Assistant professor, public relations at Wayne State University

The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts of Wayne State University seeks a qualified candidate for appointment as Assistant  Professor in the Department of Communication, full-time, tenure track, beginning no later than August 18, 2016. Salary competitive and commensurate with experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The successful candidate will teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as develop graduate or undergraduate courses in his or her specialty; mentor undergraduate and graduate students; pursue an active program of scholarship and publish in high-quality venues; contribute to the intellectual life of the department; and provide appropriate professional service.

QUALIFICATIONS:  PhD completed by August 2016.  We seek a scholar in  public relations and are open to different areas of specialization in topics, methodologies, and interests.  Candidates should demonstrate clear evidence of the potential for establishing a national reputation through an active program of scholarship and should also have a strong record of teaching, an interest in both undergraduate and graduate education, a willingness to mentor graduate students, and experience with diverse populations. We are especially interested in candidates who also have professional experience in public relations or strategic communication, and faculty members are encouraged to contribute to course development in their specialties. Minorities and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION: The Department offers programs leading to the BA, MA, and PhD in Communication with majors in film arts, media studies, journalism, broadcast journalism, public relations, dispute resolution, and communication studies. The faculty comprises about 30 full-time and 30 part-time members who serve a student body of about 600 undergraduates and 175 graduate students. The Department’s facilities include specialized student computer labs, quantitative and qualitative research labs, oral communication labs, broadcast-quality video studios, and digital video and audio editing suites. Students in the Department participate in professional internships with nationally affiliated
broadcast media, national advertising and public relations firms, and major daily newspapers. The Journalism Institute for Media Diversity and Wayne State’s nationally ranked and recognized Forensics program are housed in the Department. For further information about the Department of Communication at WSU, see http://www.comm.wayne.edu

THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY: The Department of Communication is one of four departments in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; the other constituent units are the Departments of Art and Art History, Music, and Theatre and Dance. The college offers degrees ranging from the BA and various undergraduate professional degrees
through MA, MMus, and MFA degrees to a PhD in Communication. Wayne State
University is a research-intensive, urban institution enrolling about
25,000 students in 400 undergraduate and graduate programs offered
through the university’s 13 schools and colleges. The campus is located
in Detroit’s Midtown Cultural Center, and recent construction on the
campus includes three new undergraduate dormitories, the University
Bookstore and Welcome Center, a new student center, and the Danto
Engineering Development Center. Additional information about the College
is available at http://www.cfpca.wayne.edu. Information on partner
benefits can be found at
http://hr.wayne.edu/tcw/health-welfare/benefits-handbook.pdf

Wayne State’s neighbors in the Midtown Cultural Center include the
Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Science
Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit
Historical Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art-Detroit (MOCAD), Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, and Michigan Opera Theatre. The nearby New Center
and Downtown areas are also home to active theaters, galleries,
professional sports stadiums and entertainment venues ranging from the
Hard Rock Cafe to the Detroit Artist Market and the Fox and Fisher
theatres.

APPLICATIONS: The position is pending final budgetary approval. Once it
is approved, a letter of application, curriculum vitae, names and
contact information for three references, writing sample, and teaching
portfolio that includes a statement of teaching philosophy and evidence
of teaching effectiveness must be submitted electronically as
attachments through the WSU Online Hiring System
(http://jobs.wayne.edu). Please do not submit transcripts or other
supporting material at this time.

Inquiries about the position may be directed to:

Dr. Jane Fitzgibbon-Dermidoff or Dr. Fred Vultee
Public Relations search co-chairs
Department of Communication
585 Manoogian Hall
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48201
janefitzgibbon@wayne.edu
vulteef@wayne.edu

This institution offers benefits to same-sex and different sex domestic
partners