"Assistant Professor - Journalism (Tenure Track)"

Job Description

Position Title

Assistant Professor - Journalism (Tenure Track)

Special Instructions to Applicants

The Communication Department at Los Medanos College seeks a full-time, tenure-track journalism professor starting in the fall 2026 semester. In addition to teaching, this professor will also serve as a faculty adviser for the student news organization. The Experience is an award-winning student-run publication that has been in continuous production since September 1974. The news organization and its student journalists have consistently won a variety of regional and state awards for reporting, photography, design and new media, as well as for General Excellence.

The Journalism Program at LMC offers both a local A.A. degree in journalism as well as an associate of arts in transfer in journalism, and currently includes courses in media writing (an introduction to newswriting course), media production, photojournalism and mass communication. The program currently has one full-time professor; the goal of this position is to broaden course offerings on campus, help create new program certificates and increase articulation and dual enrollment course options with local high schools, in addition to advising the student newspaper team and teaching the department's current course offerings.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a passionate commitment to First Amendment freedoms; a bedrock knowledge of journalistic practices, reporting skills and media law and ethics; an ability to recruit, motivate, and retain student journalists in a diverse student newsroom that produces print, online and other new media products; and a commitment to collegiality and collaboration within the student newsroom and across the campus.

Recruitment Timeline:

1. Initial review of applications will occur in December 2025.
2. Selected applicants will be contacted in January 2026 to schedule an interview. Interviews will take place in-person in February 2026.
3. Final interviews will be held March 2026. Applicants will be responsible for travel expenses. The college nor the District reimburses for travel expenses.

No candidate for a full-time position shall be recommended as a finalist to the President without meeting the minimum qualifications or having been verified as meeting the equivalency.

If you do not possess the exact degree listed in the minimum qualification section, you must fill out a Masters degree equivalency form and upload in the attachment section of the online employment application to be considered.

Description of Position

The Communication Department at Los Medanos College seeks a full-time, tenure-track journalism professor starting in the fall 2026 semester. In addition to teaching, this professor will also serve as a faculty adviser for the student news organization. The Experience is an award-winning student-run publication that has been in continuous production since September 1974. The news organization and its student journalists have consistently won a variety of regional and state awards for reporting, photography, design and new media, as well as for General Excellence.

The Journalism Program at LMC offers both a local A.A. degree in journalism as well as an associate of arts in transfer in journalism and currently includes courses in media writing (an introduction to newswriting course), media production, photojournalism and mass communication. The program currently has one full-time professor; the goal of this position is to broaden course offerings on campus, help create new program certificates and increase articulation and dual enrollment course options with local high schools, in addition to advising the student newspaper team and teaching the department's current course offerings.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a passionate commitment to First Amendment freedoms; a bedrock knowledge of journalistic practices, reporting skills and media law and ethics; an ability to recruit, motivate, and retain student journalists in a diverse student newsroom that produces print, online and other new media products; and a commitment to collegiality and collaboration within the student newsroom and across the campus.

Our Vision for Social Justice

We are seeking people who recognize the critical role community colleges play in social justice, who have ability in this space, enthusiasm for this work, ideas and vision to improve our approaches, and a commitment to achieving equitable academic success for the 50,000+ students attending our five beautiful colleges and centers. Our social justice work calls for employees who have a sense of social responsibility, interest in our community and world in which we live.

The intention of social justice work is to strengthen humanity by understanding that every person deserves the benefits of fully participating in our society and institutions.

Academic researchers have illustrated that crucial social justice principles are a compilation of equality, equity, diversity, inclusion, engagement, environmental sustainability and human rights. These complex principles are challenging to operationalize in higher education; yet we are steadfast in our diligence to forge ahead to advance this vital mission.

Community colleges are uniquely positioned to lead higher education in the work of social justice. Many of our students come from historically underserved and underrepresented backgrounds, students of color, students with recent immigrant histories, students from cycles of low income if not poverty, students from indigenous communities, and students from first-generation families.

The idea of promoting social mobility through education is unconditionally and uncompromisingly embraced by community colleges. This is an exciting role, and it comes with a heavy responsibility. Simply put, we need to create environments where our students achieve greater academic success, so much so that we close our persistent equity/opportunity gaps.

