Editor - Professor of the Practice in Journalism
Boston University’s College of Communication invites applications for a Professor of the Practice in Journalism to help build and oversee a professionally run, student-driven newsroom designed to serve news organizations in Greater Boston and beyond. We seek an innovative colleague with deep editing experience who is facile at developing story ideas, eager to work with students to create superb journalism, and effective at engaging editors throughout the industry. We are especially eager to recruit a colleague who supports our institutional commitment to ensuring BU is an environment that is inclusive, equitable, and diverse and where all constituents can thrive.
BU is launching this newsroom to provide students real-time, real-world experience in a variety of journalistic endeavors, but most especially for digital first publications. We want our ambitious and talented students to be able to gain invaluable real-world experience while assembling a portfolio of professionally published work that will help launch them toward meaningful careers.
This Professor of the Practice will essentially be the editor-in-chief of what, for now, is a start-up news organization. The editor will help in soliciting interest throughout the region with a particular eye toward the many nonprofit news organizations that are blossoming and in need of journalism. The editor will accept story pitches, generate ideas, and work with students and faculty to put a high level of quality control on every story, photograph, and graphic that leaves BU. Several existing classes, from our State House program to our newsroom courses, will be filtered through this initiative.
BU is primed to do this very well, especially in this moment. The department, the largest in New England, is committed to fostering a diverse community within a supportive and respectful environment. From its earliest days, Boston University has opened its doors to women and people from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. We believe that the diversity of our faculty, students, and staff is essential to our success as a leading research university and is an integral component of institutional excellence. BU is an AAU institution with a rich tradition dedicated to inclusion and social justice. We are proud of our record of inclusiveness, including the fact that we were the first American university to award a Ph.D. to a woman. We are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in journalism by underrepresented groups at BU and beyond. We expect applicants to embrace principles of diversity and equity in their teaching, mentoring, and professional product.
The Journalism Department is driven by a mission to educate, inspire, and encourage aspiring journalists. Our faculty is distinguished by a passion for the work and a dedication to supporting our students and each other. We follow and teach best professional and ethical practices, and are committed to truth-telling in a tumultuous media environment. We firmly believe in the future of journalism and working collaboratively to help our students continue to become world-class leaders in the field. We are also committed to the health of the industry, and as much as our newsroom will launch students, it will boost growing nonprofit news organizations and their readers with quality BU-driven journalism.
Required Skills
Successful candidates for this position must have experience in a complex media organization as well as strong experience in and an abiding commitment to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace.
A successful candidate should have the following:
A distinguished career as a journalist, ideally as an editor, including a record of sustained excellence.
Expertise in editorial management, specifically in a news environment.
Qualifications appropriate for an appointment as a Professor of the Practice at Boston University. See link here.
Ability to work with students in the subject areas outlined above.
Demonstrated accomplishments in promoting diversity and inclusion in an organization.
Boston University offers an excellent benefits package including:
University-funded retirement plan with full vesting after 2 years of eligible service.
Competitive tuition assistance program for yourself and family members.
A discounted MBTA pass as well as additional options to assist with commuting.
Wellness programs and classes at little or no cost, including workshops and personal counseling/referrals.
Access to discounts or free admission to various city art/cultural institutes around Boston. To learn more, please see https://www.bu.edu/wellness/
BU conducts a background check on all final candidates for certain faculty and staff positions. The background check includes contacting the final candidate’s current and previous employer(s) to ask whether, in the last seven years, there has been a substantiated finding of misconduct violating that employer’s applicable sexual misconduct policies. To implement this process, the University requires a final candidate to complete and sign the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” after execution of an offer letter.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.