Visiting Professor

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The Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale, MI (www.gvsu.edu/vma) invites applicants for a Visiting Professor position in Introduction to Art (Art Appreciation), beginning August 2023. This is a nine-month, full-time, teaching-focused appointment, with the possibility of renewal up to three years.

These positions are part of a comprehensive hiring effort that seeks to bring four new faculty to our studio art program and can actively contribute to our teaching mission and commitment to inclusive excellence. All candidates will apply through the same process. The other available positions are:

Visual Studies (Contexts for Contemporary Art Practice) and Foundations
Graphic Design and Studio Art Foundations (2 positions)

This position is focused on teaching our Introduction to Art course, with the possibility of additional courses in the Department of Visual and Media Arts. The Introduction to Art course examines the creative, social, historical, and aesthetic aspects of selected works of art and is part of the General Education Program. The content of Introduction to Art often reflects the interests and expertise of the instructor. For example, different sections of the course may focus on topics such as Anishinaabe culture, social justice, sustainability, gender identity, design, or public culture as they relate to the visual arts.

Candidates are expected to remain current by undertaking professional development opportunities to improve their disciplinary knowledge, competence, or skills. Professional Development funding is provided on a yearly basis to help offset developmental costs.

Required Qualifications and Education:

Applicants must have:

Bachelor’s degree in Art or related field and three years+ full-time experience in Art or related discipline
Knowledge and ability to teach Introduction to Art and other courses in the Department of Visual and Media Arts
Ability to organize and maintain a healthy, safe, and productive classroom or studio learning environment
Ability to implement student learning using visual and digital resources
Ability to produce high-quality public programs and materials
Experience in or demonstrated understanding of social justice education and/or initiatives, and/or inclusion, diversity, and/or intercultural training.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interact with others with respect and empathy.

Preferred Qualifications and Education:

Masters in Art or related field
Experience teaching Introduction to Art, Art History, Theory, or Criticism
Candidates with the ability and experience to teach Studio Art or Foundations
Experience in teaching non-design majors, adult learners, and online learners

Responsibilities – Essential Functions:

The chosen candidate will:

Teach 8 courses/year (4/4) in a NASAD accredited undergraduate program. Teaching responsibilities will primarily be focused on teaching our Introduction to Art course.
Remain current by undertaking professional development opportunities to improve their disciplinary knowledge, competence, or skills.

The teaching responsibilities include 8 courses per year (4 fall/4 winter). Candidates with teaching experience that encompasses major and non-major populations will receive special consideration. Teaching assignment continuity and consistency will be considered upon appointment and may include additional courses in the Department of Visual and Media Arts. We will consider candidates whose application show the ability to teach additional courses in any combination of these areas:

Introduction to Art
Studio Art
Foundations
Senior Seminar (Career preparation for studio art: statements, resume, documentation of work, application for residencies and graduate school)
Photography

Non-essential Functions:

Support operational/organizational efforts in the program
Contribute to curatorial projects and public programs
Participate in curricular or pedagogical development

Salary/Benefits:

The salary will be commensurate with experience. The university offers a comprehensive package that includes health and life insurance, tuition waiver, adoption resources, wellness coaching, and free access to campus fitness facilities. Family and child care options on and off-campus are also available. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://www.gvsu.edu/hro/benefitswellness/visiting-faculty-benefits-466.htm.

Department/College:

As a community of educators, artists, and scholars, the Department of Visual and Media Arts values the examination of the world through diverse cultural discourses which inform pedagogy and scholarship, and diverse forms of collaboration with the university, local, and regional communities. We seek candidates committed to undergraduate teaching excellence and students’ career connectedness. We encourage applications from candidates from underrepresented groups, and from candidates who have an interest and/or experience in working with diverse student and community populations.

The Department of Visual and Media Arts seeks to uphold the values of a liberal education while providing intensive engagement in the production and examination of the visual and media arts. The department is located in the Allendale campus and has 36 full-time faculty and 600 majors. 20% of the students reported being from an underrepresented minority (African American or Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latinx, Two or more races, International, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). 33% of the department majors have reported being first-generation college students.

The Department offers NASAD-accredited undergraduate degrees in Art History (BA), Art Education (BA/BS), Film and Video Production (BA/BS), Photography (BA/BS), and Studio Art (BA/BS/BFA). The BFA in Studio Art degree has emphases in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Visual Studies. The department also offers minors in Art History, Photography, and Studio Art. Several courses offered by the unit serve the institution through its General Education program or are courses for non-majors.

Home to VMA, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the largest college at Grand Valley, offering over 50 bachelor degrees and a growing number of advanced degrees in the natural and mathematical sciences, the fine arts and humanities, and the social sciences. CLAS is a student-centered and diverse learning community that engages in critical inquiry, extending knowledge to enrich and enliven individual and public life. Our faculty are active teacher-scholars committed to equitable, inclusive, career-connected, and community-engaged liberal arts and sciences education. There are many opportunities for collaboration within CLAS and across a broad group of partners on and off campus. We are interested in attracting a cohort of new faculty committed to these core values as we seek to foster a community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive together.

Campus and Community:

Grand Valley University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities, and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students’ social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable and rich in cultural amenities, and is located in easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Grand Valley is highly rated for safety, sustainability, and veteran and LGBTQ friendliness, and GVSU is committed to supporting employees and their families in work-life balance.

For a list of community resources on and off-campus that may help a candidate’s decision toward accepting a position at GVSU, please visit https://www.gvsu.edu/hro/community-resources-1056.htm

Culturally, the Grand Rapids area is an active hub for art and design, housing the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, the South Division Street Corridor — known as Avenue for the Arts, and the international art competition ArtPrize every two years.

The Grand Rapids metro area has historically been one to appreciate and advocate for design. In the 19th century, the city became a major center for residential fine wood furniture. Today, the furniture manufacturing industry has shifted its focus toward the workspace market, but still appreciates and advocates for the value of design in our culture and daily lives.

How To Apply:

Apply through this form on the VMA website. Please include:

(1) a letter of application addressing qualifications, interests, proficiencies, and your motivation to teach at GVSU

(2) a curriculum vitae

(3) a teaching philosophy that highlights your experience with student-centered teaching/learning techniques

(5) a statement on commitment to inclusive excellence that includes a summary of ongoing and anticipated activities to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in your teaching

(6) a url for a portfolio of scholarly/creative/teaching examples with 8–10 samples

(7) a url for a portfolio of student works with 8–10 samples of works

The online form will allow applicants to input responses and attach documents electronically. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts. If you need assistance, call the Department of Visual and Media Arts at 616-331-3486. Email questions about the position to: Paul Wittenbraker, Chair, Department of Visual and Media Arts wittenbp@gvsu.edu.

All search events and processes will be conducted online. Candidates should expect to have technology that will allow the use of videoconferencing software such as Zoom, Google Meets, Skype. Accommodations within reason will be provided for qualified applicants.

Application Deadline: Consideration of applicants will begin on May 12, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.