Position Summary
The Director serves as the chief executive leader of the School, providing strategic, financial, and operational leadership in support of excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, student success, and professional and community engagement. The Director advances the School’s role and visibility within a leading public research university.
Central to this role is working in partnership with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external stakeholders to provide transparent and future-focused leadership that supports academic excellence, shared governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Director is responsible for consistent communication, sound decision-making, equitable resource management, and responsiveness to the evolving journalism and media landscape.
The Director holds a tenured faculty appointment and reports to the Dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
This role offers the opportunity to direct a nationally recognized, research and grant-active School of Journalism program that offers undergraduate degrees in both Journalism and Digital Storytelling, along with a cross-department Ph.D. degree in Information & Media.
Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
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Provide strategic direction and vision for the School in alignment with MSU and College priorities, collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and college leadership to advance shared goals.
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Manage the School’s budget and resources responsibly and strategically, including financial planning, personnel allocations, facilities, technology, and external funding oversight.
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Foster a respectful, inclusive, and safe environment that values differing perspectives, constructive dialogue, and shared governance.
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Oversee personnel processes including reappointment, promotion, tenure, and advancement reviews in collaboration with college leadership and according to university policies and procedures.
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Collaborate with faculty to advance innovative, future-focused curricula responsive to changes in journalism, technology, media industries, and audience engagement.
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Promote academic rigor, experiential learning, cross-platform storytelling, community-engaged learning, and professional preparation.
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Advocate for infrastructure, technology, and resources supporting scholarly productivity, innovation and professional dissemination.
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Foster a student-centered learning environment that promotes belonging, engagement, access, and academic success.
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Strengthen partnerships with media organizations, alumni, professional associations, and community stakeholders to advance the School’s mission and strategic priorities.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Doctorate -Journalism, Mass Communication, Media Studies, or a closely related field.
Minimum Requirements
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Terminal degree (Ph.D.) in Journalism, Mass Communication, Media Studies, or a closely related field.
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Demonstrated effectiveness in financial and operational management, including budget oversight, personnel management, and accreditation or program review processes. (e.g., ACEJMC).
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Demonstrated understanding of contemporary journalism, media ethics, emerging technologies, and the evolving digital media environment.
Desired Qualifications
• Experience with advancement, donor relations, or partnership development.
• Understanding of land-grant and R1 research missions.
Required Application Materials
1. A detailed cover letter that addresses the qualifications and expectations of the position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Names and contact information of three professional references. References will not be contacted until candidates are notified.
Special Instructions
The review of applications begins on September 11, 2026, and will continue until an exceptional candidate is selected. Questions may be directed to search committee co-chairs Serena Miller (serena@msu.edu) or Bruno Takahashi (btakahas@msu.edu). Electronic submissions of applications through MSU's Career site (careers.msu.edu), posting #1139526 is required.
A full position description is available here.
A full job prospectus is available here.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
Professional Misconduct Review
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Review of Applications Begins On
09/11/2026
Website
https://comartsci.msu.edu/departments/school-journalism
Department Statement
The School of Journalism at Michigan State University has built a national reputation for excellence, innovation and impact over more than a century. Continuously accredited by ACEJMC since 1949, the School is among the oldest and most respected journalism programs in the country and is part of the nation’s first college dedicated to communication. As part of a leading R1 land-grant university, the School advances research, creative activity and public engagement that shape the future of journalism, media and storytelling while preparing students to serve communities and strengthen democratic society. More than 30 award-winning faculty serve approximately 700 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students through undergraduate majors in Journalism and Digital Storytelling, along with a shared doctoral program.
The School combines a strong foundation in reporting, writing and storytelling with emerging technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative media practices. Faculty scholarship and creative work span environmental journalism, media innovation, misinformation, community engagement and emerging technologies, with research and outreach efforts supported by major external grants and partnerships in the U.S. and abroad. Students learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including the Spartan Newsroom and Immersive Media Studio, through hands-on, project-based experiences that prepare them for careers across journalism, film, television, broadcast, advertising, sports media and digital media. Alumni support the program through mentorship, internships and industry partnerships, while student productions have earned recognition including Student Academy Awards, Telly Awards and PBS production credits.
The School also is home to nationally recognized centers and initiatives that advance research, creativity and public impact, including the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, the Center for Journalism Studies, the American Communities Project and the LIFT Project. Together, these initiatives reflect the School’s commitment to research excellence, innovation and the public good through work that informs communities, advances understanding and explores new models for journalism and media in a rapidly changing world.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
