Department Head Search – Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management

Posted on January 7, 2014 by secorica

North Carolina State University – Raleigh, North Carolina

College of Natural Resources – Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Department Head (Position #00000683)

Applications are invited for the position of Professor and Head of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University.

The successful applicant must demonstrate outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills, and have a distinguished record in research, education and outreach. We seek an individual that can:

1. Clearly articulate a vision for the department that is aligned with the strategic plan of the college and collaborate broadly across the college and university to achieve it.
2. Create an environment of integrity and support that stimulates faculty, staff, and students to work at their highest performance levels.
3. Promote the department regionally, nationally, and internationally.
4. Identify and implement mechanisms for attracting, rewarding, and retaining under-represented faculty, staff, and students.

Application Deadline:
Application review will begin January 31, 2014 and will continue until a suitable candidate is hired.

Responsibilities:
The Head serves as chief administrative officer of the Department, and as an advocate for the Department and the scientific fields related to park management, recreation, sport management, and sustainable tourism.

The position provides leadership, assistance, and support for carrying out initiatives identified by the faculty. These include increasing contributions to knowledge and science that is innovative and integrative, enhancing and expanding graduate and undergraduate education, conducting extension and outreach programs, fostering collegiality among faculty, strengthening relationships with internal and external clientele, and promoting communication and the transfer of science‐based findings to public policy makers and private decision makers.

The Department Head also: plays a key role in the recruitment and development of faculty, staff, and students; oversees planning and evaluation of the Department’s academic, research, and extension programs; and is responsible for managing the Department’s budgets.

The Head will work closely with government and international agencies, foundations and industry, as well as being actively involved in fundraising to support the Department’s research, teaching, and extension activities. He/she will represent the Department and promote collaborations and partnerships at NC State University and other institutions.

Qualifications:

Candidates for the Department Head position must have an earned doctorate in recreation, park and tourism management, sport management, natural resources, or a related field.
Qualifications commensurate with appointment to the rank of professor.
Ability to work with faculty and external stakeholders from a wide variety of backgrounds in the broad field of park and natural resource management, recreation, sport management, and sustainable tourism, and in multidisciplinary contexts.
Ability and evidence of energetic leadership, innovative thinking, and external fund raising.
Strong organizational, leadership, team‐building interpersonal, and communication skills.
Evidence of commitment to excellence in research, teaching, extension, and service.
Familiarity with and commitment to the Land Grant institutional mission. • An understanding and appreciation of the diverse disciplines within the College of Natural Resources.
A record of obtaining funding: e.g., grants, contracts, and/or gifts.
Experience managing budgets with diverse sources of revenue.
Commitment to fostering diversity and a global perspective within the department.
Active involvement in national professional organizations.

About the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

A national and international leader, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is one of three departments in the College of Natural Resources.

The Department is a multidisciplinary department that addresses critical research questions related to human dimensions of natural and built environments, community health and well-being, youth development and physical activity, and equitable and sustainable rural tourism development. Its 27 full-time faculty, 6 administrative staff, and 6 professional staff serve approximately 720 undergraduate students, 220 graduate students, and an extensive number of agency and user groups.

In addition to an outstanding Tourism Extension Program, the Department host the Recreation Resources Service, which provides technical assistance and training programs to recreation providers across North Carolina.

The Department’s various Oglebay Management Schools have delivered continuing education programs to recreation and park professionals since 1975. The recently opened Digital Imagery Visualization Lab provides faculty and students with the unique capacity to conduct research utilizing digital imagery and immersive virtual environmental technologies.

The Department offers a B.S. degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management with areas of emphasis in: park and natural resource management, recreation program management, and tourism and commercial recreation management. It also offers B.S. degrees in Sport Management and Professional Golf Management.

The department offers numerous degrees at the graduate level: a Master of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, a Master of Science in Natural Resources Management, a Master of Natural Resources Management (non-thesis), a Master of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (distance education), Professional Science Master in Geospatial Information Science Technology (distance education), and a Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management.

Additional information about the Department can be found at http://cnr.ncsu.edu/prtm/.

About the University:

North Carolina State University, the Land Grant University of North Carolina, is a Tier 1 research university committed to academic excellence and diversity. With more than 34,000 students and 8,000 faculty, NC State plays a vital role in improving the quality of life for the citizens of North Carolina, the nation and the world. Its strong research, teaching, and extension programs have led it to be consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50 public universities and ranked by Princeton Review as a best value for students. Additional information about NC State University can be found at http://www.ncsu.edu/human_resources/employment/resources/ .

About the Community:

Raleigh, the state’s capital city, is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s best places to live and work. The Research Triangle region surrounds the NC State campus where many of the country’s leading, Fortune 500 technology, research and pharmaceutical companies are located. The Raleigh‐Durham‐Chapel Hill area is home to seven colleges and universities and rich cultural opportunities. Raleigh also boasts more than 4,300 acres of parkland, almost 1,400 acres of water, and a nationally-acclaimed greenway system connecting many of the city’s 150 major parks offering excellent recreational activities year round.

Application and Nomination Process:

To apply, go to https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/32032. You must complete an online EPA profile and attach a resume and contact information for three (3) references.

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Candace Vick, Chair of the Search Committee (email: cvick@nscu.edu; telephone: 919.513.3939).

EOE/AA. NC State welcomes all applicants without regard to sexual orientation.

For ADA accommodations, contact Dr. Candace Vick. Proper documentation of identity and employability in the United States will be required. Initial nominations and inquiries will be kept confidential.

New Graduates Honored

Posted on December 18, 2013 by

Following the university-wide commencement ceremony this morning, Dean Mary Watzin will award diplomas to 218 summer and winter graduates of the NC State University College of Natural Resources at the Jane S. McKimmon Center in Raleigh. The college will award 63 graduate degrees and 155 undergraduate degrees.

