Academic Unit Head – Justice Studies; JMU Job Harrisonburg area,Virginia USA,Education / Teaching

Position: Academic Unit Head – Justice Studies (JMU Only)

Working Title:

Academic Unit Head – Justice Studies (JMU Only)

State Role

Title:

N/A

Position Type:

Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status:

Full-Time

FLSA Status:

Exempt:
Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division:

College of Arts and Letters

Department:

100516 - Justice Studies

Pay Band:

N/A

Pay Rate:

Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position?

Yes. This is a JMU only recruitment, only current JMU employees are eligible to apply.

Is this a grant-funded position?

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position?

Beginning Review Date:

10/18/2026

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

Sit…(truncated for brevity) >

General Information:

The Department of Justice Studies at James Madison University invites applications for the position of Academic Unit Head (AUH) to begin July 1st, 2027. The position is a 12-month tenured faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor with a teaching load of 1-1. The department has 13 full-time faculty members engaged in diverse research programs across numerous disciplines.

Faculty are also highly engaged in professional service at the university, local, national, and international levels. Our faculty provide excellent and creative educational experiences for majors, minors, and students in other programs across campus, in large and small classroom settings, including courses that provide “hands-on” training in research methods, theory, and analysis.

The department is part of JMU’s College of Arts and Letters, which enrolls more than 3,100 undergraduate majors and about 150 graduate students across ten academic units. Home to several interdisciplinary centers and institutes, the college embraces the teacher-scholar model and encourages excellent applicants within our particular disciplines, as well as scholars and teachers eager to work across them.

Duties and Responsibilities:

We are a community committed to collegiality and justice. We seek a faculty advocate who is a collaborative and dynamic colleague with a strong and continuing record of research and teaching experience consistent with appointment at the level of advanced Associate or Full Professor at an R2 institution. The AUH should bring a broad understanding and appreciation for the scholarly interests of our faculty, which is reflected in our diverse research programs, teaching styles and formats, and service activities.

The ideal applicant should also understand national trends that will shape the future of higher education. In light of recent national trends, we seek an AUH committed to supporting our department’s mission of providing our undergraduate majors and minors with theoretical and practical skills via the innovative integration of teaching, research, and service.

Qualifications:

A PhD in a relevant discipline;
A track record of excellence in teaching, research, and service in the transdisciplinary field of Justice Studies, including mentoring in scholarly settings; developing or redesigning curricula; serving in leadership roles; and conducting scholarship;
A commitment to collegiality, fairness, and transparency for all students, faculty, and staff;
A commitment to working with department faculty and staff to support a vision that aligns with college and university goals;
An interdisciplinary and collaborative leadership style, demonstrated by experience in developing and strengthening collaborative working relationships within and across units;
A commitment to advocating for faculty/staff and securing resources on their…