Chairperson - Department of City and Regional Planning

The Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP) in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning at Cornell University invites applications for a dynamic, visionary leader to serve as the Department Chair for a renewable three-year term, to be appointed at the associate or full professor level. Areas of specialization are open. The faculty in CRP are committed to teaching and scholarship that values diversity, equity, social justice, environmental sustainability and furthers these values in the planning, design, and governance of cities.

The next Chairperson will be an internationally known scholar with the ability to be strategic about CRP’s future opportunities, who can build on the record for scholarly and professional excellence that CRP has established since its inception more than 80 years ago. We seek a scholar and administrative leader committed to supporting innovative research and scholarship, engaged learning and community outreach, professional excellence and service, and who is supportive of partnerships and collaborative work both inside and outside the college and university. The qualifications of the candidate should be consistent with a tenured appointment at the level of an associate or full professor, with a Ph.D. in urban planning or a related field.

The Chair is responsible for providing leadership and oversight of the department’s academic programs and budgets and working with the department’s administrative manager to ensure a workplace that is supportive of faculty, staff, and students. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the chair will work in close collaboration with the department faculty and the college dean. The ideal candidate will help create an environment of collaboration, transparency, and shared governance. 

CRP is a top-ranked planning department with a full-time faculty of 17. Our faculty ranks among the top in the country for scholarly productivity and influence, with pre-eminence in many areas, including regional development, land-use and environmental dynamics, international development, historic preservation, and urban history. The new chair will lead a Department of City and Regional Planning that draws students from across the U.S. and the world. Our students earn: a Bachelor of Science in the liberal-arts Urban and Regional Studies program; a professional Master of Regional Planning; a Master of Arts in the Historic Preservation Planning Program; a Master in Regional Science; a Masters in the Baker Program in Real Estate; and Ph.D. degrees in City and Regional Planning and Regional Science. While the principal locus of academic and administrative activity is in Ithaca, NY, the Department has innovative study programs in Rome and New York City.

CRP also offers students and faculty exciting research and professional opportunities in collaboration with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for Sustainable Futures, the Einaudi Center for International Studies, Engaged Cornell, Center for the Study of Inequality, and the Public Service Center, among other multi-disciplinary venues. The Chair will play a key role in campus-wide initiatives related to environmental sustainability, international development, data analysis, public policy and the social sciences.

Diversity and inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Cornell is committed to hiring faculty who share its historical commitment to educating and pursuing knowledge for any person in any study. We require that every applicant for an academic appointment provide a Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This statement offers candidates an opportunity to describe their potential contributions to diversity and inclusion at Cornell and our legacy of “. . . any person . . . any study.”

Application Process

Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest (that includes a discussion of the candidate’s academic leadership, scholarly and research interests, and teaching experience); curriculum vitae; and Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion using the university’s online application tool: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/17287.  Nominations and applications will be reviewed beginning January 15, 2021 and will be accepted until the position is filled. The department chair appointment is expected to begin July 1, 2021. For questions and additional information, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose, and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Application Materials Required:

Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Interest(that includes a discussion of your academic leadership, scholarly and research interests, and teaching experience)
• Statement of Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:

https://aap.cornell.edu/academics/crp

607-255-9987

Cornell University

College of Architecture, Art and Planning

106 Sibley Hall

Ithaca, NY 14853