James Madison University Hiring for Academic Unit Head (Department Head) – School of Communication Studies at Harrisonburg, VA  Full Time

Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

The at invites applications for the position of Academic Unit Head (AUH) at the rank of Advanced Associate or Full Professor. The AUH is a 12-month tenured appointment with a 1-1 teaching load, beginning July 1, 2024.

The School of Communication Studies, which is part of the university’s has approximately 45 full- and part-time faculty members. It has a strong presence in the university’s and its human communication courses emphasize the critical knowledge and skills that students can use to build and maintain relationships, articulate and advocate for ideas, and work with others personally and professionally. The School offers B.A. and B.S. degrees in Communication Studies with concentrations in Advocacy Studies, Cultural Communication, General Communication, Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, and Public Relations Studies. Minors are offered in Cultural Communication, Communication Studies, Health Communication, Political Communication, and Sport Communication. Additionally, the School offers an M.A. In Communication and Advocacy. The program’s innovative curriculum prepares students to be skilled and ethical advocates in the face of rapidly changing 21st century issues, contexts, and communication technologies. The program offers research and training in communication and advocacy with concentrated coursework in environmental communication, health communication, and strategic communication.

The School of Communication Studies cultivates a socially and culturally diverse intellectual community that recognizes how historical, political, and social structures are embedded in processes and studies of communication. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are core values championed by the school. We believe that preparing our students to contribute to a more equitable community is essential and we incorporate this belief into our curriculum, practices, and policies.

We seek a faculty advocate who is a collaborative and dynamic colleague committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice with a strong and continuing record of research and teaching experience that is consistent with appointment at the level of Advanced Associate or Full Professor at an R2 institution . Candidates should be able to demonstrate an interdisciplinary and collaborative leadership style, working with colleagues within and beyond the academic unit; communicate with transparency and clarity; implement an ambitious, future-oriented vision for the School; identify emerging program priorities and engage in strategic planning and implementation; support faculty teaching, research, and creative scholarship in disciplines represented in the department; manage enrollment and foster growth in undergraduate and graduate programs; have experience managing departmental budgets, conducting performance evaluations, and implementing university and departmental policies; and advocate for the School in the ever-changing and challenging landscape of higher education. We seek a leader committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive, and collegial community.

The hiring for this position aligns with the College of Arts and Letters’ commitment to inclusive excellence. We particularly encourage applications from candidates who take an integrated approach to their teaching, research, and service, whose work can contribute to the College of Arts and Letters’ interdisciplinary programs and centers, and who can advocate for and promote communication as central to the cultivation of ethical, productive, and meaningful lives and relationships.

A PhD in Communication Studies (or a related field) is preferred, but candidates who hold an appropriate terminal degree of another sort will also be considered. Candidates should have attained the rank of Advanced Associate or Full Professor, with a record of teaching and research achievement meriting consideration of tenure upon appointment.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or . You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.

Notice of Availability – Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as: crime prevention, the university police law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, protocols for the immediate notification of students and staff upon confirmation of a significant emergency on campus and other matters of importance related to security and safety. The report includes statistics for the most recent three-year period of reported crimes that have occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by JMU or its affiliates; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes campus housing fire statistics for the most recent three-year period, a description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system, the number of fire drills held during the previous calendar year, policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames in student housing; and procedures for student housing evacuation in the event of fire along with other fire safety information.

The JMU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes the Harrisonburg campus and the three overseas branch campuses; Florence, Antwerp, and London. It is available electronically http://www.jmu.edu/publicsafety/clerycompliance/2018Annual-Security-and-Fire-Safety-Report.shtml

You can obtain a copy of any of this report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, MSC 6810, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 or request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (540)568-6769/6913.

Applicants will complete a faculty profile and submit the following:

For more information regarding the position contact the search chair, Dr. Peggy Plass, at

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.