Assistant/Associate Professor (Tenure Track)

Working Title: Assistant/Associate Professor (Tenure Track) – Special Education, College of Education

State Role Title: Instructional Faculty – Full-time

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: College of Education

Department: 100781 – Educational Foundations&Exceptionalities

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: October 4, 2024

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:

College of Education Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare educators and leaders to thrive in a complex global environment. We engage in collaborative, transformative, and meaningful work through evidence-based practices to

• empower all learners,
• foster continuous growth, and
• advocate for diversity, equity and justice

College of Education Vision Statement
Our vision is to be a model for transforming educational landscapes into those that develop and inspire learners, educators, and leaders to effect positive, sustainable change.

Educational Foundations and Exceptionalities Mission Statement and Values
The EFEX Department prepares responsive education professionals to promote learning and equal access for each individual in a complex and dynamic society through authentic and rigorous experiences. The EFEX department faculty is collaborative, focused on equality and equity, promotes evidence-based practices, passionately advocates for all learners, and actively works to promote diversity and cultural responsiveness.

The Department of Educational Foundations and Exceptionalities in the College of Education at James Madison University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Special Education at the Assistant/Associate Professor level beginning August 2025.
The EFEX department consists of 18 tenured, tenure track, instruction, and administrative/professional faculty members. We offer opportunities for graduate and undergraduate study in several areas, including Special Education (K-12 general and adapted), Inclusive Early Childhood Education (birth-5years special education, PK-3 general education), Behavior Specialist (i.e., ABA), and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), in addition to offering courses in Educational Foundations. We are committed to the preparation of educators and other professionals who teach and serve individuals with exceptionalities and their families in a diverse society.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses (e.g., assessment, methods, reading) in the K-12 Special Education program, primarily focusing on courses in the general curriculum (i.e., high-incidence disabilities) concentration. A successful candidate will balance teaching, scholarship, and research responsibilities. Tenure track faculty in the College of Education engage in service and scholarship related to the discipline and program, including, but not limited to, the department, college, university, and local school agencies. In addition, faculty members in EFEX teach courses to candidates enrolled in and supported by teacher education programs in the College of Education.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will (a) have an earned doctorate in special education, or a closely related field, by August 1, 2025, (b) possess at least three years of teaching experience in K-12 special education, and (c) demonstrate knowledge of the latest trends/research in teaching students on the general curriculum (i.e., high incidence disabilities). Preference will be given to the candidates who demonstrate (a) experience teaching students on the general curriculum in grades K-12 school settings, (b) experience in applying for or coordinating internal and external grants, (c) an understanding of and commitment to contemporary pedagogies related to engaged teaching, high leverage practices, and student-centered learning, (c) a productive research agenda, (d) evidence of successful university-level teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level, and (e) experience in TESOL.

Additional Posting Information:

The following applicant materials are required in addition to the application:

• Cover letter
• Current curriculum vitae
• Minimum of three professional references.
• Teaching philosophy statement (1-2 pages):

A teaching philosophy statement is a written description of your values, goals, and beliefs regarding both teaching and learning… and uses evidence from your teaching to make the case that you have excelled as a teacher.

• Research statement (1-2 pages) – Document #1:

A research statement is a short document that provides a brief history of your past research experience, the current state of your research, and the future work you intend to complete.

• Statement surrounding inclusive excellence (1-2 pages):

The candidates should provide a Statement of Inclusive Excellence that addresses the applicant’s efforts toward equity, inclusion and/or justice and demonstrate a focus on inclusivity within the applicant’s workplace activities. The 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.

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.