POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT # 00015054

Title: Professor and Chair, Food and Resource Economics Department

Location: Food and Resource Economics Department
University of Florida
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
Gainesville, Florida

Salary: Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience

Review Date: Review of application materials will begin on or before January 31, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled.

Duties and Responsibilities
This is a 12-month tenured position available in the Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. The Food and Resource Economics Department has recruited six new faculty members in the past year and the new Chair will have the unique opportunity to grow and flourish the department by hiring additional new faculty. The Chair, in coordination with statewide Food and Resource Economics faculty, is expected to lead the finalization and implementation of the Department’s evolving vision and strategic plan.

The Chair will be responsible for leadership and coordination of teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences), research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service) functions in the Department and for coordination with Directors of Research and Education Centers that have food and resource economics faculty members. Administrative responsibilities will include program development and coordination; management of fiscal, personnel, and physical resources assigned to the Department; faculty recruitment and promotion; liaison with state, federal, and international agencies and professional and private organizations; cooperation with other units within the University; and promotion of funding opportunities for the Department. The Chair must work effectively with Department faculty and IFAS Administration in program planning and implementation and facilitation of multidisciplinary research, graduate and undergraduate teaching, and extension programs related to the Department’s mission. The Chair will interact with other department chairs, research and education center directors, and county extension directors to foster cooperation among faculty in other administrative units in IFAS.

Basic Qualifications
Applicants should have an earned doctorate in agricultural economics or closely related field. In addition they should have demonstrated leadership ability, integrity, and administrative skills with a track record of soliciting advice and building consensus when making decisions. Applicants will be well-suited if they have a strong understanding of the teaching, research, and extension missions of the Land Grant University and an excellent record of scholarly and program accomplishments commensurate with the rank of tenured professor. Applicants should possess outstanding communication skills to facilitate interactions among a variety of audiences, in particular agricultural and natural resources stakeholders. Candidates should also have a strong commitment to the leadership and management needs of a comprehensive academic unit. The Chair must have experience in fostering collaborative relationships and a keen interest in doing so within the Department, IFAS, and the University, and at the state, federal, and international levels. Candidates must understand and be supportive of the land-grant system and of IFAS’s core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability. The Chair must be committed to devoting time to private philanthropy.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The University of Florida is a Land-Grant and Sea Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of 50,000 students. The University of Florida is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, and encompasses 15 academic departments and the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, 9 interdisciplinary centers, 13 research and educational centers throughout the state, and Cooperative Extension units in each of Florida's 67 counties and the Seminole Tribe. The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS but managed by several colleges on campus. IFAS employs over 3400 people, which includes approximately 950 faculty and 2450 support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the Nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Senior Vice President and four deans: The Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service; the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station; and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. The Food and Resource Economics Department (FRED) has 35 faculty members and 20 support staff positions in Gainesville, and nine faculty members and support staff spread across seven research and extension centers throughout the state. FRED faculty teach a wide variety of courses from agribusiness marketing to natural resource/environmental economics to welfare economics and trade theory. FRED averages ~ 400 undergraduate majors/year and 80-90 M.S., Ph.D. and Master of Agribusiness students. Research and Extension efforts reflect both the needs of the State and the mission of the Agricultural Economics profession.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants should submit a letter of application (including professional interest statement and leadership philosophy), vita, and the names and contact information for four (4) individuals from whom letters of recommendation have been requested (sent to the address below). Formal review of applications will begin on January 31, 2008. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

REFER TO POSITION #00015054

Contact Information and Application and Nomination Submission Information

Questions regarding the position may be directed to:

Dr. Jerry M. Bennett
Chair of Search Committee
Agronomy Department
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
University of Florida
P.O. Box 110500
Gainesville, FL 32611-0500

Telephone: 352-392-1811x201
Fax: 352-392-1840
Email: jmbt@ufl.edu

Nominations and applications should be forwarded to:

Department Chair for Food and Resource Economics Search
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
IFAS Office of Human Resources
University of Florida
P.O. Box 110281
Gainesville, FL 32611-0281

Telephone: 352-392-4777
Fax: 352-392-3226
Email: ewallace@ufl.edu
http://personnel.ifas.ufl.edu/

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity, equal access employer. The “government in the sunshine” laws of Florida require that all documents relating to the search process, including letters of application/nomination and reference, except transcripts, be available for public inspection. Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.