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Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Department of Horticultural Science
University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Campus
As part of the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a resource for horticultural and environmental information, a center for research and public education, and a place to inspire and delight visitors with quality plants in well-designed and maintained displays, collections, model landscapes, and conservation areas.
The University of Minnesota seeks an outstanding individual to provide leadership, passion, and vision for public garden inspiration, education, and research as Director of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is part of the Department of Horticultural Science within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. The Arboretum is a vital element of the cultural, educational, and economic fiber of the Twin Cities and the Upper Midwest, and it serves a broad audience with nearly 260,000 visitors and more than 18,900 members in 2007. The Arboretum consists of 1,047 acres of unique public gardens including 32 display and specialty gardens, 12.5 miles of garden paths and hiking trails, 48 generic plant collections, 5,000 species of plants, and 8 native and restored environments. Innovative natural science and horticultural education and public policy programs are offered for individuals of all ages. The University of Minnesota is one of the few institutions worldwide that identifies and develops cold-hardy fruit and landscape plants. University researchers, working at the Arboretum's Horticultural Research Center, have released 139 varieties of cold-hardy fruit and landscape plants, including apples and grapes, and have established additional research programs in fruit production, enology, and restoration ecology.
Although the Arboretum is part of the Department of Horticultural Science, it is a distinct budgetary unit. In FY2008 the Arboretum had a budget in excess of $8 million, placing it in the top echelon of large public gardens in the United States. This year the Arboretum has a year-round staff of 115 and an additional seasonal staff of 112. This professional staff is supported by an enthusiastic team of more than 650 volunteers annually.
Internationally known for research in plant stress hardiness, development of new plant varieties for northern climates, and consumer horticulture, the Department of Horticultural Science is home to a highly respected faculty with diverse areas of expertise across the plant sciences. Research programs have both commodity and disciplinary emphases and range from molecular biology and genomics to the ecology of plant communities. Commodities include turfgrass, herbaceous and woody landscape plants, floriculture, fruits, and vegetables. In addition to its research and academic programs, the Department offers outreach programs in both commercial and consumer horticulture, and the Arboretum is a major avenue for public outreach programming.
The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) currently consists of 285 faculty members in 13 departments with areas of emphasis that include environmental sciences, policy, and management; food, nutrition and animal science; and plant sciences. CFANS has a combined enrollment of 1,750 undergraduate and 788 graduate students. In addition to the Arboretum, the Bell Museum of Natural History, the Cloquet Forestry Center, and 6 research and outreach centers located around the state are administered by CFANS.
Responsibilities:
The Director of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum serves as the chief administrative officer of the Arboretum. The selected candidate must possess the vision and ability for long-range planning and leadership to promote and facilitate growth in research and outreach, staff development, and public engagement. The Director provides leadership in developing, budgeting, and administering all programmatic, fund-raising, and operational activities; actively pursuing grant opportunities; developing and administering positions and resources; communicating effectively with staff, faculty, students, and University administration; and maintaining effective liaisons with the broad array of public constituencies that the Arboretum serves. The Director serves as an advocate for the Arboretum within and outside the University and across a wide range of subjects including the land, plant collections, and physical resources of the Arboretum, and fosters diversity within the Arboretum staff and their constituents. The Director is the primary liaison with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation, an official foundation of the University of Minnesota, which is the chief fund-raising organization for Arboretum programs, maintenance, and capital expenditures. The Director is also expected to be an advocate for landscape horticulture regionally through interacting with the public and local and state governments.
Qualifications:
Minimum: Candidate must a) have an advanced degree in horticulture, landscape architecture, plant biology, or a related field; b) have a significant record of accomplishments that combines research and scholarship activity with administrative or managerial experience; c) have a demonstrated track record of effective leadership and management in a complex organization; and d) present evidence of professional distinction and national or international recognition in his or her field that warrants a tenured full professorship in the Department of Horticultural Science.
Desired: Candidate should be an energetic, creative, and strategic thinker and a prudent risk-taker, with a proven record in arboretum and/or botanic garden management. Candidate should have demonstrated excellence in past job performance and excellent communication skills. Demonstrated administrative ability, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to forge positive collaborative relationships with the various public constituencies in landscape horticulture, a strong record of successful fundraising through gifts and grants, and an appreciation and understanding of scholarship in an academic department are strongly desired. A Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in horticulture, landscape architecture, plant biology, or a related field is highly desirable. An undergraduate or advanced degree or significant education in business, organizational management, educational administration, or a related field is also desirable.
Nature of Appointment:
This position is a twelve-month, academic and administrative appointment as Director and a tenured faculty position as full professor in the Department of Horticultural Science. The position reports to the Head, Department of Horticultural Science. The initial appointment is for three years with subsequent annual reappointment dependent on performance and outcome of regularly conducted administrative reviews. Salary is commensurate with experience and achievement and carries an administrative salary augmentation.
Starting and Application Dates:
The preferred starting date for this position is 1 July 2009 or as soon thereafter as possible. Review of completed applications will begin on 1 May 2009 and continue until a suitable candidate is selected.
Application Procedure:
Please apply online at http://employment.umn.edu, search for Requisition # 160425 and attach a curriculum vitae, a statement that includes philosophy of administration and vision for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and the names and addresses of three references. All applications and nominations will be held confidential until finalists are determined. Applications, nominations, and inquiries should be addressed to:
Dr. Gary Gardner, Search Committee Chair
Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota,
1970 Folwell Avenue, 305 Alderman Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108. Phone: 612-624-3606; Fax: 612-624-4941;
E-mail: ggardner@umn.edu.
Additional information about the Arboretum and its programs may be obtained from: www.arboretum.umn.edu.
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
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