Department Leadership
- Work with faculty, students, and staff to develop and maintain a long-term vision for the department that aligns with the mission of the Department, the College of Arts and Design, and the University
- Represent the department and serve as a liaison between the department and other units across the University
- Ensure departmental compliance with policies and procedures across the University
- Utilize data-driven analysis to drive strategic decisions
- Advocate for and oversee capital improvement requests
Department Curriculum
- Oversee curriculum development and revisions according to programmatic needs
- Review and assess academic programs
- Manage the reporting of outcomes assessment, in accordance with Middle States Accreditation
- Initiate and develop curricular programs to serve the needs of a growing department
Department Operations
- Identify and manage course schedules that serve program and student needs
- Manage instructor assignments and course registrations (~130 sections each semester)
- Review and revise department information published in the University catalog
- Maintain departmental records and archived documents
- Oversee fiscal operations; plan and administer unit’s budget
- Serve as a de-facto Artistic Director of the Post Theatre Company (2020-2023)
- Work closely with the Company Manager on day-to-day operations, including: contracts and hiring of guest artists, season planning, casting, copywriting and developing brochures and other marketing materials
Department Personnel
- Recruit, appoint, and supervise faculty
- Evaluate faculty and staff performance
- Support and oversee faculty/staff development
- Review faculty/staff grievances within the department
Students
- Recruit students through nationwide efforts and curate a culture to retain them
- Oversee a recruitment agenda of over 40 events annually
- Engage with strategic initiatives utilizing an action-research plan, driven by market analytics
- Review student degree progress
- Evaluate student transfer credits
- Articulate departmental policies and maintain accurate student handbooks
- Review student appeals and grievances
- Develop student-driven initiatives
- Consult on matters related to Senior Showcase
- Introduce and lead consent-forward and trauma-informed teaching practices to mitigate harm in actor training, in accordance with the best practices in the field
- Work closely with the Center for Healthy Living to create on-going, discipline-specific programs to promote mental health for students in dance and theatre
- Oversee student leadership programs and peer-to-peer mentorship (“Bigs/Littles”)
Valerie Clayman Pye 