Department Summary:
This position presents a unique and exciting opportunity for appointment to both the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) and The John Dee Bright College (JDBC). The SJMC will serve as the home department, for purposes of promotion and tenure, but this will be a joint appointment for this collaborative position.
At Drake, we are actively seeking out ways to increase cross-disciplinary partnerships to best serve our students and also offer faculty opportunities for collaboration across academic units.
To learn more about SJMC visit: https://www.drake.edu/sjmc/.
To learn more about JDBC visit: https://www.drake.edu/bright/.
Job Summary:
SJMC and JDBC invite applications for a nine-month, tenure-track assistant professor of media literacy, criticism, and ethics. The successful candidate will bring expertise in journalism and/or mass and popular media representations (1) of minoritized, marginalized, disenfranchised, or underrepresented people in the US or (2) of popular culture, politics, policy, and other issues pertaining to marginalized people(s).
The successful candidate will join a collegial, welcoming, energetic, and supportive community of more than 20 full-time faculty and staff and more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students in fall 2024.
As a faculty member in the SJMC, this individual will teach in-person and online courses such areas as global mass media; media law and ethics; reporting, writing, and editing; media criticism; and special topics courses aligned with their skills and interests. They may also teach online undergraduate communication classes and graduate classes in Social Responsibility in Communications, Advanced Writing and Message Design, and Emerging Media.
As a faculty member in JDBC, Drake’s high-impact, innovative two-year general-education and associate-degree pathway, this individual will lead the development and delivery of an annual 12-credit, in-person spring curriculum for first-year students in Media and Data Literacy for Citizen Engagement. They will teach and collaborate within an interdisciplinary team of 2-3 colleagues drawn from across the university each spring.
Both JDBC and SJMC, which serve a widely diverse group of students, prize active, hands-on learning delivered through collaborative, student-centered, and community-engaged pedagogy and grounded in live, 21st-century issues and questions. Beyond professional and disciplinary expertise, key attributes for this position include enthusiasm for collaboration, intellectual curiosity and agility, creativity, inventiveness, familiarity with cutting-edge media and teaching-and-learning technologies, and commitment equitably serving a diverse student body and preparing them for a rapidly evolving professional and cultural ecosystem.
In addition to teaching, recurring duties will include academic and career mentoring for students, advising a student media organization or publication, and service to the University and community.
The search committee is particularly interested in candidates who, through their research, teaching, and/or service, will actively contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.
This appointment will begin in the 2024/2025 academic year.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Master’s degree or higher
• Professional experience in journalism or mass communication
• Interest in working with colleagues across disciplines to mentor and lead students
• Demonstrated ability to train and mentor students
• A history of early adoption of new technologies
Preferred Qualifications:
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness
Salary & Benefits
Salary is competitive with peer schools and will be commensurate with qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.
At Drake, we are proud to offer our employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a wide range of core benefits, perks, and discounts. If you are exploring a job with Drake University, we invite you to spend a little time with our digital benefits guide: Drake Benefits Guide (Plan Year 2023).
One of our very popular policies provides a tuition waiver for Drake employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents. Drake also participates in not one, but two tuition exchange programs available to dependent children. You can learn about both the tuition waiver policy and tuition exchange programs here: Tuition Benefits.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
You must complete the online application and attach (1) a cover letter, (2) CV/Resume, (3) a 1-2 page diversity statement, (4) portfolio of work, and (5) a detailed statement of teaching philosophy. Please do not attach additional documents at this time. Supplemental documents may be requested or required of those selected for screening and on-campus interviews.
All job offers are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check, satisfactory reference checks, and proof of work authorization.
Have Questions?
Questions about this position can be directed to the search chair: Megan Brown, PhD, Professor of English and Associate Dean of the John Dee Bright College (megan.brown@drake.edu).
Questions about the application process, working at Drake, spouse/partner support, reasonable accommodations, benefits, or additional information about Drake or Des Moines, Iowa may be directed to Drake Human Resources at jobs@drake.edu.
Review of Applications Begins:
For full consideration, apply by October 31, 2023. The position will remain posted until filled.
For faculty positions, selection will depend on the receipt of recommendation confirming the candidate’s scholarly achievements and teaching abilities and/or on the candidate’s satisfactory passing of a teaching demonstration if selected for an on-campus interview. For staff positions, selection will depend upon careful review of each applicant’s references, education, and, if applicable, experience.