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Assistant Professor of Practice - Photography - 000614
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Position Number: 5826034
Location: Cullowhee, NC
Position Type: Fine and Applied Arts - Photography

Assistant Professor of Practice - Photography - 000614

Western Carolina University

Department: School of Art & Design

About WCU: Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes Best Employers lists each year. Including: 2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries. 2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries. 2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.Western Carolina University is the UNC systems westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

Position Summary: The primary location of this position is the main Cullowhee, NC campus.

The School of Art and Design invites applications for a full-time Assistant Professor of Practice. This is a nine-month fixed term position with benefits to begin August 2025.

We seek applicants with an active artistic practice and exhibition record, who demonstrate a commitment to, and experience in undergraduate and graduate teaching. Evidence of teaching students with interdisciplinary perspectives, as they explore a broad range of approaches to photography and social practice, is expected. Expertise and experience working with the variety of traditional and emerging processes is desired.

The faculty member will oversee the department's photography concentration and manage its facilities, including a black and white darkroom and digital photography lab incoordination with other studio faculty and student assistants.

The candidate will aid undergraduate and graduate students in exploring contemporary conversations about artistic practice, familiarizing them with a wide range of photographic processes and examining the interdisciplinary potential of the field. The ideal candidate will aid students in addressing diverse and inclusive cultural contexts.

The candidate will teach photographic practices from the introductory to advanced levels and contribute to undergraduate and graduate studio art programs. The candidate will also collaborate with studio art faculty on expanding the photography curriculum to include emerging technologies, and support delivery of the curriculum across courses in the School of Art and Design.

The successful candidate will teach four courses per semester and contribute to the governance of the department. This is a nine-month, fixed term faculty position at the rank of Assistant professor of Practice. Qualified candidates are also encouraged to apply to the tenure track search to be launched Spring 2026.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required for this position:

Minimum Qualifications: An MFA in Studio Art (MFA by July 2025 at the latest) is required, and an active exhibitionhistory and evidence of current and ongoing creative practice at a national or emergingartist level is strongly desired. A range of teaching experiences at the undergraduate level is preferred. The ideal candidate will contribute to our department by bringing a perspective and/orunique set of experiences that expand the conversations and practices in the medium andthe field.

Preferred Qualifications:

Position Type: Permanent Full-Time

Special Instructions to Applicants: Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire. Please include the following: cover letter curriculum vitae teaching statement portfolio with a links to 20 images of professional work and 20 images of student work unofficial transcripts from highest degree earned* a list of three professional references with full contact information. For questions or additional information please contact Ron Laboray at relaboray@email.wcu.edu *All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state "Degree Awarded," "Degree Conferred," or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your masters degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The masters degree transcript must have a notation such as "Degree Awarded," "Degree Conferred," or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.

AA/EOE
Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

University Safety
The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at University Annual Safety Report or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.

To apply, please visit: https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/29477