Non-Tenure Track Assistant or Associate Extension Professor

Hiring Department

School of Information Science & Learning Technologies in the College of Education and Human Development.

Job Description

In coordination with the University of Missouri Office of Extension and Engagement, the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies (SISLT) – the iSchool at the University of Missouri – seeks a full-time assistant extension professor specializing in health information and outreach. This position will contribute to the teaching, service, and extension mission of SISLT and the University of Missouri by teaching in our MLIS and other programs, as well as connecting and engaging with public libraries across the state to promote health information and partnerships to improve community health and rural engagement.

This is a 12-month, non-tenure track position between SISLT and MU Extension with the primary (70%) appointment being in SISLT and secondary (30%) in MU Extension Health and Human Sciences. The faculty reports to the SISLT Director with secondary supervision from the Extension Health and Human Sciences Senior Program Director.

The successful candidate for this position will contribute to SISLT and MU Extension by:

• Successful teaching of required and elective classes in our online, highly-ranked, ALA-Accredited MLIS program and/or in SISLT’s other degree programs and certificates. This would include teaching courses related to public library outreach, programming, and/or health information
• Advising and assessing SISLT students and evaluating their performance
• Leading SISLT and CEHD students in field-based engagement with Missouri libraries
• Contributing to continuous improvement and accreditation efforts.
• Providing service to the School, College, University, and engaging with relevant professional societies and organizations.
• Seeking grant opportunities to support health-related programming and services
• Connecting rural libraries with health and wellness providers
• Working with rural librarians to identify health information needs and potential supports in their communities
• Collaborating with rural librarians on health-related program development and evaluation
• Lead state-wide strategic planning to grow and improve support for libraries providing health information or services
• Providing workshops and webinars for rural Missouri libraries to support health-related programs and services
• Establishing strong working relationships with Missouri libraries and supporting agencies

Candidates will be evaluated on:

• Demonstrated ability or potential to teach both foundational and a variety of elective courses in a curriculum aligned with American Library Association (ALA) accreditation Standards.
• Demonstrated ability or potential for high-caliber teaching in an online format
• Demonstrated ability or potential to work collaboratively with colleagues and to engage in community outreach
• Professional experience in libraries, archives, digital humanities or other information organizations.
• Demonstrated ability or potential for seeking and obtaining external funding.

Appointment:

Non-tenure-track, 12-month appointment beginning in either January or August 2024.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

At time of appointment, the successful candidate will have

• EITHER an Earned doctorate in information science or a closely related field at the time of appointment,
• OR a Master of Library and Information Science degree and a doctorate degree in any field

Application Materials

To Apply : Apply at the University of Missouri HR System website. Upload the following:

• letter of application in which you describe the position you are applying for and detail your qualifications for the position
• Two (2) sample scholarly artifacts
• evidence of teaching effectiveness (course syllabi, student evaluations, chair/advisor/peer reviews)
• evidence of relevant experience in Extension or outreach
• evidence of experiences in seeking or generating external funding
• names and contact information for three references in the Attachments section of the application.
• Your CV must be uploaded in the Resume/CV and Cover Letter section.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Denice Adkins (adkinsde@missouri.edu), Chair of the Search Committee, 303 Townsend Hall, Columbia MO 65211.

Beginning Review Date: Formal review of applications will begin March 1, and continue until the position is filled.

Other Information

About the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies

SISLT is one of six academic units within the College of Education & Human Development. SISLT (sislt.missouri.edu) offers the ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science, Master of Science and Education Specialist degrees in Learning Technologies and Design, a Ph.D. degree in Information Science and Learning Technologies, several graduate certificates, and a Bachelor of Educational Studies in Educational Game Design. SISLT faculty maintain active research programs across a spectrum of areas: librarianship and archives, scholarly publishing, metadata, information organization, digital libraries, information needs and uses, human-centered computing and user experience, learning analytics, designing games for learning, immersive technologies, and STEM education.

The mission of SISLT is to improve the professional practice of information specialists and learning technologists; advance research on information, learning, and performance; disseminate knowledge, products, and services to improve the quality of life for all; and advance the economic well-being of Missouri and the Nation. As a member of the iSchools consortium (http://ischools.org), SISLT faculty share the common fundamental interest in investigating and disseminating knowledge about the relationship between information, people, and technology. Our inclusion of online formats has increased the diversity of our student body, which brings exciting new opportunities for teaching and research, in addition to our research relationships with other academic units within the University of Missouri.

SISLT includes several research and development labs that support our mission. The Digital Humanities Commons supports research, tools, and techniques across academic disciplines. The Digitization Station provides professional experiences digitizing analog content for worldwide access. The Information Experience Lab is a usability laboratory that conducts research on the usability, effectiveness and information behavior of websites and software for on-campus, statewide, and global clients. Adroit Studios (adroit.missouri.edu) designs, develops and researches cutting edge games for education. The TELL (Technology to Enhance Learning Lab; tell.missouri.edu) focuses on Virtual Reality in educational settings.

About the College of Education and Human Development

The College of Education and Human Development is ranked among the top doctoral granting colleges of education in the country. Today, the College has a student population of approximately 1000 undergraduates and 1,600 graduate students, and over 100 faculty. The College is financially well positioned to invest in innovation. Annual expenditures for externally funded projects are approximately $20 million with funded projects in research, instruction and public service. Our research portfolio has increased significantly in recent years, and is poised for continued significant strategic growth. The College is a leader on the campus and is nationally recognized for its distance and online education programs.

About the University of Missouri Office of Extension and Engagement

MU’s distinct land-grant mission is to improve lives, communities, and economies by producing relevant, reliable, and responsive educational strategies throughout Missouri. Our dedicated and knowledgeable faculty and staff collaborate with researchers and community leaders to develop and deliver programs that address needs of Missourians including educational attainment; environmental concerns; community, economic, business and workforce development; global food systems; and health systems. For more information about MU Extension and Engagement, please visit http://extension.missouri.edu .

About Extension Health and Human Sciences

MU Extension’s Health and Human Sciences unit promotes optimal well-being of individuals, families and communities, with special recognition for the needs of vulnerable populations. Through community-engaged scholarship and outreach, campus-based faculty and regional field specialists deliver evidence-based programs and develop research-informed educational tools and strategies in the areas of Human Development & Family Science and Health & Nutrition. Campus-based state faculty provide support for healthy home environments and family finance educational outreach areas.

Community Information

Columbia Missouri Information

Columbia, Mo., is known as an ideal college town, combining small-town comforts, community spirit and low cost of living with big-city culture, activities and resources. Home to nationally renowned public schools and other colleges and educational centers, Columbia is packed with restaurants and entertainment venues and hosts more than a dozen annual cultural festivals.

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits .

Values Commitment

We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person’s success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn and innovate.

In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research, and engagement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy applies to all employment decisions including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, pay practices, benefits, disciplinary actions and terminations. For more information, visit https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/hr/eeo or call the Director of Employee and Labor Relations at 573-882-7976.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.

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