RTA Lecturer - Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication

Working Title: RTA Lecturer - Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Arts and Letters

Department: 100361 - Writing, Rhetoric and Tech Comm

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 01/20/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The School of Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication (www.jmu.edu/wrtc), an independent department established at James Madison University in 2008, invites applications for a lecturer in our First-Year Writing program. The position is a full-time, Renewable Term Appointment (RTA), 10-month instructional faculty position, beginning August 2025. Salary commensurate with experience and includes generous benefits and support for professional development. We are a community of exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, talented students and energetic alumni in one of the only stand-alone schools dedicated to the art and science of communication across a variety of modes and genres. WRTC is made up of over 20 full-time and 16 part-time faculty members, and more than 200 majors, minors, and graduate students.

The College of Arts and Letters in which WRTC is housed, enrolls over 3100 undergraduate majors and about 150 graduate students across ten academic units in the humanities, social sciences, and communication studies. Home to several interdisciplinary centers and institutes, the College employs 270 full-time faculty. We embrace the teacher-scholar model, and encourage excellent applicants within our particular disciplines, as well as scholars and teachers eager to work across them. We look to enhance our existing interdisciplinary strengths and to extend our offerings in global cultures, politics, and religions, as well as in global justice, disability studies, and digital humanities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Primary responsibilities involve the teaching of WRTC 103: Rhetorical Reading and Writing, a core course in JMU’s General Education Program. Teaching load is 4-4 with a class size of 22 each. Depending on expertise and departmental needs, candidates may also have opportunities to teach courses in the major such as community writing or culturally engaged courses.

Qualifications:

An earned master’s degree in composition, rhetoric, writing or a related field is required. Preferred candidates will provide evidence of substantial, successful experience teaching first-year writing, and will demonstrate a commitment to building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment.

Additional Posting Information:

Applicants will complete a faculty profile and submit:
-a cover letter
-curriculum vitae
-contact details for three references
-and a brief statement addressing the applicant's commitment to inclusive excellence; this statement should not focus on personal values and personal experiences, but rather on actions and experiences as they relate to inclusivity in the workplace.

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.