
• Support of and willingness to engage in a variety of instructional modalities, including online and hybrid instruction.

APPLICATION PROCESS :

This system will guide you through the electronic application form. This employment site will also require the attachment of a cover letter, which should specifically address how the candidate meets the qualifications as outlined in the advertisement, Curriculum Vitae, and reference page with the contact information for three professional references. Email applications will not be accepted. Please contact SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance with this process.

Any offer of employment is contingent on the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by law and/or university policies, including but not limited to, successful completion of a criminal background check.

South Dakota State University is a tobacco free environment.

It is the policy of the University to maintain a drug-free environment and to thereby establish, promote, and maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment for employees and students. This position is subject to South Dakota State University’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy 4:14.

Posting Date

01/09/2026

Closing Date

01/30/2026

Open Until Filled

First Consideration Date

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with qualifications

Duration of the Term

12 months

If Other, describe duration

Appointment Percent

100%

Tenure Status

Tenure Track

Proposed Rank

Professor

Work Hours

Typical Hours Worked Per Week

Appointment Type

Regular

Scope of Search

Internal

If internal, define scope of search

Limited to current, full-time employees at South Dakota State University

Department Description and Cultural Expectations

SDState is the state’s largest, most comprehensive university with over $94 million annual research expenditures, more than 200 academic programs and an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students. The university is part of a dynamic community for families, students, young professionals, and retirees, which offers an abundance of attractions and activities

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant access mission. SDSU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to, and SDSU prohibits unlawful discrimination of all legally protected classes in the offering of all educational programs and employment. Arrangements for accommodations required by disabilities can be made by emailing [email protected] . Individuals with concerns regarding discrimination should contact: Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, Morrill Hall 100, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007. Phone: (605) 688-4128.

Contact Information

For questions on the position, contact Search Chair, Dr. Jason McEntee at 605-688-5191 or [email protected] or Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. David Earnest at 605-688-4723 or [email protected] .

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Relocation package, Flexible hours,

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