Curtis B. Hurley Endowed Missouri Chair in Public Affairs Journalism

Apply for Job Job ID 58559
Location Columbia
Full/Part Time Full-Time
Add to Favorite Jobs Email this Job
Hiring Department

Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri - Columbia, MO

Job Description

The Missouri School of Journalism is looking for an accomplished public affairs journalist to join the faculty as the next Curtis B. Hurley Endowed Chair. This prestigious endowed position is dedicated to advancing the study and practice of public affairs journalism, with a special emphasis on the media's role in ensuring good government and public policy coverage. At the heart of this chair is the opportunity to teach and mentor students in public affairs journalism, through the Missouri Method of hands-on learning in our news outlets and classrooms. The right candidate for this role will share our passion for deep contextual journalism and storytelling with a vision for how to teach, coach and mentor the next generation of public affairs reporters. The Chair will collaborate with journalism school leaders to advance and improve the practice of public affairs journalism. They will use the resources of the chair to ensure the School's national presence as a leader in the field. The right candidate for this role will engage with our news outlet leaders and students to build and conduct innovative reporting across platforms. They will be well-versed in local, state and national government and public policy reporting. The successful candidate will understand that our students learn by doing using the Missouri Method. This work is conducted across the community-facing Missouri News Network, which includes the Columbia Missourian, KBIA-FM (NPR), Missouri Business Alert, Vox city magazine, KOMU-8 (NBC) and the Boone County Journal. The School's Missouri News Network also operates a large statehouse bureau, sharing this coverage with outlets across Missouri. The bureau serves as a model for other statehouse reporting programs. This position will actively engage with news outlet leaders and students to move our cross-platform coverage forward with a focus on training the next generation of journalists and serving communities across Missouri and beyond. The Hurley Chair will also work closely with industry leaders.

Key Responsibilities

* Collaborate with faculty and students to elevate public affairs journalism in the School's Missouri News Network news outlets.

* Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in public affairs journalism, with a focus on government reporting, enterprise journalism, and the media's role in democracy.

* Mentor students and serve on graduate project committees.

* For the tenure track position, lead industry research that will improve the practice of public affairs journalism and share that knowledge with a broader public.

* Develop strategies and practices around ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public affairs journalism.

* Actively work with students assigned to our DC bureau.

* Collaborate with the School's Reynolds Journalism Institute to share successes and evolving public affairs coverage approaches with the industry.

* Actively work with students and faculty in our statehouse bureau.

* Organize events and workshops for students, faculty, and the broader journalism community.

* Collaborate with the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the School to share successes and evolving public affairs coverage approaches and opportunities with the industry.

Appointment Details

* 12-month appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor (TT) or Associate or Full Professional Practice Professor (NTT).

* Salary and benefits are competitive and include support for research, travel, and program development, as provided by the endowment.

* Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

* Minimum of an undergraduate degree in journalism or related field of study

* Ten years of professional journalism and public affairs experience

Candidates will be evaluated on:

* National or international reputation in the study or practice of reporting on government at the local, state, or national level.

* Proven record of achievement, innovation, and collaboration in journalism.

* Evidence of strong public affairs reporting/editing.

* Technological fluency and willingness to harness emerging media to promote journalism's democratic purpose.

* Deep understanding of the role of journalism in a democracy, with emphasis on investigative reporting of malfeasance in office of elected or appointed public officials.

* Strong network of contacts in media organizations.

* Excellent reputation in the professional community.

* Appreciation for the challenges and opportunities of working within an academic environment.

* Understanding and use of artificial intelligence in journalism and public affairs

Anticipated Hiring Range

Salary Range: $120,000.00 to $145,000.00

University Title: Professional Practice Professor

Internal applicants can determine their University tile by accessing the Talent Profile tile in myHR.

Application Materials

• Letter of Interest
• CV or resume
• List of professional references
  • Examples of work relevant to this position (links, PDF's, etc.)* Letter of interest
    * C.V. or resume
    * List of professional references
    * Evidence of a track record of significant high-quality work* Letter of interest
    * C.V. or resume
    * List of professional references
    * Evidence of a track record of significant high-quality work

Application Deadline

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Other Information

The University of Missouri at Columbia is the system's flagship campus. Mizzou is an R1 research university and member of the Association of American Universities. It is also a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for athletics. More than 30,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries attend Mizzou. As a top land-grant university in the country, Mizzou actively shares high-valued information with Missourians and beyond. The Missouri School of Journalism actively participates in this mission by sharing content from our six community-facing news outlets with more than 100 news outlets across the state.


The J-School was founded in 1908 and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism and strategic communication. The School has 10 endowed chairs and three centers/institutes, including the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI), the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism, the McDougall Center for Photojournalism Studies and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.


The Missouri School of Journalism's graduate programs consistently rank highly nationally for research publications and submissions. It focuses on four research areas: Media History, Strategic Communications, Media Sociology and Media Law, Ethics and Policy.

Through its long history of excellence in journalism education, the J-School has graduated dedicated alumni who work at leading news organizations around the world, as well as in smaller community news outlets throughout the nation. The School prides itself on its home community, which includes approximately 75 faculty, 1,700 undergraduate students, 150 graduate students. The student body includes individuals from many countries across the world.The University of Missouri at Columbia is the system's flagship campus. Mizzou is an R1 research university and member of the Association of American Universities. It is also a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for athletics. More than 30,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries attend Mizzou. As a top land-grant university in the country, Mizzou actively shares high-valued information with Missourians and beyond. The Missouri School of Journalism actively participates in this mission by sharing content from our six community-facing news outlets with more than 100 news outlets across the state.

The J-School was founded in 1908 and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism and strategic communication. The School has 10 endowed chairs and three centers/institutes, including the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI), the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism, the McDougall Center for Photojournalism Studies and the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk.

The Missouri School of Journalism's graduate programs consistently rank highly nationally for research publications and submissions. It focuses on four research areas: Media History, Strategic Communications, Media Sociology and Media Law, Ethics and Policy.

Through its long history of excellence in journalism education, the J-School has graduated dedicated alumni who work at leading news organizations around the world, as well as in smaller community news outlets throughout the nation. The School prides itself on its home community, which includes approximately 75 faculty, 1,700 undergraduate students, 150 graduate students. The student body includes individuals from many countries across the world.

Columbia offers small-town friendliness and a high quality of life that is consistently ranked as one of the best college towns in the country. It features parks, trails, schools, family-centered activities and a low cost of living. Columbia is home to many restaurants and more than a dozen festivals each year, such as the True/False Film Fest. Close to big-

city amenities, Columbia is just a couple hours' drive to St. Louis or Kansas City. If you want to grow your career, continue your education, raise a family, or simply enjoy life, Columbia is a good place to be!

Community Information

Columbia offers small-town friendliness with big city features and a high quality of life for people of all ages and interests. Founded on education and known as an ideal college town, its location also makes it an attractive spot for businesses and travelers. Located on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63, Columbia is right in the middle of the state and the nation. Just a couple hours' drive from St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia is Boone County's largest population center offering big-city culture, activities, and resources with a low cost of living. Columbia is home to a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues and hosts more than a dozen festivals each year. If you want to grow your career, continue your education, raise a family, and retire, Columbia is a good place to be!

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at View phone number on click.appcast.io.