Position Title:

Director of the Center for Sports Communication

Department/School:

School of Communication & the Arts

Salary/Pay Rate:

$90,000 - $110,000

Job Summary:

The School of Communication and the Arts at Marist College invites applications for the position of Director of the Center for Sports Communication, a hub of research, curricular, and service activity in the field. This is a 12-month position that will combine leadership of the Center with an academic appointment.

The Center’s next director will help prepare Marist’s sports communication students for successful careers in the field, conduct highly-relevant research on the sports media industry and further build the Center’s national brand in line with the college’s new strategic plan, Marist 100.

Marist has one of the nation’s first academic programs in sports communication, part of the communication major that enrolls more than 500 majors. The Marist Center for Sports Communication, the oldest such academic center for excellence in the country, fosters curricular and co-curricular educational opportunities for undergraduate students with an interest in sports journalism, broadcasting, analytics, and much more. It acts as a bridge between the industry and the Communication Department’s nationally renowned curriculum by offering speaker events, networking opportunities, and workshops for students to sharpen their skills, gain practical experience, and build their portfolios and resumes. In close collaboration with students, the Center also conducts original research that explores the nuances of a complex field with academic rigor. It is also responsible for administering Marist’s Summer Pre-College Program in Sports Communication.

The successful candidate will join a Communication Department and a school characterized by a strong sense of collaboration and expansive community in which students are the central focus and faculty are both accessible and approachable. The Department offers a major with five concentrations: Communication Studies, Advertising, Journalism, Public Relations, and Sports Communication. The successful candidate will be expected to teach two classes per semester in the Sports Communication program.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Qualified candidates for an appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate professor will hold a Ph.D., have several years of teaching experience at the college level in sports communication or a closely related field, and a significant body of relevant research
• Candidates with substantial industry experience at the national level of sports media and some experience teaching at the college level may be considered for an appointment at the rank of professional lecturer
• Evidence of diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching

Essential Functions:

• Creating unique educational opportunities for Marist students that will enhance student experiences, increase the visibility of Marist's program, and attract an increasingly competitive student population from across the nation
• Creating strong relationships between Marist and prominent external agencies in the sports media industry
• Developing and/or maintaining a program of research in sports communication
• Developing a robust agenda of networking events, workshops, and speaker series
• Oversight of the Summer Sports Communication Pre-College Program, a summer institute for high school juniors and seniors
• Management of the Center budget
• Constant innovation of the Center’s offerings in service to students

Required Application Documents:

Cover letter and a resume outlining the candidate’s suitability for the position and vision for the Center. Advancing candidates may be asked to provide additional documentation. Please submit applications by January 15, 2024.

Benefits:

The position includes a comprehensive benefit package*. Benefits for this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan:
  • First 6 years College contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.
  • College contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.
  • Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity – Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits:
  • Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.
  • College pays 100% tuition only.
  • Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

*Eligibility requirements including waiting periods and/or employee probationary periods may apply at the discretion of the College.

About the Department/School:

The mission of the Marist College Communication program is to provide a high-quality professional education with a strong liberal arts foundation that will prepare students for careers in the ever-changing communication industry. The program is designed to encourage creativity, foster critical and analytical thinking and model practical, real-world experience in order to develop ethical communication innovators that courageously shape our world. The Communication Program features a comprehensive curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Students may choose from 5 concentrations — Advertising, Communication Studies, Journalism, Public Relations and Sports Communication.

The Communication Department is housed in Marist’s School of Communication and the Arts, which prepares students for careers in communication, media, fashion & art practices, building valuable skills that complement a foundation in a liberal arts education. With nationally ranked programs and Centers of Excellence in Sports Communication and Social Media, we foster an inclusive and engaged community of industry experts and research faculty dedicated to student success. We aim to inspire students to become empathetic and ethically responsible professionals with an understanding of the values of community engagement, sustainability, and social responsibility. Marist’s location in the Hudson Valley offers a traditional college experience that is only a train ride away from the rich cultural and professional opportunities New York City has to offer, while our global campus in Florence, Italy gives students the opportunity to expand their world.

We have innovative, undergraduate academic programs in Art and Digital Media, Communication, Fashion, Film and Television, Games and Emerging Media, and Music as well as graduate programs and dual degree programs in Integrated Marketing Communication (online), and Museum Studies (Florence).

About Marist College:

Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,200 adult and graduate students in 53 undergraduate majors and numerous graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees, and also Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs. Marist is consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in America by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 386 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (3rd Most Innovative School/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist’s study abroad program is ranked #1 in the nation by the U.S. State Department’s “Open Doors Report” and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for First Year Abroad programs in Italy and Ireland. Marist’s Joint Study partnership with IBM, which began in 1988, has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.marist.edu/about 

Marist College is located in Poughkeepsie, NY in the MidHudson Valley,  Poughkeepsie and several nearby communities are ranked among the most diverse in the upstate New York region, with major cultural and recreational attractions as well as easy access to New York City on Amtrak or Metro-North train service.

Type of Position:

Full-time

Classification:

Faculty (Full-Time)

Months per Year:

12

Work Schedule:

Time as required for teaching.

Hours per Week:

37.5

Location:

Marist College Main Campus

Number of Position Openings:

1

Equal Employment Statement:

Marist College is committed to creating a diverse workforce on our campus by ensuring that barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. To this end, the College will strive to achieve the full and fair participation of minorities, women, people with disabilities, and any other protected groups found to be under represented.

Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes persons in one of these protected groups. The College will review its employment policies and procedures to ensure that barriers which may unnecessarily exclude protected groups are identified and eliminated. The College will also explore alternative approaches if any policy or practice is found to have a negative impact on protected groups.

Marist's policy of non-discrimination includes not only employment practices but also extends to all services and programs provided by the College. It shall be considered a violation of College policy for any member of the community to discriminate against any individual or group with respect to employment or attendance at Marist College on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other condition established by law.