Position Tracking Number: F066
School/College: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)
Department: Communication Studies
Location: Azusa, CA—approximately 25 miles northeast of Los Angeles
Description: The Azusa Pacific University Department of Communication Studies invites applications for a full-time faculty member who will teach writing classes in both journalism and communication studies programs, serve as Writing Coach for APU’s converged student media, and help manage APU’s new Convergent Newsroom. Position begins Fall 2018.
The department houses three majors – journalism, public relations, and communication studies – 12 full-time faculty, nearly 25 part-time/adjunct faculty, and approximately 400 major and minor undergraduates. The Journalism major offers three emphases for a Bachelor of Arts degree: News and Storytelling, Media Studies, and Sports Journalism. As part of the journalism program, the department supports a convergent/integrated media environment, known on campus as ZuMedia. ZuMedia includes a digital and traditional student newspaper (ZuNews), digital and traditional magazine (ZuMagazine), a television/online studio (ZuTV), and an online radio station (ZuRadio). Additionally, the department sponsors a nationally-competitive forensics team and offers qualified scholars a chance to participate in Lambda Pi Eta, a national honors society. The department plans to offer a M.A. in Communication Studies in the near future.
Specializations: Writing and Editing, Convergent Journalism, Media Advising, Writing Across the Curriculum
Responsibilities:
This faculty member will:
- teach writing classes such as Editing and Writing for Communication, with particular emphasis on skill development in journalistic and academic writing and editing;
- serve as the writing coach for all of APU’s converged student media (ZuMedia) platforms, which includes serving as faculty of record for workshop classes, mentoring students to help them elevate their writing, and assisting with weekly converged student media meetings and individual advising of editorial staff.
- help manage APU’s new Convergent Newsroom, which includes serving as a key contact in the newsroom, troubleshooting issues, developing policies and procedures to ensure efficient lab operations and quality service, and assisting with software updates to keep technology functioning at optimum capacity.
The position will be a mixture of teaching, coaching, and advising within the department. Other duties include advising students, participating on committee assignments at the department and university levels, maintaining professional activity and academic currency in the field of journalistic writing and storytelling, and participating in all faculty meetings. Commitment to the university’s faith statement is required of all candidates.
Level: Instructor, Assistant or Associate Professor (Clinical/Professional Faculty) (Rank dependent on qualifications)
Qualifications: Ph.D. or Master’s Degree in a Journalism or Communication Studies related field strongly preferred. Master’s Degree in relevant field and professional writing and/or writing instruction required. Candidates must also adhere to Azusa Pacific University’s Evangelical Christian tradition. Faculty members are required to sign a “Statement of Faith” (available at http://www.apu.edu/about/believe) and to adhere to the policies outlined in the Faculty Handbook.
Required Experience:
- Prior experience teaching writing at the collegiate or university level.
- Two to three years of hands-on advising of students in journalism production and/or writing coaching.
- Three to five years professional writing experience preferred.
Workload: Responsible for 24 teaching units each year.
Mental Demands:
- Ability to integrate Christian values in all aspects.
- Ability to engage in critical thinking and exercise independent judgment.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage confidential information.
- Self starter, ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form.
Hire Date: Fall 2018. Review of applications to begin September 15, 2017 and will continue until position is filled.
Additional Information:
At Azusa Pacific University we value and uphold God-honoring diversity. Diversity was not our idea, but God’s. Therefore, we aim for an environment that respects and honors each individual’s uniqueness while celebrating our collective commonalities. It is in this spirit that we continue important discourse on diversity, engage a variety of perspectives, and embrace active listening in a spirit of humility. We continue our efforts to recruit, hire, and support a diverse community in an effort to create a milieu that reflects the mosaic of God’s kingdom.
Azusa Pacific University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Azusa Pacific University conducts background checks on all final candidates.
Application Procedure:
To apply, visit http://www.apu.edu/cp/employment/. Review of applications to begin September 15, 2017 and will continue until position is filled.