Director, African & African American Studies Program (Open Field & Open Rank)

Position Summary:

Rollins College invites applications for the position of Director of our African & African American Studies (AAAS) program. This is an open-rank faculty position with the possibility of hiring at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level. Area of specialization is open.

AAAS is an interdisciplinary program that offers an undergraduate minor. Our affiliated faculty have disciplinary homes in a variety of Rollins departments, including Anthropology, Art & Art History, Critical Media & Cultural Studies, English, History, Philosophy & Religion, Political Science, and Sociology. We welcome applicants from these fields and others, including interdisciplinary fields such as African American Studies, Black Studies, and Africana Studies.

AAAS faculty are committed to antiracist education and academic freedom. The AAAS curriculum emphasizes the diversity and complexity of Africa and the African diaspora; the enduring impacts of imperialism, colonialism, and slavery; the centrality of race to U.S. history; and the various ways that intellectuals, artists, and social movements have resisted oppression and inequality.

Rollins faculty teach a 3/3 load. The director will teach AAAS 101 (a required course for our minors), courses in their home department, and general education courses in their areas of expertise

The Director’s administrative responsibilities include advising AAAS minors; approving interdisciplinary course offerings; chairing meetings of program faculty; hosting guest speakers, film screenings, and other campus events; and supervising a dedicated work-study student who can assist the director with various tasks.

This position is also public facing. The director is encouraged to cultivate long-term relationships with community organizations and to identify experiential learning opportunities for our minors. Regional news media will periodically solicit the director’s commentary on issues affecting African Americans in central Florida.

Rollins is currently engaged in an ambitious multi-year DEIB strategic plan. The director will support the college’s efforts to develop a high school recruitment pipeline and bridge programs for our undergrads from underrepresented groups.

Rollins College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located just north of Orlando, FL, a diverse metropolitan community with a thriving economic and cultural scene. Nearby Orlando International Airport provides easy access to U.S. and international destinations. The college emphasizes innovative and quality teaching in small classes and ranks number one among 121 Southern master’s-level universities in the annual rankings of “America’s Best Colleges,” released by U.S. News & World Report. Please visit the college website at www.rollins.edu.

Minimum Qualifications and Education: 

• Candidates must hold a PhD, or the terminal degree in their field, by the time of appointment on August 18, 2025.

Instructions to Applicants:

Interested applicants must apply online via the College's employment website and upload the following materials:

• Letter of interest: Describe your teaching, research, and service (to your institution, to the community, and to the profession). If your terminal degree is interdisciplinary, please specify which Rollins department would be your preferred “home.”
• Curriculum vita
• Provide three reference names and email addresses on application

*Review of applications will begin January 27, 2025.*

Questions about this position may be directed to:
Dr. Matthew Nichter
Associate Professor of Sociology
mnichter@rollins.edu 

Diversity & Inclusion at Rollins:

 

Rollins is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus community, and the College celebrates the open exchange of ideas within a climate of civility and mutual respect. We view differences—from race and ethnicity to sexual orientation and political perspectives—as rich opportunities for understanding, learning, and growth. To learn more, please click here.

Through its mission, Rollins College is firmly committed to creating a just community that embraces multicultur