Public Relations Assistant or Associate Professor

Department of Journalism

Position/Salary

Tenure-track assistant or associate professor position available in Public Relations sequence beginning September 16, 2007.

The WWU Department of Journalism seeks a colleague with strong professional and academic experience to teach in a program oriented toward print media with sequences in news-editorial and public relations.

We strive for a diverse range of applicants, including women and minorities. Position is at the rank of assistant or associate professor. Please specify whether you are applying at the assistant or associate professor rank. Salary and rank are commensurate with education and experience. Successful applicants at the associate professor rank should have a successful research record, an active research program, substantial university teaching experience, and evidence of teaching excellence.

Responsibilities

Public Relations: Responsible for teaching introductory and advanced public relations courses and advising PR majors and interns, with other assignments in news-editorial.

The Journalism Department offers strong, professionally oriented undergraduate news-editorial and public relations sequences, and participates in a joint program in environmental journalism. At the heart of the department's curriculum are its writing courses – news writing, editing, reporting, feature writing, advanced reporting and public relations. These courses stress clarity, accuracy and depth of content in a sequence designed to develop professional skills, sensitivity to people and understanding of society. Publications produced by journalism students have won numerous state, regional and national awards. The department has nine full-time positions, and several adjunct positions, and puts a high premium on teaching quality, maintaining small class sizes (for example, writing and editing classes are capped at 18 students) and an intimate working environment for faculty and students. The department, which has about 200 majors and pre-majors, moved into a new Communications Building with two new computer labs and publications facilities in summer 2004.

Qualifications

Required:

Full-time professional public relations and print or online news experience.

Relevant master’s degree.

Significant academic experience with evidence of excellence in teaching and an ability and interest in working closely with students.

Ability to teach a variety of public relations courses.

University teaching experience.

Preferred:

Ph.D.

Three or more years of public relations experience and three or more years of print or online news experience.

Evidence of leadership in academic or professional setting.

Evidence of scholarly achievement or potential.

Ability to teach courses in other areas, such as news writing, reporting, editing, intro to mass media, online journalism, media history, media law, and ability to advise student newspaper and magazine.

Ability to teach media diversity or gender courses.

Ability to work with diverse student body.

How to apply:

Interested candidates should mail a letter of application, CV, evidence of quality teaching and professional experience, and three references to:

For US Postal Mail:

Attn: Search Committee 06JOURN - 01

Department of Journalism, MS – 9161

Western Washington University

516 High Street

Bellingham, WA  98225-9161

For Other Courier Services (Fed Ex, AirBorne, etc.):

Attn: Search Committee 06JOURN - 01

Western Washington University

Department of Journalism, MS – 9161

Communications Facility 255

Bellingham, WA  98225

To ensure full consideration, application materials should be submitted by December 1, 2006.

For further information about how to apply, contact the Department of Journalism:

Phone: (360) 650-3252

Fax:(360) 650-2848

Department of Journalism Website: http://www.wwu.edu/~journal/.

Human Resources Website: www.ac.wwu.edu/~wwujobs

Other Information:

The department is widely recognized for excellence in print journalism, has an interdisciplinary major in environmental journalism and is an integral part of a minor in Internet resources. The department has a Macintosh teaching lab and state-of-the-art laboratories for the student-produced newspaper, magazines and online publications. Students are required to complete a supervised internship. Faculty take active roles in department administration and university affairs. Find us at: http://www.wwu.edu/~journal/.

Western Washington University serves 12,940 full- and part-time students on its 215-acre campus overlooking Bellingham Bay and employs 457 full-time faculty. WWU is one of six state-funded, four-year institutions of higher education and operates on a September-to-June academic year (quarter system).

WWU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff.  Women, minorities, persons with disabilities, Vietnam-era veterans and disabled veterans are encouraged to apply.  For disability accommodation, call (360) 650-3774 or (360) 650-7696 (TTY).  All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before beginning work at WWU.

WWU is committed to fostering a safe learning and working environment.  Our Annual Campus Security Report can be viewed at www.wwu.edu/depts/vpsa/asr.htm and includes information on campus crime and WWU safety policies and procedures.  For a paper copy, call Human Resources at (360) 650-3774, TTY (360) 650-7696.  For alternate formats, call (360) 650-3839.

For additional information about Western Washington University, visit

http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/hr/Employment/profilewwu.htm