Director, Center for Civic Education

The University of Northern Iowa invites applications for the founding Director of the Center for Civic Education, to begin July 1, 2025. The successful candidate will help to launch UNI’s new Center for Civic Education. The Center supervises UNI’s curricular initiatives in civic education and free speech, faculty development in civic education, civic education outreach activities, and research activities related to civic education and free speech.

The Center for Civic Education was authorized by the Iowa Board of Regents in September 2024 after an intentional, years-long effort to make civic education an institutional priority. The Center seeks to be a nationally-recognized leader in research, teaching, and public outreach in free speech and civic education. Key activities include:

• Promoting civic learning at Iowa’s universities by encouraging curricular innovation and faculty professional development. Enhancing UNI’s civic engagement activities through a wide range of programs and events that expose students and members of the public to divergent viewpoints on topics of interest and give them opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with one another. Fostering civic learning among Iowa’s pre-service and in-service teachers, offering them opportunities for continued professional development in civic learning.

The Center is committed to conducting research on the effectiveness of its activities and publishing its results, thus serving as a resource for effective civic education in Iowa and across the country. For more information, visit the Center for Civic Education webpage.

The University of Northern Iowa is well suited to launch this initiative, with a strong foundation in civic education, civic engagement, and teacher education. A team of 15 faculty and administrators, supported by grants, have undergone faculty development in civic education and have created and implemented a Civic Literacy, Engagement and the Humanities general education certificate and standalone minor. Existing partnerships on campus and in the community provide a basis for expanding already-strong co-curricular and public engagement activities. Iowa’s leader in training teachers, our alumni in all 99 Iowa counties and all but 3 of the state’s school districts provide a ready-made network for supporting civic education in K-12 education throughout Iowa. Finally, UNI has unique research capabilities in Iowa history and politics. In January 2024, Senator Chuck Grassley announced a gift of his senatorial papers to UNI. These papers will join his U.S. House and Iowa legislative papers and an impressive array of other archival materials and collections that will attract scholars throughout Iowa and beyond, allowing UNI to promote research and scholarship in civic education and free speech.

The Director will be a full-time, 12-month employee. Responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the planning and implementation of Center activities, which include curricular oversight, faculty development, public outreach, and signature events (lectures, the annual civic education conference) Fostering relationships with important stakeholders, including university departments, community partners, school districts, donors, and the legislature. Seeking and securing grants to implement and enhance Center activities. Leading strategic planning for the Center, including working with on- and off-campus stakeholders to hone vision and mission and phase in Center’s activities. Coordinating program evaluation of Center activities and publishing scholarship related to civic education and free speech. Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

The successful candidate will have teaching responsibilities, as assigned by the needs of the Director’s home academic department and the civic education initiative, under the supervision of the dean of College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. in History, Political Science, Social Sciences Education, or another field related to civic education is required. The successful candidate must be tenurable at the associate professor or professor level in an academic department at UNI.  Other required qualifications include a demonstrated commitment to civic education, effective communication skills, and experience in grant writing.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in working collaboratively with community- and state-level stakeholders; at least five years of experience in higher education; and demonstrated research activities or publications in civic education preferred.

The University of Northern Iowa provides high-quality education, purposefully guiding students to find and develop their strengths and preparing them for success after college. Building on its historic excellence in teacher education, the university has developed outstanding programs in business, natural sciences, humanities and fine arts, and social and behavioral sciences, with advanced degrees available in many programs. The University's attractive size, with more than 9,200 students, allows UNI to offer faculty, facilities, and academic choices characteristic of a much larger university while retaining a friendly, small-college atmosphere on a park-like campus. UNI has been consistently recognized as one of the "Best Midwest Universities" by U.S. News & World Report. Located in Cedar Falls/Waterloo, the campus is composed of more than 40 buildings on 940 acres. For more information, visit www.uni.edu.

UNI is located in picturesque Cedar Falls, Iowa, a riverfront town with many recreational, cultural, and entertainment opportunities. It was recently named a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The metropolitan community of Cedar Falls/Waterloo has a combined population of 165,000 and offers a pleasant residential setting with a strong and growing industrial base. Cedar Falls is a friendly, affordable community located about 300 miles from Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago. For more information on the Cedar Valley region, visit https://livethevalley.com/.

For more information, please contact Jennifer McNabb, at 319-273-2097 or e-mail at jennifer.mcnabb@uni.edu. Pre-employment background checks required.

Position Details:

Job Category:  Academic Administrator

Service Schedule:  Calendar Year

Application Instructions: 

Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications received by January 15, 2025, will be given full consideration. All application materials must be submitted before 1/15/2025 to be considered for this position.

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. The following materials must be attached when applying:
1) Curriculum Vitae
2) Cover Letter that directly addresses required qualifications and, where appropriate, preferred qualifications

3) Writing sample (grant application, refereed publication, etc.)

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach multiple documents when completing the application. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL required materials listed above have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes. If you have questions regarding this application process, please email careers-support@uni.edu or call 319-273-2422.

UNI is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from persons of color, women, individuals living with disabilities, and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.