Assistant Professor of Practice in Hispanic Media

Summary:

The College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University seeks an Assistant Professor of Practice in Hispanic Media. The position is affiliated with the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication which studies and offers programs in Hispanic and international/intercultural communication. This position will be hired as a media and communication generalist who will offer courses in Hispanic and multicultural media as well as core courses. We seek an energetic master teacher who will support the Institute, mentor students, and assist in managing Institute initiatives such as external grant applications and programs and projects, including the International Journal of Hispanic Media (www.internationalhispanicmedia.org).

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the United States. Appointment begins Fall, 2021.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must have a completed M.A., M.S. Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree by May 30, 2021 in a media-related discipline, an established record of professional industry experience related to Hispanic media, and college-level teaching experience as instructor of record. Position may require teaching in Spanish so Spanish fluency is expected.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferred qualifications for applicants include experience in teaching courses related to Hispanic media, experience in the media industry and/or community development, and background in academic publishing. Experience working with grant applications to government or private entities is also welcome. The ability to review manuscripts in fluent Spanish is a plus. Experience working with diverse student populations and first-generation students is highly desirable.

TEACHING, RESEARCH AND SERVICE:

Instructional duties would comprise 70% of this position’s overall assignment, equating to a teaching load of six courses (3-3) per nine-month academic year, with the opportunity to teach additional courses during summer or intersessions for additional compensation. Teaching may include bilingual classes. The remaining 30% of the position would include professional currency and service duties assisting primarily with the Harris Institute but also with general program building, as well as diversity-related initiatives within the college. Service to the department, college, and university is expected. The position will reside with our undergraduate MCOM area and be of teaching service to all departments in our college.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE:

The Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication (comc.ttu.edu/research/hihic) aims to improve public understanding of Hispanic-oriented and international communication through its teaching, research and community engagement activities. It is the only such academic unit in Texas that is linked with a Ph.D. program. Launched in 2006, the Institute received a generous gift from the estate of Thomas Jay Harris in 2013. It occupied a renovated office suite in 2016. Institute-affiliated faculty and students collaborate on research and outreach projects.  The institute leadership are actively involved in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus. As noted, the Institute publishes the International Journal of Hispanic Media.

The College of Media & Communication (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/) at Texas Tech University serves approximately 2,300 undergraduate majors in five departments, 300 MA students in three programs, and 35 Ph.D. students. Its enrollment and credit hours offered have grown consistently for the last seven years. CoMC is the #1 Rated Research Unit the TTU system per the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking). Its private and state grants initiatives have skyrocketed in recent years, achieving its 2025 grants goals in Fall 2020. It maintains high standards for teaching, even as its reputation as a media research center expands. CoMC metrics for retention of students and efficiency of graduation lead Texas Tech in many categories. The college is proud that Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine recently ranked it 19th nationally for graduating Hispanic/Latinx students and individuals and teams in the college have won awards for their dedication to diversity and inclusion (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/diversity/). Junior faculty hires from top doctoral programs in recent years reflect this ascendance. In addition to Hispanic and international communication, research strengths among college faculty include strategic, science/health, gaming/AI, leadership, interpersonal/organizational, and political communication as well as social scientific research methods. The College’s Center for Communication Research offers state-of-the-art facilities for studying audience responses to media messages (www.depts.ttu.edu/comc/research/ccr/).

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY:

Texas Tech University is a public national research university with an enrollment of over 40,000. It offers over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 masters and 50 doctoral degree programs. Texas Tech is the largest comprehensive higher education institution in the western two-thirds of Texas and is the state’s only campus with an adjoining research university, law school, and medical school. Texas Tech students come from almost every county in Texas, all 50 states and more than 100 different countries. Significant to the Harris Institute’s mission, the university has exceeded 25% Hispanic enrollment, qualifying it for Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status. Texas Tech University is recognized as a Carnegie Tier 1 Research University. The university is located in Lubbock, Texas, a vibrant city of 249,000.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should apply online at http://www.texastech.edu/careers, referencing the Requisition Number 22512BR. They will be asked to provide a letter of application describing their research interests, teaching experience, and professional experiences, a current curriculum vita, graduate transcripts, and a list of three references with names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the United States.

The search committee co-chairs are Dr. Kent Wilkinson, Thomas Jay Harris Professor of Hispanic and International Communication and Dr. Todd Chambers, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs.

Questions may be addressed to them at kent.wilkinson@ttu.edu or todd.chambers@ttu.edu.

EEO STATEMENT:

As an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, Texas Tech University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We actively encourage applications from all those who can contribute, through their research, teaching, and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of the academic community at Texas Tech University. The university welcomes applications from minorities, women, protected veterans, persons with disabilities, and dual-career couples.

Please visit the college’s website for more information: www.depts.ttu.edu/comc