English and Journalism - Department Chair

Position Announcement

July 01, 2009

APPOINTMENT: Possible starting date is July 1, 2010.

QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must hold a terminal degree in English, Journalism, or related field, and have a demonstrated strong commitment to and record of excellent teaching; a record of scholarly and professional/service activities to support a tenured appointment as full professor within the department; a demonstrated administrative ability; an understanding and appreciation of the multiple demands of English Studies, English Education, and Journalism; a demonstrated commitment to faculty and staff diversity; and a leadership approach that supports shared governance. A strong commitment to sustaining a collegial, equitable, and supportive environment for faculty and staff is essential.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Experience with unionized faculty.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The chair is responsible for the execution of University and college policies insofar as they concern the department. The responsibilities include overseeing and reviewing long-range departmental goals and objectives; recruiting, supervising, and evaluating personnel; attracting and retaining students; administering department budget; coordinating class schedules, classroom teaching as appropriate; supporting department faculty and programs at Macomb and Quad Cities campuses; furnishing leadership for evaluation and improvement of instruction and academic advisement in the department; and all other matters which affect the general welfare of the department. The position is a 12-month contract; see http://www.wiu.edu/policies/deptchairs.php for policies on department chairs.

RANK & SALARY: Full professor and tenure. Salary competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Western Illinois University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes domestic partner benefits. For details, visit http://www.wiu.edu/hr/benefits.php.

THE DEPARTMENT:The Department is composed of 29 tenured or tenure-track faculty in journalism, literature, composition and rhetoric, English education, and creative writing, and 23 full-time Associate Faculty.
The Department takes pride in its collegiality and dedication to undergraduate and graduate education. The Department's offerings are diverse, including courses in general education; undergraduate majors in literature and language, English education, and journalism; minors in creative writing, professional writing, English, film, and journalism; and a post-baccalaureate certificate and an M.A. in English. The Department is a major contributor to the new undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences. The Department also houses the University Writing Center.

THE UNIVERSITY: Recognized as one of the "Best in the Midwest Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of only 20 public universities ranked a "Tier 1 Midwestern Masters Institution" by U.S. News and World Report, Western Illinois University (WIU) serves approximately 13,000 students in the heart of the Midwest through its traditional residential, four-year campus in Macomb and its upper-division urban commuter location in Moline, Illinois.

Western's campuses are dedicated to providing a high quality, accessible and affordable education. The WIU-Macomb and Quad Cities campuses are comprised of accomplished faculty, state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities. The four core values at the heart of the University are academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility.WIU's GradTrac and Cost Guarantee programs ensure that students can achieve their degrees within four years while paying a fixed rate for tuition, fees, plus room and board. WIU remains the only university in Illinois to guarantee the cost for tuition, fees and room and board over a four-year period at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

WIU is a comprehensive university offering 66 undergraduate and 37 graduate degree programs. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, the University's 762 full-time faculty members teach 93 percent of all undergraduate and graduate courses, in addition to eight preprofessional degree programs and 18 certificate programs.

Western offers a broad-based athletics program, sponsoring 20 intercollegiate sports. Football competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision through the Missouri Valley Football Conference; all other sports compete at the Division I level through The Summit League. WIU is the cultural center of the region, with 12 major theatrical and dance productions and more than 12 studio shows presented annually in Western's three theatres. The Bureau of Cultural Affairs and the University Union Board present outstanding concerts, lectures, dramatic presentations, films, and dance attractions.

The University Libraries contain more than 1 million cataloged volumes, 20,000 current periodicals, and access to over 100 electronic databases of information. WIU's librarians answer approximately 10,000 research questions per year. The library system encompasses the main Malpass Library and four branch libraries. The Physical Sciences Library, the Music Library, the Curriculum Library, and the Quad Cities campus library are integral parts of the University's system that provides full service to students, faculty, and staff.

Western Illinois University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

APPLICATION: Application requirements: Letter of application, Curriculum Vita, 3 current letters of recommendation, copies of transcripts, one sample of scholarly writing. Apply to: English and Journalism Chair Search Committee c/o
Ms. Robin Bauerly, IES - 301 Tillman Hall, Western Illinois University; 1 University Circle; Macomb, IL 61455-1390.

Official transcripts will be required at the time of on-campus interviews.

MLA interviews will be scheduled by the search committee prior to the conference.

Screening of applications will begin October 16, 2009 and continue until the position is filled.

Western Illinois University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including, but not limited to, minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities. WIU has a non-discrimination policy that includes sex, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, and veteran status.