The Program Chair, Respiratory Therapy serves as the academic leader for the Respiratory Therapy program by providing accessible, high-quality learning experiences within the classroom, laboratory, and/or distance learning settings; facilitates the learning process to help students be successful; provides accurate, quality academic and career advisement for students; seeks professional development opportunities to implement best practices in teaching within discipline area; maintains student support hours according to institutional policy; completes required course assessments and documentation in an accurate and timely manner; attends college meetings, student activities, institutional functions; contributes to the development of curriculum courses and programs; and collaborates with educational partners and partners with other areas of the College to ensure that the discipline area is meeting the needs of students and the academic partners. The Program Chair reports to the Dean of Health and Wellness Programs.
Salary will commensurate with experience and education.
Leadership and Planning
The program chair leads the respiratory therapy program initiatives and strategic planning efforts by:
•Representing the respiratory therapy assistant program in the College planning processes and making sound, data-informed decisions.
•Ensuring continuity of the College's mission through the respiratory therapy assistant curricula, course offerings, and learning opportunities.
•Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of the respiratory therapy assistant program in relation to community and workforce needs.
Personnel Management
The program chair supports faculty and staff effectiveness by:
• Establishing and sustaining productive working relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
• Ensuring full- and part-time faculty are oriented and mentored in assigned roles and responsibilities.
Instruction and Student Support
The program chair supports teaching and learning by:
• Teaching up to eighteen (18) semester contact hours each semester in either curriculum, continuing
education, or business and industry settings.
• Managing instructional syllabi, learning materials, and clinical learning environments in collaboration with
clinical partners.
• Planning and delivering accessible, high-quality instruction aligned with course, program, and student
learning outcomes.
• Creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment through the application of Universal Design for
Learning (UDL) and Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) principles.
• Overseeing formative and summative student evaluation methods that are used throughout the
curriculum, are appropriate to the delivery modality, and align with the progression of course outcomes.
• Employing a proactive advising model aligned with the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
core values.
• Supporting students’ understanding of the importance of transferable skills for success in college,
careers, and the workforce.
• Maintaining accurate documentation of student attendance and grades and submitting required course
documentation accurately and promptly.
• Empowering students to make informed decisions by providing accurate, quality academic and career
information about policies, procedures, educational pathways, and transfer requirements.
Institutional Effectiveness
The program chair contributes to continuous improvement efforts by:
• Engaging in institutional effectiveness processes and college- and state-wide initiatives, including program
review, grants, strategic planning, guided pathways, and regional and programmatic accreditation.
• Assisting with student learning outcomes assessment and using data to enhance teaching and learning.
• Collaborating on accreditation outcomes, including analysis and use of licensure pass rates, completion
rates, and job placement data to inform program decisions and continuous improvement, and shares
results with communities of interest.
• Pursuing professional development activities annually and remaining current in nursing education and
practice.
• Championing the College's retention, progression, completion, and inclusion initiatives.
External Relations
The program chair builds partnerships and community connections by:
• Fostering opportunities for communities of interest (employers, clinical partners, alums, and students) to
provide input into program decisions.
• Assisting with experiential learning opportunities, including clinical placements.
• Supporting recruitment and outreach efforts through program publications, websites, and community
engagement.
Specialized Functions
The program chair must complete the following functions to fulfill the role:
• Orchestrate and maintain institutional compliance with SACSCOC and the Commission on Accreditation
for Respiratory Care (CoARC) programmatic accreditation standards.
• Foster and sustain partnerships with healthcare and wellness professionals to support experiential learning.
The program chair must possess the following competencies, aligned with the College's Transferable Skills
Framework, to fulfill the role and responsibilities effectively:
• Analytical Skills: Examining information systematically, performing complex problems, and using
evidence-based reasoning to evaluate programs, making data-informed decisions, assessing institutional
effectiveness, and analyzing student learning outcomes.
• Adaptability Skills: Adjusting effectively to changing circumstances, managing multiple priorities and
interruptions, and demonstrating resilience and flexibility in response to evolving educational needs,
technologies, and institutional priorities.
• Communication Skills: Communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with people
from diverse backgrounds; listening actively; providing constructive feedback; and maintaining
confidentiality.