Professor of Practice Mickey Fearn will deliver the commencement address and one student from each of our 3 departments will address their fellow graduates. The student speakers are – Jensen Reece Sales (Forest Biomaterials), Gretchen Louise Stokes (Forestry & Environmental Resources), and David Sean Gamble (Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management).

A graduation gift from the NC State Natural Resources Foundation will be presented to each graduate by foundation president, Art Raymond. Departmental receptions will follow the diploma ceremony.

Congratulations to the graduates and new alumni of the College of Natural Resources and to their families. View the diploma ceremony program for a complete list of graduates>>

5 Questions with CNR Dean Mary Watzin

Posted on December 12, 2013 by

Our college’s vision is to be the go-to place for solutions to natural resource challenges. We don’t think it is enough to make a name for ourselves by describing problems. We want to develop solutions to those problems. This is an institution where solutions are part of our DNA!

Recently Dean Mary Watzin sat down with the The Bulletin to reflect on her first year as dean and talk about where the college goes from here.

Read “5 Questions with Dean Watzin”

NC State Endowment Board Signs $150 Million Hofmann Forest Agreement

Posted on October 29, 2013 by

The Board of Trustees for the Endowment Fund of NC State University has agreed to terms for the sale of Hofmann Forest – a move that will pave the way for unprecedented investments in students, faculty, research and extension in the College of Natural Resources (CNR) and continued access for students and faculty.

Jerry Walker, manager of the purchaser, has signed an agreement to buy the 79,000-acre property near Jacksonville, NC for $150 million. Walker is a third-generation agri-businessman who runs the family’s multi-state agriculture business based in Illinois.

Proceeds from the sale will be placed in an endowment with the annual return of interest benefitting the College of Natural Resources, in keeping with the intent of the original deed gifted to the Endowment Fund in 1977 by the private non-profit Forestry Foundation (now known as the Natural Resources Foundation). The benefit to CNR is estimated to be $6 million annually, which is more than three times the current annual yield from the forest.

The purchase agreement also indicates the buyer’s intent to address additional objectives set by the Natural Resources Foundation, which include access for students and faculty to conduct research, preserving the legacy by keeping the Hofmann name, and maintaining a working forest on the property.

“The income generated annually by the investment of the sale proceeds will provide tremendous educational and research opportunities for the College of Natural Resources and its students,” said NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson.

“As an asset, the forest’s full potential was not being realized,” Woodson added. “We have an obligation to our stakeholders – our students, faculty, staff and alumni – to ensure our colleges are positioned to provide a robust academic environment that attracts world-class faculty and the best and brightest students.”

Additional resources generated by the endowment will go toward promoting growth in research and academic offerings within CNR, and making progress toward the college’s mission and strategic plan, which includes transforming the college into the go-to leader for solutions to natural resource challenges across the state, nation and around the globe.

“We’re confident the resulting impact from Doc Hofmann’s legacy will be nothing short of transformational for our college,” said CNR Dean Mary Watzin. “CNR’s vision is to be a world leader among universities that are creating healthier and more sustainable communities.” The transaction will not affect the existing zoning of the property which permits its use for timber and agricultural purposes, the preservation of the two existing wetlands or the existing lease for Onslow County’s Deppe Park.

In addition, the purchase agreement recognizes the Department of Defense’s interest in obtaining an easement from the purchaser that would ensure long-term protection for approximately 70,000 acres of the property and formalize the military’s long-standing interest in the conservation of the property.

“Hofmann Forest is a wonderful property with a long and storied connection to the communities of Eastern North Carolina, and we are committed to preserving that legacy going forward,” said Walker. “We look forward to working with our military neighbors on a plan for maintaining the primary use of the land for timber and agriculture purposes.”

Additional Background •Hofmann Forest was purchased by the North Carolina Forestry Foundation, Inc. in 1934, later named the Natural Resources Foundation. The Foundation gifted the land to the NC State Endowment Fund in 1977 for the benefit of the College of Natural Resources.

•About 56,000 of the forest’s 79,000 acres function as a working forest. Other activities at the forest include agriculture, hunt clubs and an Onslow County park.

•There are approximately 1400 undergraduate students in the College of Natural Resources, including about 80 in the forestry program, and over 400 graduate students in the College’s MS and Ph.D. programs. The vast majority of the college’s outdoor education is conducted currently at Hill Forest and Schenck Forest.

•More than 98 percent of sponsored forestry research in the college is currently conducted at sites outside the Hofmann Forest (around the state and across the world).

•The income generated from Hofmann, similar to other forests, has produced a relatively low return on market value and subject to fluctuations in demand for houses. In fiscal 2012, Hofmann generated a net income of approximately $861,000 to support the college. With a 4% spending policy, the $150 million generated from the sale would result in $6 million in annual support to CNR.

Media Contact: Fred Hartman | | 919.515.7159

Are we building our way to ruin?

Posted on October 15, 2013 by

The Housing Bomb: Why Our Addiction to Houses Is Destroying the Environment and Threatening Our Society

NC State’s Nils Peterson explores the environmental and societal impact of the modern subdivision.

Are we building our way to ruin? That’s the premise of a provocatively titled new book released this month: The Housing Bomb: Why Our Addiction to Houses Is Destroying the Environment and Threatening Our Society.

Lead author Dr. Nils Peterson, associate professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology in NC State’s College of Natural Resources, focuses his research on the intersections between human and natural systems, including the modern subdivision.

For an insider’s look at The Housing Bomb, check out this interview with Dr. Peterson in The Abstract.