TheCreativeSchool-Journalism

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada, on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat Peoples, Journalism at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University [www.torontomu.ca], formerly Ryerson University, invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor effective July 1, 2023, subject to final budgetary approval. Applications from candidates who self-identify as one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU [mentioned below], are particularly encouraged.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of teaching, scholarly research or creative activity and service duties while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, collaborative work environment across all activities.

This role welcomes an innovative journalism scholar who is committed to educating students and is passionate about broadening the ways and means in which we tell fact-based stories. The successful candidate will challenge how existing practice can be enhanced by attention to audiences, stories, and techniques that have often been ignored or forgotten.We are particularly interested in experience that demonstrates a commitment to supporting news coverage of underrepresented groups, including but not limited to Black and Indigenous communities, in Canada or elsewhere, embodies innovative techniques, ‘traditional’ or ‘alternative’ forms of journalism, and/or storytelling practice.This role requires the hands-on skills and passion to work in a prominent journalism program engaged in pursuing a more inclusive future where the shared narratives of society widen, and the ways that journalism is practiced are constantly examined, redefined, and boldly championed in the classroom and beyond.

What you bring to this role may have been developed in any place, using any medium where public-facing, fact-based journalistic or storytelling practice(s) or tradition(s) prepared you with the skills and experiences to work in an applied academic, university environment. Your perspectives and storytelling approach(es) will be used in the classroom and in our working newsrooms, redesigning and delivering undergraduate and graduate courses with an initial focus on experiential learning in newsroom and/or magazine masthead classes as a complement to courses related to your area(s) of specialization. These may include innovations in technology and platform journalism, applied creative practice in relation to journalism and/or storytelling that can contribute to the interdisciplinary work of The Creative School, or another specialization that contributes to or challenges our learning community. Candidates whose experience comes from oral or other non-western traditions of storytelling or whose framework and/or methods of inquiry were developed in non-western, non-colonial practice are welcome to apply.

As leaders in Journalism education, we explore how news, newsrooms, and other sites of collaborative journalism and public-facing storytelling can be better, and more inclusive to reflect multiple ways of knowing the world. Candidates will be required to demonstrate an ability and willingness to contribute to our continuous focus on examining and shaping the future of journalism. We are interested in candidates who will contribute to and expand our existing strengths in research/creative activity and teaching through academic, and industry leading reflection, growth and change.

The successful candidate will be able to present evidence of a range of creative activity and/or research, teaching and mentoring. This could include some of the following:

• established or emerging research and/or creative activity that is public facing, across any format or platform for professional journalism or fact-based storytelling practice which could include experiences from oral or other non-western traditions of storytelling or frameworks and/or methods of inquiry developed in non-western, non-colonial practice;
• demonstrated potential or existing experience in teaching, coaching, or mentoring / supervising of student interns demonstrated through a summary evidence of activities related to teaching, that can include a teaching dossier with a teaching philosophy statement, and applied examples of your approach to teaching related activities;
• a commitment to our values of Equity, Community, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and
• a desire to actively engage in the life of the School of Journalism and an enthusiasm for collaboration within the School, Creative School and University communities.

Our committee recognizes the value of experience in ‘industry’ broadly conceived, and that scholars who join our School of Journalism may have taken varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an academic and professional record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions, that will help contextualize what they will bring to the School.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) (www.rfanet.ca). The TFA collective agreement can be viewed here and a summary of TFA benefits can be found here.

Toronto Metropolitan University [TMU]

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research, and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement, and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

Journalism at The Creative School

Our School of Journalism offers undergraduate (Bachelor of Journalism) and graduate (Master of Journalism) programs to approximately 600 students yearly. Our faculty prides itself on excellence in research, scholarly creative activity and public-facing journalism, along with our quality of teaching and community engagement.

It is an exciting time to be a part of Journalism at The Creative School at TMU,at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, formerly Ryerson University), where, for over 70 years, we have trained generations of storytellers. In a time of complex and rapid social change, as the definition of journalism expands, our values of truth, fairness, and accuracy increase in importance. As the largest university-based program in the country, we are adapting to the new journalism landscape and reconsidering how our structures and practices can better exercise leadership in journalism and journalism education, toward defining how our educational practice can contribute to a more inclusive public good. [ASN1]

Working at TMU

At the intersection of mind and action, TMU is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At the university and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people-first culture, TMU is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their family, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the accessibility and Human Rights websites.

TMU welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] . Applications, consisting of the following, must be received by February 5, 2023:

• a cover letter;
• a curriculum vitae or resume that lists career and educational accomplishments;
• a statement of research and scholarly interests that can include descriptions of non-western forms of research like oral storywork and/or any other journalism practice to describe your active engagements in the field;
• a teaching dossier or other summary of teaching, coaching and/or mentoring experiences and motivations, and results of teaching evaluations if available; and
• names of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

Contacts

Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Hiring Committee Chair, Ravindra Mohabeer, ravindra.mohabeer@ryerson.ca.

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at TMU are welcome to contact Tracey King, Miigis Kwe, the Indigenous Human Resources Lead and the Founding Co-Chair of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Community Group at t26king@ryerson.ca.

Black-identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at TMU are welcome to contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at shurla.charlesforbes@ryerson.ca.

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process please contact vpfa@ryerson.ca