• Digital and Information Literacy Skills: Demonstrating proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant
educational and emerging technologies; effectively locating, evaluating, and using information ethically to
support decision-making and strategic planning.
• Dependability Skills: Being consistently reliable and trustworthy in meeting commitments and deadlines;
fulfilling responsibilities promptly and accurately; and practicing high ethical standards with sensitive
data.
• Initiative Skills: Taking proactive action to pursue professional development; demonstrating selfmotivation
and intellectual curiosity; staying current in professional literature; and showing willingness to
learn and implement innovative practices in teaching, learning, and academic leadership.
• Teamwork & Leadership Skills: Fostering a collaborative and team-based work environment; cultivating
and nurturing productive relationships with colleagues, students, and community stakeholders; and
leading effectively to achieve institutional goals.
Additional competencies include:
• Exhibiting skills in planning, organizing, and implementing new initiatives while managing time, resources,
and deadlines.
• Applying knowledge and practical ability in student, career, and workforce development.
• Displaying comprehensive knowledge of the entire student experience, including coaching, mentoring,
advising, and academic progression.
• Showing commitment to excellence within the learning environment and workplace.
Education and Experience Requirements
• Master's degree in Respiratory Therapy or related field from an institutionally accredited institution.
• Hold an active, unencumbered Registered Respiratory Therapy (RRT) credential and North Carolina
license.
• Have a minimum of four (4) years' experience as a Registered Respiratory Therapist with at least two (2)
years in clinical respiratory care.
*Have a minimum of two (2) years' experience teaching either as an appointed faculty member in a CoARCaccredited
respiratory care program or as a clinical instructor/preceptor for students of such programs.
• Have completed the CoARC Key Personnel Training Program or be willing to complete it after being hired.
• At least one (1) year of project management experience with stakeholder collaboration.
Preferred Education and Experience
• Have AHA instructor status in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and/or NRP instructor status.
• At least one (1) year of experience in a key personnel position at a CoARC-accredited respiratory therapy
program.
• At least one (1) year of experience teaching distance learning using learning management systems and
digital engagement tools.
• At least one (1) year of experience with student engagement software.
• Completion of professional or course development certification(s) from the Online Learning Consortium
(OLC), Quality Matters (QM), or Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), or similar
professional development organizations.
Physical Requirements
The program chair must manage the following physical requirements of the job:
• Environment
Working in an office, classroom, lab, or clinical learning environment, typically indoors, with moderate
noise levels. May involve irregular hours and online work. Responsibility for maintaining safe, compliant,
and functional learning spaces.
• Physical Effort
Ability to stand, walk, or sit for extended periods; moderate lifting and carrying (up to thirty pounds);
general manual dexterity; operation of instructional and office equipment; and extended computer use.
• Mental Requirements
Ability to exercise sound judgment, analyze information, work with numerical data, maintain
confidentiality, and evaluate programs, services, and personal effectiveness.
Schedule and Travel
• Schedule
Presence on campus and/or at clinical, medical, business, and industry locations as required for teaching,
learning, and administrative responsibilities.
• Travel
Local travel between campuses and community sites is required. Limited out-of-state travel for
professional development, training, conferences, and workshops.
Related Responsibilities
The following are the other responsibilities of the program chair role:
• Participating in advisory, standing, and ad hoc committees.
• Assisting with inventory management and oversight of labs and designated facilities.
• Attending commencement and supporting institutional activities.
• Performing other duties as assigned by the Dean of Health Science and Wellness Programs, or the Vice
President of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness.
Equity in Learning and Employment
Equity and belonging are crucial to who we are as an institution. The College celebrates diversity and inclusion,
embracing a broad definition of diversity that includes people of every race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity,
sexual/affectional orientation, age, socio-economic status, ability or attributes (visible and invisible),
neurodiversity, religious or ethical values system, national origin, political beliefs, veterans, and first-generation
college students.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Evidence of U.S.work authorization is required. It is the prospective employee's responsibility to obtain initial and ongoing authorization to work in the U.S., and Mitchell Community College will not provide sponsorship for U.S. employment.
