CCIS - Assistant Professor, Renewable Contract, Information Literacy, School of Library and Inf...

Department/Organization
207401 - School of Library and Info Studies

Rank
Assistant Professor

Position Summary
The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) seeks a student- focused faculty member for a full-time Assistant Professor position in Information Literacy to begin August 15, 2027. This is a non-tenure track teaching focused position based on a 3-year renewable contract cycle with opportunities for promotion.

Detailed Position Information
The School of Library and Information Studies is part of the College of Communication and Information Sciences, and offers an ALA-accredited Master’s program, an MFA program in the book arts, undergraduate courses in informatics and children’s literature, and doctoral courses that contribute to a multidisciplinary doctorate in Communication and Information Sciences.

We welcome applicants who:

• Teach in our predominately synchronous online graduate Masters in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program and in our undergraduate programs which operate in both face-to-face and asynchronous modes. The expected teaching load is four courses per semester with the option to teach during the summer for additional compensation.

• Teach and develop courses related to information literacy broadly defined, including traditional, media, and A.I. or other digital literacies. Option to teach in other areas of the curriculum and to develop additional new courses to meet SLIS programmatic needs.

• Advise and mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

• Maintain engagement in academic research.

• Participate in professional service and engagement to SLIS, the College of Communication and Information Sciences, the University of Alabama, and local/regional/national professional associations.

Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must have:

• Earned doctorate in Library and Information Science or cognate area from a regionally accredited university prior to the appointment date.

• Demonstrated academic expertise in information literacy (broadly defined)

• Experience at the graduate and/or undergraduate level and a commitment to working with nontraditional students.

• Evidence of successful teaching.

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications include: • Experience teaching in multiple modalities (e.g. synchronous online, asynchronous, and face-to-face) • Evidence of successful course development in information literacy, information use, or applied critical thinking. • Demonstrated academic advising and student mentorship experience. • Involvement in relevant professional associations. • Special priority will be given to candidates with interdisciplinary interests and accomplishments.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Applicants must submit: • Letter of application that addresses the applicant’s alignment with the position, teaching philosophy, instructional excellence, and provides an outline of the types of courses that the applicant could teach. • Curriculum Vitae. • Contact information (names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers) for at least three professional references. Applications submitted by October 1st will receive full consideration and review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Questions regarding the search should be directed to the search chair, Dr. John Burgess at jtfburgess@ua.edu. The University of Alabama is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and members of underrepresented racial and ethnic communities are encouraged to apply.

About the Division/College/School
The College of Communication & Information Sciences has four academic units, approximately 110 full-time faculty members, and serves approximately 3,500 students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including approximately 95 students in the college-wide Ph.D. program. The college’s Institute for Communication & Information Research (ICIR) is a premier research institute dedicated to addressing societal and cultural issues related to communication and information research. The ICIR collaborates with businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, foundations, and other entities to produce high-impact research that informs and improves our evolving communication and information landscape. The College is also home to the Public Opinion Lab, equipped with the Sprinklr data warehouse and custom data collection and management resources; a biometrics lab outfitted with state-of-the-art iMotions software and associated hardware; and the near-term development of an interactive VR/theater lab, among others. The college is also home to the Holle Center for Communication Arts, whose mission is guided by a commitment to advance narrative justice through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement, and creative co-operation. The college also maintains the 40,000 square-foot Digital Media Center, which is home to Alabama Public Radio and WVUA 23, a full-power commercial television station serving a top-50 television market.

About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.

In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.

UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.

For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.

UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.

Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.

The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.

Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) discrimination is illegal poster.

The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.