School of Art and Design - Assistant Professor of Art (2D/3D Foundations) and Foundations Coordinator

Posting Details

Title Information

Faculty Title Assistant Professor Job Class Code 10031 FLSA Exempt

Position Information

Posting Number FRGV2075 Working Title School of Art and Design - Assistant Professor of Art (2D/3D Foundations) and Foundations Coordinator Number of Vacancies 1 Location Rio Grande Valley, Texas Division/Organization Provost - Academic Affairs Appointment Period for Non-Tenure Position Tenure Status Tenure Track FTE 1.0 Scope of Job

The School of Art and Design at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning September 1, 2027. The successful candidate will serve as Assistant Professor of Art (2D/3D Foundations) and Foundations Coordinator, providing academic leadership for the School's Foundations Program while maintaining an active program of creative research and scholarly engagement. Competitive salary and credit toward tenure may be offered based on the qualifications and prior experience of the selected candidate.

The successful candidate will be an artist-scholar whose creative practice is grounded in a studio discipline such as drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, interdisciplinary studio practice, material studies, or a related field. While maintaining a focused area of research expertise, the candidate will demonstrate broad knowledge of contemporary art practice and the ability to teach across a range of foundational art and design experiences.

The successful candidate will sustain a program of creative activity and/or scholarship with the potential to achieve national and international recognition. In addition to maintaining an active professional practice, the candidate will contribute to the intellectual, curricular, and pedagogical development of the School of Art and Design.

Teaching responsibilities include a 2/2 undergraduate teaching load (four 3-credit courses per academic year), primarily within the Foundations curriculum. Courses may include ARTS 1311 (2D Design), ARTS 1312 (3D Design), ARTS 1316 (Drawing I), ARTS 1317 (Drawing II), and related foundation-level studio coursework. The successful candidate will foster an inclusive, rigorous studio environment; mentor student projects and portfolios; and teach in face-to-face, hybrid, and online learning environments as assigned.

As Foundations Coordinator, the successful candidate will provide leadership for the school's foundations curriculum across the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses. This role serves as a critical gateway to student success by supporting the transition, retention, progression, and academic development of first- and second-year students pursuing degrees in art and design. Responsibilities include coordinating course scheduling and section offerings; aligning syllabi, learning outcomes, evaluation protocols, and accreditation standards; mentoring parttime faculty pool who teach Foundations courses; and managing the zero-credit, pass/fail Foundations Portfolio Review. Assessment and portfolio-review data will be used to strengthen preparation for upper-division study and improve student retention, progression, and time to degree.

Foundations Coordinator Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will provide academic leadership for the Foundations Program through the following activities:

• Retention and Gateway Success.
• Serve as primary coordinator for the foundational curriculum and develop targeted initiatives supporting first- and second-year retention, progression, and academic success.
• Collaborate with advisors and School leadership to identify and address academic barriers affecting progression from gateway courses into upper-division programs.
• Curriculum, Scheduling, and Assessment.
• Lead multi-campus coordination across Edinburg and Brownsville, including course scheduling and section offerings in collaboration with School administration.
• Oversee alignment of learning outcomes, syllabi, evaluation protocols, and accreditation standards for ARTS 1311, ARTS 1312, ARTS 1316, ARTS 1317, and related Foundations courses.
• Ensure consistent rigor, instructional quality, assessment standards, and equitable student learning experiences across sections and campuses.
• Part-Time and one-year appointment Faculty Leadership and Instructional Coaching.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and pedagogical orientation for part-time and one-year appointment faculty teaching in the Foundations Program.

Portfolio Review Coordination:

• Coordinate and oversee the zero-credit, pass/fail Foundations Portfolio Review.
• Establish portfolio assessment standards and evaluation procedures.
• Use portfolio review data to inform curricular improvements and student success initiatives.
• Provide guidance to students as they prepare for entry into advanced studio and design concentrations.

Accreditation and Institutional Priorities:

• Support NASAD accreditation and institutional assessment efforts through assessment, documentation, and continuous improvement activities.
• Contribute to institutional priorities related to student success, retention, degree completion, and academic excellence.
• Strengthen foundational preparation that supports advanced study, professional practice, and the University's research mission.

UTRGV faculty are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to student success and to advancing the missions of the University, College, and School. UTRGV is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and emerging research university dedicated to educational opportunity, community engagement, and academic excellence.

The School of Art and Design serves approximately 1,000 undergraduate students and 33 graduate students through programs in studio art, graphic design, art history, and art education. Faculty maintain active records of creative and scholarly achievement while contributing to a collaborative and student-centered academic environment.

