BCAS - Director of Publishing & Renewable Contract Teaching Assistant Professor, in English - 530863

Job Description

Job Description

Department/Organization
204221 - English

Rank
Teaching Assistant Professor

Position Summary
The English Department at The University of Alabama invites applications for an inaugural Director of its new Publishing Consortium. The Director will set a strategic vision for the Consortium, provide consultation and support for individual publications, with direct oversight of the staff and production of Black Warrior Review (BWR). This position is a 9-month Renewable Contract Teaching Assistant Professor (RCAP-non-tenure track).

Detailed Position Information
This is an administrative and teaching position. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and directing our department’s new Publishing Consortium and serving as director of the graduate student-staffed publication Black Warrior Review. In addition to these administrative responsibilities, the Consortium Director will teach a course load of undergraduate and graduate courses in publishing and creative writing.

The UA English Publishing Consortium is a newly established alliance of the department’s seven student publishing enterprises, including its flagship publication Black Warrior Review as well as the award-winning undergraduate publishing house Red Rook Press. The aim of the Consortium is to build community and enthusiasm for the publishing arts at the University of Alabama, serving as a site of experiential learning in small press publishing and a laboratory for innovative new projects.

The Director will chair the advisory board for this alliance, develop new publishing-related curricula, create programming and internships in support of consortium publications and the publishing arts, and cultivate internal and external partnerships, outreach and community-facing opportunities. BWR duties include serving as a professional resource and mentor to the graduate student editorial team; providing oversight on editorial, administrative, and strategic decision-making; and developing materials and maintaining institutional knowledge to ensure smooth masthead transitions and continuity of practices, policies, and longer-term goals and initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications
MFA or PhD in Creative Writing or related field; at least 2 years experience in program administration; demonstrated editorial, production, or related publishing experience; and significant publications.

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred applicants will have a book published or under contract (genre open); at least 3 years of editing and production experience in small press publishing; and experience teaching graduate-level creative writing.

Instructions and Required Materials for Application
To apply, candidates should complete an online application at and upload a CV and cover letter (which should include paragraphs that speak to editorial/publishing and administrative expertise). Additionally, three letters of recommendation should be sent on behalf of each applicant. Please ask that each reference or dossier service to upload letters to the following box file as Word documents or PDFs. For our hiring committee’s review: Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

About the Division/College/School
The J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Alabama offers an exciting and dynamic environment for faculty seeking to make an impact in their field and in the lives of the innovators and changemakers of tomorrow.

As the largest college at The University, we house over 9,000 students and 1,000 faculty and staff across our 22 departments.

With nationally recognized programs and award-winning faculty, our College has positioned itself as a leader in higher education. Our facilities and resources include state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, and performance venues, providing students with hands-on learning experiences and opportunities for research and creative expression.

The College is committed to the liberal arts philosophy that fosters creative and critical thinking and a lifetime of learning.”

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 (-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.