Assistant Professor

23576BR

English

Position Overview

The Department of English at the University of Kansas invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Creative Writing with a specialization in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) speculative fiction, to begin August 2023.

KU is known for its robust speculative fiction offerings and the J. Wayne & Elsie M. Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction, which is dedicated to research and education in science fiction and other speculative forms. For the purposes of this search, “speculative fiction” is used as an umbrella term to include forms, genres, styles including, but not exclusive to, science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, and unreal literatures.

The University of Kansas is located in the city of Lawrence, a thriving community 40 minutes from the Kansas City metropolitan area and 30 minutes from the state capital, Topeka. Lawrence, a progressive college town of 95,000, boasts a lively downtown with many music venues, award-winning restaurants, and a nationally celebrated independent bookstore among its many independently owned small businesses. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the largest school within the campus and plays a central role within the University. Founded in 1865, KU is a designated Carnegie comprehensive doctoral and research university and is one of only 34 public members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). The University enrolls more than 28,000 students and offers students and faculty opportunities to collaborate in its graduate and professional programs, which include education, public health, medicine, law, and a number of allied social science and humanities disciplines.

KU’s research residential campus is in the center of a vibrant and culturally-rich community — a quintessential college town. Visitors, students and new employees from outside the area enjoy discovering the many wonders of Lawrence, including a thriving downtown, diverse local and regional events, area lakes, vibrant arts and music scenes, and an indelible history.  Home to nearly 95,000 people, Lawrence is located 45 minutes west of Kansas City and 30 minutes east of Topeka, the state capital. Along with the music, arts, culture and sports experiences offered at KU and in Lawrence, the short drive to Kansas City provides quick access to historic jazz clubs, museums, world-class music and theatre venues, and professional sports teams.

At the University of Kansas, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our culture and university strategic plan. Applications from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged, noting the value that differences bring to our organization, students, staff, faculty, and community. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

Job Description

The Department of English offers BA, MA, MFA, and PhD in English and serves students in the university’s KU Core program. It houses the university’s thriving creative writing programs, which include courses in poetry, fiction, screenwriting, playwriting, and hybrid forms. Faculty teach in interdisciplinary programs, including African and African American Studies (AAAS);  the Center for Latin American, and Caribbean Studies; Indigenous Studies; American Studies (which houses the Latinx Studies minor); Environmental Studies; Film Studies; Theater; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; as well as undergraduate and graduate courses in speculative fiction.  

The successful candidate is expected to have a strong record of publication and will be expected to teach introductory and advanced undergraduate creative writing courses, graduate creative writing courses, and topics courses in the major. The Department is especially interested in qualified candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to building an equitable and diverse environment for creative and scholarly work. This position carries a 2/2 teaching load and mentoring responsibilities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. An MA, MFA, or PhD in Creative Writing is required by the start date of August 2023. 

JOB DUTIES:

40% TEACHING
1) Teach undergraduate and graduate creative writing courses, as well as undergraduate and graduate topics courses in speculative fiction.
2) Hold regular office hours for students involved in classes taught.
3) Participate in the academic advising of undergraduate and graduate students.
4) Mentor students in research, including serving as a dissertation/thesis director and professional mentor for students.

40% RESEARCH
1) Maintain an active and productive research program.
2) Present at professional conferences and/or public creative writing readings.
3) Seek external research funding.
4) Publish with reputable journals and/or presses.

20% SERVICE
1) Serve on at least 2 departmental committees per year, as well as committees at the College and/or University levels as the opportunities arise.
2) Participate in professional service.
3) Participate in departmental meetings.

Faculty Code
Faculty members are expected to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, currently viewable at: http://policy.ku.edu/FacultyCodeKULawrence/faculty-code-of-rights

Required Qualifications

An MFA, MA or PhD in Creative Writing by start date of appointment.

Specialization in Speculative Fiction (e.g., science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, Afrofuturism, the unreal) by writers from any BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community;

Evidence of at least one year of successful teaching, including letters of recommendation, teaching awards, a teaching portfolio, summaries of student evaluations;

Evidence of a strong publication record (e.g. short stories, novel excerpts, novella or novel [published or forthcoming], creative non-fiction essays, articles in reputable journals)

Preparation to teach introductory and advanced workshops and courses in specialty, evidenced by graduate coursework, reference letters, publications, or history of courses taught;

Contact Information to Applicants

Emily Bittiger, Administrative Associate
Department of English
englishadmin@ku.edu

Additional Candidate Instruction

To complete the online application process and for more information, go to https://employment.ku.edu/academic/23576BR .  A complete online application includes the following materials: (1) a cover letter which should summarize the candidate’s research, writing genre(s), and teaching interests; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) writing sample (up to 25 double-spaced pages); (4) the names, titles, affiliation and email addresses for three professional references. In addition, because learning about each candidate’s engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU’s mission, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:

• Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Applicants are also encouraged to include or expand upon how they have contributed to building a culture of belonging through DEI initiatives within the required materials provided to the search committee.  Finalists will be asked to submit a teaching dossier (teaching philosophy, course syllabi, sample assignments, and summaries of course evaluations), reference letters, and graduate transcripts.

Application review will begin November 7, 2022 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained. The search committee intends to interview finalists via Zoom in January.

Application Review Begins

07-Nov-2022

Anticipated Start Date

18-Aug-2023

Primary Campus

University of Kansas Lawrence Campus

Advertised Salary Range

commensurate with education and experience

Disclaimer

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).