This is a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor with an anticipated start date of September 1, 2027.

Minimum Qualifications

• An MFA or other terminal degree in Studio Art, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Interdisciplinary Art, Visual Arts, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and creative research/scholarship appropriate to the discipline.
• Evidence of an active creative research agenda and the potential to develop a record of achievement capable of attaining national or international recognition consistent with the expectations of an R1 institution.
• Demonstrated commitment to student success.

Discipline Specific Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in contemporary studio art practice.
• Evidence of an active creative practice in drawing, painting, sculpture, interdisciplinary studio art, installation, material-based practice, or a related field.
• Broad knowledge of two-dimensional and three-dimensional design principles, visual literacy, formal analysis, and foundations pedagogy.
• Ability to teach across multiple media and approaches to introductory studio education.
• Knowledge of historical and contemporary approaches to foundation studies in art and design.
• Experience developing and assessing student learning outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to support and mentor students.
• Demonstrated organizational and leadership skills appropriate for coordinating a multi-section foundations curriculum.
• Commitment to collaborative curriculum development and faculty mentorship.
• Ability to foster critical thinking, creativity, visual problem solving, and technical competency in beginning art and design students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of university-level teaching experience in foundations, drawing, painting, sculpture, design, or related studio disciplines.
• Experience coordinating curricula, assessment initiatives, portfolio review processes, or academic programs.
• Experience mentoring part-time and one-year appointment faculty.
• Record of exhibitions, commissions, grants, residencies, publications, public art projects, or other forms of professional recognition.
• Experience implementing strategies that improve student retention, persistence, and degree completion.
• Evidence of interdisciplinary teaching and research that bridges studio art, design, digital technologies, community engagement, or emerging artistic practices.
• Experience developing collaborative initiatives across academic programs, campuses, or community partners.

License or Certification Required? No Salary Commensurate with Qualifications and Experience Desired Start Date 09/01/2027

Posting Detail Information

EEO Statement

It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.

Open Date 10/05/2026 Close Date Additional Information

UTRGV is a distributed institution. As such and as assigned, the position may require presence at multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Work is performed primarily in a general office environment. This position is security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of the Texas Education Code §51.215. The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Dear Applicant,

Human Resources will not be held responsible for redacting any confidential information from the documents you attach with your application. The confidential information includes the following:

Date of Birth

Social Security Number

Gender

Ethnicity/Race

Please make sure that you omit this information prior to submission. We are advising that Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the department as per your submission.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley reserves the right to discontinue accepting applications prior to the stated close date of this position, after meeting the posting requirement of three (3) calendar days.

Security sensitive; All UTRGV employees are required to have a criminal background check (CBC). CBCs will be conducted for all candidates invited for an on-campus interview.

To apply for this job posting visit: careers.utrgv.edu

Required Document

• Curriculum Vitae
• List of 3 References - This list should include the name, title, and contact information, such as email address and/or phone number.
• Letter of Interest - (addressing your ability to meet the above responsibilities).
• Unofficial Transcripts (graduate and undergraduate - Once hired, official transcripts are required).
• Teaching Philosophy - One-page maximum statement addressing the applicant's approach to foundations pedagogy, studio instruction, and student learning.
• Research Statement - One-page maximum statement addressing the applicant's research/creative activity, current practice, and future goals.
• Other Document - Include the applicant's professional or artist website URL and links to time-based, interactive, or other work that cannot be adequately represented in the submitted portfolio, as applicable.
• Additional Documents - A PDF containing up to 20 images representing up to 10 works by the applicant, with an accompanying image list.
• Evidence of Teaching - A PDF containing up to 20 images of student work with an accompanying image list. Where possible, examples should represent work produced in courses relevant to the teaching responsibilities of this position.

Please Note

Texas law requires faculty members whose primary language is not English to demonstrate proficiency in English as determined by a satisfactory paper-based test score of 500 (computer-based of 173 or internet-based of 61) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a satisfactory test score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. All positions are subject to budget approval.

Quick Link https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/52736

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Teaching Philosophy
• Other Document
• Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness
• List of 3 References
• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial Transcripts
• Letter of Interest
• Research Statement
• Additional Document

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• Resume
• Writing / Publication Sample
• Reference Letter 1
• Reference Letter 2
• Reference Letter 3
• Multi Media
• Certifications and Licenses
• Training Certificates
• Unofficial Transcripts 2
• Unofficial Transcripts 3
• Unofficial Graduate Transcripts
• Teaching Statement
• NCCPA Certification
• State Licensure