Communication Lecturer & Basic Course Director

Central Michigan University, United States

Updated: about 23 hours ago
Location: Mount Pleasant, MICHIGAN
Deadline: ;

Position Information
Position Information


Posting Number F-0821
Position Title Communication Lecturer & Basic Course Director
College/Unit College of the Arts & Media
Home Department Communication
Employee Group Fixed-Term Faculty - Academic Year
Employment Status Full-Time
Position Type 9 month (Academic Year)
Position Classification Fixed-Term Faculty
Position Begin Date 08/12/2024
Position End Date
Position Summary
The position of Communication Instructor and Basic Course Director, starting in August, 2024, includes the dual roles of Basic Course Director and Lecturer.
Basic Course Director responsibilities include:
  • Training, supervising, evaluating, and mentoring the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who teach COM 101 and sometimes the online equivalent course, COM 103;
  • Teaching the special course for new GTAs (COM 795);
  • Supporting graduate teaching assistants in managing problems as they arise;
  • Managing the creation, distribution, and scoring of COM 101 exams;
  • Evaluating students who apply to “test out” of the Oral English Competency requirement;
  • Developing strategies for improving the quality of the COM 101 and COM 103;
  • Developing strategies for improving teaching effectiveness in COM 101 and COM 103;
  • Maintaining the integrity and credibility of the COM 101 and COM 103 courses among the University community;
  • Partnering with the faculty of the Communication Area to make sure that the COM 101 and COM 103 courses complement the COM curriculum;
  • Partnering with the Presentation Skills Center to promote access to this campus-wide resource and to recommend high-performing students to take the Communication Consulting course and become peer tutors; and
  • Partnering with the School of Communication, Journalism, and Media to make COM 101 and COM 103 students aware of major, minor, and certificate programs in the School.


Lecturer responsibilities consist of teaching undergraduate courses in communication. Courses may include: COM 101: Introduction to Communication; COM 103: Oral Communication in the Online Environment; COM 257QR: Presenting with Numbers and Graphs; COM 357: Public Speaking; COM 361: Interpersonal Communication; COM 363: Interviewing; COM 461: Communication in Leadership; or other courses commensurate with experience.
This will be a full-time lecturer position, meaning that it will consist of the equivalent of four courses per semester. Fall semester teaching will include COM 795, two additional 3-credit undergraduate COM courses, and one course equivalent of reassigned time to perform the Basic Course Director role. Spring semester teaching will include three 3-credit undergraduate courses and one course equivalent of reassigned time to perform the Basic Course Director role.
Required Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in communication or related field.
  • Previous college teaching experience in communication courses.
  • Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
Preferred Qualifications
  • 3-5 years experience teaching in a higher education.
  • Previous experience as a Basic Course Director or equivalent.
  • Interest or experience in speech and debate activities.
  • PhD or terminal degree in communication or related field.
Message to Applicants
The Communication Area of the School of Communication, Journalism, and Media seeks a candidate who shares our commitment to diverse and inclusive perspectives in teaching, scholarship, and service. By leveraging our diverse experiences, backgrounds, and insights, we inspire innovation, challenge the status quo, and create better outcomes for our students and community. Women, veterans, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+, and people of color are encouraged to apply.
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position. Include links to examples of published professional work. Preference will be given to applicants who apply by January 15.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
The Hiring Committee will send a link to your references to submit letters of recommendation.
About the Department
The School of Communication, Journalism, & Media at Central Michigan University is dedicated to empowering students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. With a range of programs and courses, we offer hands-on training in communication, journalism, media, and more.
Our faculty are scholars and industry professionals who are passionate about mentorship and guiding students toward successful careers in communication and media.
For more information, please visit our website
Posting Begins 11/08/2023
Posting Ends
Open Until Filled Yes
Type of Recruitment External
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
EEO Statement
CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex‐based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/OCRIE ).
If you wish to see “EEO is the Law” posters, please click here .
CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.
Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.
CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:
Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: [email protected]

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