Associate or Full Professor/Chair – Professional and Public Writing

Job Title Associate or Full Professor/Chair – Professional and Public Writing

Job Description Summary, Duties and Responsibilities, Required Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications 

The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by December 1, 2024. Applications received after December 1, 2024 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

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The Department of Professional and Public Writing (WRT) in Harrington School of

Communication and Media (HCSM) in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Rhode Island (URI) is seeking a Department Chairperson. This individual will have a robust and significant program of relevant research as well as demonstrated excellence in curricular innovation, committee or program management, inclusive mentoring and teaching, and a sustained, proactive commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and collaborative working and learning environment.

The ideal candidate for this position will lead WRT in expanding its undergraduate and graduate programs and strengthening concentrations in professional writing, public and advocacy writing, science writing, technical writing, and user-experience design. WRT is an independent writing department with 10 full-time faculty and 15-20 part-time faculty, administratively housed within The Harrington School of Communication and Media and The College of Arts and Sciences. The Harrington School is home to programs in communication studies, digital media, film/media, journalism, library and information studies, public relations, sports media and communication, and professional and public writing.

This appointment, starting in fall of 2025, will be at the rank of a Tenure-track Associate or Full Professor. The chairperson will teach a 1/1 load during fall and spring semesters and receive recontracting in the summer months.

WRT is committed to diversity, access, and inclusion and seeks to compose more diverse and equitable futures. As such, we particularly welcome candidates from groups that are historically underrepresented, marginalized, and/or excluded in the field who can engage students with different perspectives. Candidates will demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity to enhance a sense of belonging and academic success among student writers from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

The University of Rhode Island is conveniently located near the state’s famous beaches, one mile from an Amtrak station connecting to Boston and New York City, 20 miles from T.F. Green International Airport, and 30 miles from Providence, Rhode Island.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead WRT in strengthening and expanding its undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Collaborate with WRT and Harrington faculty, Harrington School leadership, and the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s office to coordinate curricular, administrative, and personnel management dimensions of the department.
• Mentor, nurture, and evaluate junior and senior faculty, teaching professors, and part-time instructors.
• Teach, advise, and undertake curriculum development as well as committee service.
• Maintain momentum as a scholar through ongoing research in the field of relevance.
• Establish and institutionalize external relationships with program alumni, industry, and civic entities.
• Nurture field-relevant experiential learning opportunities for students.
• Promote program visibility on campus, in the region, and beyond into the nation and world.
• Foster a culture of grant-driven innovation in scholarship, teaching, and outreach.

Required Qualifications:

1. Ph.D. in Technical and Professional Communication, Writing Studies, Rhetoric, Composition, or related field.

2. Experience as an associate or full professor.

3. Demonstrated strong theoretical background and record of past and ongoing publication record in technical and professional communication, writing studies, user-experience design, and/or rhetoric.

4. Demonstrated administrative effectiveness to promoting a just, equitable, and inclusive educational and working environment.

5. Demonstrated strength in classroom teaching, academic advising, and inclusive pedagogy for a diverse student population.

6. Record of successful curriculum revision and development, including creation, proposal, and implementation of new courses.

7. Sustained fidelity to campus and professional service and/or outreach over the span of the career.

8. Demonstrated strong oral communication skills.

9. Demonstrated proficiency with written communication skills.

10. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Prior and successful leadership of an academic program or department.

2. Experience securing external funding for research or research-based outreach endeavors.

3. Prior and successful experience identifying and engaging community partners to build sustainable relationships that afford teaching, research, and service opportunities for students and faculty.

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ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

Union AAUP – American Assoc of Univ Professors

Status Academic Year, Full-time, Tenure-track, Permanent

End Date of Restriction or Limitation 

Department Professional & Public Writing

Contact(s) 

Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu)

Contact Email 

Campus Location Kingston

Grant Funded No

Extension Contingent on Funding Date 

Special Instructions to Applicants 

Please attach the following 3 (PDF) documents to your online Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter/Letter of application that describes your qualifications for ad interest in this position, with emphasis on academic leadership and collaborative program development (all as one complete document).

(#2) Curriculum Vitae that includes the names/contact information for three professional references (all as one complete document).

(#3) Diversity Statement – A one-page account of your engagement with and commitment to the active implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Position Number 107825

Posting Number F00447

Posting Date 11/12/2024

Closing Date 

Open Until Filled Yes

Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/14276

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