West Chair of Excellence in Communication and Public Affairs, Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences - 24000001OK

Job Description

The Department of Communication at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) invites applications for the position of West Chair of Excellence in Communication and Public Affairs at the rank of associate or full professor. This is a tenure-track, 9-month position with appointment to begin August 1, 2025.

The George R. West, Jr. Chair of Excellence in Communication and Public Affairs is an endowed professorship that provides resources to bring a top-caliber scholar to campus to lead students and the community in the pursuit of the whole truth. The funding agreement offers broad latitude in the area selected for the Chair, but the position should challenge students to confront complexities in contemporary society by emphasizing a liberal arts approach to understanding public and world affairs. Applications are encouraged from a wide range of areas of study related to communication and public affairs. This includes, but is not limited to, consumption of media, effects of media on individuals and society, environmental communication, and health communication. 

The West Chair of Excellence should be a positive role model as a teacher or practitioner who has demonstrated a keen interest in students. They must be sufficiently distinguished as a practitioner to have credibility in their chosen profession as well as in related professions; and have demonstrated the ability to and interest in creatively extending the influence of the Chair abroad the campus, the community and the profession.

The successful candidate will be a seasoned scholar who values and enjoys teaching undergraduate students.  The department emphasizes experiential learning and would value a colleague who can intentionally include students in their research or creative work.  Duties also include the convening of forums, workshops and symposia dealing with public affairs issues. The Chair is expected to continue producing scholarships and to serve as a role model for faculty in the department.  The Chair will have a reduced teaching load (2-2) to facilitate research productivity.  The endowment also provides a $20,000 annual spending account to facilitate the research of the Chair. Additional startup funds will be available.
The Department of Communication is home to over 500 students pursuing either a Bachelor of Science major or minor in Communication. The major provides a flexible curriculum that is defined by a common core and an array of elective options that allow learners the opportunity to build skill in their focus area for an ever-changing media landscape (e.g., journalism, strategic communication, film, photojournalism etc.). The students in Communication are served by 15 accomplished and engaged faculty who possess a diverse range of professional and academic expertise including, public relations, reporting, social media management, creative direction, photojournalism, film production, etc. These faculty have emergent research profiles and utilize intra- and interdisciplinary approaches to communication scholarship.  The department prides itself for its hands-on, community-oriented, and award-winning approach to teaching, learning, and scholarships and is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.
 

 

Job Requirements

Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in Mass Communication, Communication, or a related discipline;
• Record of scholarship, teaching, and service that merits tenure in the Department of Communication at the associate or full professor rank;
• Engagement in active and on-going scholarship in a field related to communication and public affairs;
• Ability to teach introductory/advanced courses that meet the needs of the department and university;
• Evidence of prior service to the profession and community.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Record of scholarship, teaching, and service that merits tenure in the Department of Communication at the full professor rank;
• Evidence of mentoring undergraduate students;
• Substantial standing and productivity in an area of expertise related to communication and public affairs;
• Motivation and dedication needed to maintain a high level of research productivity;
• Demonstrated excellence in the classroom;
• Prior experience as a practitioner in a field related to communication and public affairs.

Application Procedures
Applicants should submit all the following to our online application system for consideration:

• A letter of interest addressing their qualifications for the position, making sure to address each minimum qualification;
• CV, including up-to-date personal contact information;
• A two-page (single-spaced) description of scholarship agenda and program;
• Names, titles, and email addresses for 3-5 professional references for confidential letters of recommendation to be requested. 

Review of applications will begin September 15, 2024 and will continue until a candidate is found. 
 

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