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Jacksonville State University

Assistant Professor, Art Foundations

The Assistant Professor of Art Foundations will play a central role in supporting first and second-year students pursuing BA and BFA degrees in art and design. This faculty member will serve as Foundations Area Coordinator, providing leadership for the foundations curriculum and helping students build the technical, conceptual, and professional skills necessary for success in advanced coursework and creative practice.

Responsibilities include teaching a 3/3 course load that may include Drawing, Two and Three-Dimensional Design, Color Theory, and Portfolio Review courses. The successful candidate will coordinate foundations offerings, collaborate with graduate teaching assistants and part-time instructors, participate in departmental assessment and curriculum development, and contribute service to the department, college, and university. Sustained creative activity and/or scholarly research is expected.

The Department of Art + Design at Jacksonville State University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The department offers an MFA in Visual Communication Design and BA and BFA degrees in Studio Art and Art History, with concentrations in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, and Printmaking. Minors are available in Studio Art, Photography, and Art History.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong drawing and design expertise with the ability to teach foundational studio practices.
• A commitment to student success, retention, and first-year learning experiences.
• The ability to prepare students for advanced study within a variety of studio disciplines.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience coordinating instructional teams or the ability to effectively work with graduate teaching assistants, adjunct faculty, and full-time faculty to create engaging and supportive learning environments.

Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires an MFA from a regionally accredited institution.

Instructions to Applicants:

Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume or CV, teaching philosophy and unofficial transcripts to be considered for the position.  Official transcripts will be required upon hire. 

To demonstrate a record of professional and creative accomplishment, creative work samples are required to be submitted in a digital portfolio. Submission of 20 samples of creative work in pdf or URL format, and 20 samples of students' work in pdf or URL format are required. Send pdf or URL to blafferty@jsu.edu. If samples of student work are unavailable, please explain in the cover letter.

The position has an anticipated start date of August 3, 2026.

About Jax State

Located in the Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama, midway between Birmingham and Atlanta, Jax State is home to almost 10,000 students representing 63 countries. As a learning-centered university, it strives to challenge students academically in a responsive environment, meeting their educational, career and personal goals. As an academic institution, it seeks to produce broadly educated graduates prepared for global engagement. As a public, comprehensive university, it promotes excellence in scholarly and service activities consistent with its academic and professional strengths. For a complete list of Goals, Core Values and Strategies to fulfill this Mission, go to the JSU Strategic Plan home page.

Academically Jax State offers 113 academic programs and concentrations, including bachelor's, master's, post-baccalaureate, doctoral and advanced certificate programs in a variety of disciplines that prepare graduates for meaningful careers and ongoing education.  More than 40 online programs are offered.  The University features six colleges on its 459-acre campus – Arts, Humanities and Sciences; Business and Industry; Education and Professional Studies; Health Professions and Wellness; Social and Behavioral Sciences; and Library. Most academic programs have discipline-specific accreditations, a reflection of their quality and JSU’s commitment to excellence.

Clery Notice: In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, https://www.clerycenter.org/the-clery-act the Jacksonville State University Police provide information on crimes statistics, crime prevention, law enforcement, crime reporting, and other related issues for the past three calendar years. The JSU Annual Campus Security and Fire Report is available online at: https://www.jsu.edu/police/docs/CleryAnnualReport.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity: Jax State is an Equal Employment and Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.