Assistant Professor & Associate Director - Center for Media Ethics and Literacy

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Closing Date:

Type of Position:

Faculty - Tenure/Tenure TrackNo

Job Type:

RegularYes

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

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Department:

School of Journalism and Strategic Mediahttps://journalism.uark.edu/

Summary of Job Duties:

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Arkansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position. This hire will serve as the Associate Director of the Center for Media Ethics and Literacy, reporting to the director. We are seeking a scholar whose research and teaching align with our faculty cluster in Democracy, Ethics, and Immigration. The successful candidate will combine scholarly excellence with a commitment to public engagement and pedagogical innovation within a rapidly growing School of Journalism. This is a standard nine-month academic appointment.

Key Responsibilities
Research & Center Leadership:
- Center Administration: Serve as the Associate Director of the center, providing strategic leadership to the College and the University.
- Scholarly Production: Produce high-impact scholarly research in the fields of media ethics, literacy and theory, especially news literacy, civic engagement, and democratic practices.
- Public Engagement: Actively engage and educate the public and industry professionals on ethics and literacy issues in the news cycle through the Center’s website, social media platforms, and other public-facing initiatives.
- External Support: Pursue external research support (grants, fellowships, etc.) to advance the strategic goals of the Center, the School, and the University.
Teaching & Mentoring:
- Instruction: Teach undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Journalism, utilizing innovative media literacy pedagogy and practices to help students navigate the intersection of theoretical ethics and real-world newsroom challenges, drawing upon professional experience in journalism and reporting.
- Mentorship: Serve as a mentor and advisor to SJSM students.
- Committee Service: Serve on thesis and honors committees and participate in departmental, college, and university governance as appropriate for a tenure-track faculty rank.

Faculty hired in this position will have an opportunity to be a part of Fulbright College’s multidisciplinary Democracy as a Public Good cluster hire at the University of Arkansas. Through its Democracy as a Public Good Initiative, the College will advance the University’s land-grant mission by expanding capacity to generate knowledge that informs public understanding, contributes to policy and practice, and connects Arkansas to national and international conversations about societal good. Building on existing campus expertise in issues ranging from norms of democratic communication, free speech, media ethics and literacy, humanitarian governance and civil society, risks that AI poses to democratic governance, immigration, and public law, new faculty members participating in the cluster will advance their research agendas through mentoring and opportunities for collaboration—both with other scholars and with communities in the state—that may result in peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and new approaches to the pressing challenges that democracy faces. The successful candidate for this position will have an opportunity to join a community of scholars committed to confronting major issues, generating new knowledge, and providing research-based solutions that investigate and strengthen democratic culture for people living in Arkansas and beyond.

This is an in-person position. Most university classes are offered face-to-face, and extensive in-person engagement in such activities as office hours, student advising, and departmental, college, and university committee meetings is essential to advancing student success and departmental effectiveness.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in Journalism, Media Studies, Communication (or a closely related field) from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by the date of initial appointment

• A demonstrated record of exceptional teaching and mentoring at the graduate level and/or undergraduate level, especially journalism-related courses

• Evidence of, or a demonstrated potential for publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research and a clear vision for Center-led research initiatives

• Demonstrated experience in journalism and reporting, combined with a strong working knowledge of media-industry ethical standards and practices and evidence-based media literacy pedagogy

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in the media industry or non-profit leadership roles

• Experience in securing external funding and managing research budgets

• A track record of public-facing communication (e.g., op-eds, public lectures, active media presence)

• Experience in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in independent research

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Current knowledge in the field of media ethics, literacy and theory, especially news literacy, civic engagement, and democratic practices

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

• Ability to develop media ethics and literacy curriculum and research agendas

Additional Information:

About the Department:

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Arkansas is fully accredited by ACEJMC, offering a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with concentrations in Broadcast Journalism, Journalism, and Multimedia Journalism, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations. The Media Law course is required for students in both degree programs. SJSM also offers a Master of Arts in Journalism – in total serving more than 950 undergrads and grads in AY25-26. For more information go to https://journalism.uark.edu/.

Duties will include:

• 40% Teaching or Professional Performance

• 40% Research/Scholarly and/or Creative Activities

• 20% Academic Service Activities

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualificationsCover Letter/Letter of Application, Curriculum Vitae, List of three Professional References (name, email, business title), Statement of Research Philosophy, Statement of Teaching PhilosophyProof of Veteran StatusBobbie Foster, Search committee chair, [email protected]

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS  

Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Completed applications received by October 18, 2026, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.

For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Bobby Foster, at [email protected].

Applicants must submit:
• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter/letter of application
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Research statement
• List of three professional references (name, title, email address, and phone number) willing to provide letters of recommendation if requested during the application process. Letters of recommendation will be requested only for candidates selected for interviews.

Review of applications will begin October 18, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements:

Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender Registry

The University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.

The University of Arkansas seeks to attract, develop and retain high quality faculty, staff and administrators that consistently display practices and behaviors to advance a culture that embeds equal opportunity, educational excellence and unparalleled access for all.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Constant Physical Activity:

N/A

Frequent Physical Activity:

N/A

Occasional Physical Activity:

N/A

Benefits Eligible:

Yes