Assistant Professor of Film Studies

Summary: The Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University invites applications for Assistant Professor of Film Studies to begin Fall 2025. Applicants are expected to have a PhD in Film Studies or a closely related field.

Required Qualifications and Education:

• Ph.D. in Film Studies/Theory or closely related field. Current ABD candidates will be considered for a two-year contract with provision that the Ph.D. must be completed by August 2026.
• Potential for successful college-level teaching and active research.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interact with others with respect and cultural humility.
• Evidence of one’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. This could be demonstrated by an applicant using inclusive teaching practices; conducting research relating to minoritized populations or social inequality; engaging in community-based outreach to minoritized and underserved communities; or engaging in other kinds of DEI-infused teaching, scholarship, and/or service .

Preferred Qualifications and Education:

Preferred candidates will have a vision of the future of film/media studies and how the field is evolving with emerging technologies, social and political changes, and beyond. Candidates should have an active research agenda, and an interest in developing innovative ways to engage students with critical theory/history/writing on cinema.

Responsibilities:

Tenure-line faculty in the College of Liberal Art and Science are typically hired on nine-month contracts, with a nine-credit hour teaching load per semester. They are also expected to engage in scholarly/creative activity, service, and a significant focus, which is equivalent to three credit hours of additional responsibility in teaching, scholarly/creative activity, and/or service depending on the successful candidate’s interests and the department’s needs.

The teaching load will include courses in Film Theory, American Cinema, History of Documentary Film, and possible topics in national/regional/international cinema.

Service activities will involve coordination with and assessment of the general education accredited course Film Culture, and mentorship of the student-run scholarly journal Cinesthesia.

Minimum Starting Salary: $69,855; commensurate with experience.

Benefits: The university offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, sick leave/disability, tuition waiver, flexible spending accounts, adoption resources, wellness coaching, and free access to campus fitness facilities effective on date of hire. Family and childcare options on and off-campus are also available.

Department:

The Department of Visual and Media Arts seeks to uphold the values of a liberal education while providing intensive engagement in the production and examination of the visual and media arts. There are numerous collaborative opportunities for faculty and students across various partners within the department, across campus, and in the community. The department is located on the Allendale campus and has 36 full-time faculty (26 tenure-stream and 10 non-tenure-stream) and 690 majors. The students’ demographics show:

• 73% reported as white and 27% of the students reported being from an underrecognized group (African American or Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latinx, Two or more races, International, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander).
• 61% of the students identify as female, 38% as male, and 1% did not report.
• 37% report as first-generation college students.
• 47% ever qualified for a Pell Grant at GVSU, regardless of their current-year qualification.

The Department offers NASAD-accredited undergraduate degrees in Art History (BA), Art Education (BA/BS), Film and Video Production (BA/BS), Photography (BA/BS), and Studio Art (BA/BS/BFA). The BFA in Studio Art degree has emphases in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Visual Studies. The department also offers minors in Art History, Film and Video, Photography, and Studio Art. Several courses offered by the unit serve the institution through its General Education program or are courses for non-majors. Further information about the department is available at gvsu.edu/vma.

College: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the largest college at Grand Valley, offering over 50 bachelor’s degrees and a growing number of advanced degrees in the natural and mathematical sciences, the fine arts and humanities, and the social sciences. CLAS is a student-centered and diverse learning community that engages in critical inquiry, extending knowledge to enrich and enliven individual and public life. Our faculty are active teacher-scholars committed to equitable, inclusive, career-connected, and community-engaged liberal arts and sciences education. There are many opportunities for collaboration within CLAS and across a broad group of partners on and off campus. We are interested in attracting a cohort of new faculty committed to these core values as we seek to foster a community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive together.

University: Grand Valley University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Detroit, Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts approximately 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities, and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students’ social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable, and offers rich cultural amenities. Grand Valley is located within easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Information can be found at Community Resources page on Grand Valley State University Human Resources website . Grand Valley is highly rated for safety, sustainability, and veteran and LGBTQ friendliness, and is committed to supporting employees and their families in work-life balance. The university seeks to create an inclusive and diverse environment for faculty and students while promoting enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and service.

How To Apply: Apply online at GVSU Careers . To be considered for the position, applicants must upload the following to the online application:

• A cover letter addressing qualifications and your motivation to teach at GVSU
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching philosophy statement which should speak to your commitment to diversity and inclusion in the classroom
• Graduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts issued to students are acceptable)
• Sample of completed or in-progress research activity.

The online application will allow you to attach these documents electronically, in the same file location. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts prior to the interview. If you need assistance, call Human Resources at (616) 331-2215. Questions about the position may be directed to Dr. Kirsten Strom at stromk@gvsu.edu.

Application Deadline: Consideration of applicants will begin on January 6, 2025, and continue until the position is filled. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

For more information about Grand Valley, see our website at www.gvsu.edu

Grand Valley State University is an EOE which includes protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. See http://www.gvsu.edu/affirmative/ . TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State)

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See www.gvsu.edu/affirmative/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

Grand Valley State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities, women, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.