If you are committed to social and racial justice and if you are interested in joining a community dedicated to solving these inequities through education, please apply.

Inquiries

Please contact Leetha Robertson, Sr. Administrative Assistant, Office of Instruction at lrobertson@losmedanos.edu

Recruitment Type

Faculty

Location

Los Medanos College

Posting Number

F01273

# of Openings

1

Salary

Initial salary placement for full-time, tenure track positions is based on academic degree(s), upper/graduate level units earned, teaching experience and/or qualifying related professional occupation experience which ranges from $68,136 to $112,848 per year (Up to $132k).

Position Status

Tenture- Track

EEO Job Category

Faculty & Other Instructional Staff

Employee Group

Full-Time Faculty

Department

L5011-Journalism

Discipline

Journalism

Alternate Discipline

Mass Communication

Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to contractual duties, all full-time faculty are expected to participate actively in their disciplines, department activities, and the general intellectual life and governance of the college. Part of the teaching assignment may be in the evening and/or online. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines;
2. participating in the assessment of student learning outcomes for courses and programs; developing and implementing student learning outcomes assessment processes for courses and programs;
3. collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review;
4. engaging in department program improvement initiatives;
5. participating in department, division, and college committees;
6. participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide;
7. maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/ learning strategies;
8. maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics;
9. informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements;
10. preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress;
11. maintaining attendance, scholastic, and personnel records and submitting them according to published deadlines;
12. posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy;
13. participating in Colleges shared governance processes.

Minimum Qualification-Education/Experience

Understanding of and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, staff and faculty.

Additional MQ:

Journalism

Masters in journalism or communication with a specialization in journalism OR Bachelors in either of the above AND Masters in English, history, communication, literature, composition, comparative literature, any social science, business, business administration, marketing, graphics or photography OR the equivalent

Mass Communication

Masters in radio, television, film, mass communication or journalism OR Bachelors in any of the above AND Masters in drama/theater arts, communication, communication studies, business, telecommunications or English OR the equivalent

Desirable Qualifications

1. Experience working in the journalism industry, including but not limited to reporting, writing, photography, editing, and news production for print, digital and/or broadcast news platforms.
2. Experience teaching a variety of journalism courses in print, digital and/or broadcast media; mass communication; public relations, advertising, social media; media law and ethics; with an emphasis on in-person instruction. Additional experience in a journalism-adjacent area such as English, Creative Writing or Communication is also helpful.
3. Experience working in a diverse student newsroom as a faculty adviser or a student editor.
4. Demonstrated willingness to work with a diverse group of students both inside and outside the classroom and newsroom including, but not limited to, travel to regional, state and national journalism conferences.
5. Demonstrated willingness to collaborate with colleagues within a discipline/department, and across a college/work site; and to network with outside partners such as professional journalists/organizations and local high schools.

Job Open Date: 10/07/2025

Job Close Date: 11/17/2025

Open Until Filled No

Employment Begins: Fall 2026

# of Months 12

Employee Benefits

Membership in State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) District-paid benefits (employee contributes 6%) for employee and dependents/domestic partners include: Medical (Anthem Blue Cross or Kaiser) insurance including chiropractic services Dental and vision Flexible spending (125) plan Life and long-term disability insurance Employee Assistance Program Deferred compensation (403b and 457) Sabbatical Leave Additional Benefits: The District also offers eligible faculty employees, travel assistance plan, retiree benefits, and employee discounts on health memberships. Newly hired employees may notify the respective union (Local 1 or United Faculty) if they opt to join and/or authorize payment to the union. If the newly hired employee authorizes payment to the union then the following fees apply: Local 1 has a one-time initiation fee of $45.00 and monthly contribution of 1% of gross pay +$1. United Faculty has an agency fee of .55% of gross pay plus $2.50.

How to Apply

1. Interested applicants must submit all of the application materials online to be considered for this position. We do not accept hand-delivered, e-mailed, faxed or postal mailed application packets. 2. It is your responsibility to ensure that all application materials are received on or before the closing date. Our application deadline time is 11:59pm on the specified closing date. 3. You should submit an unofficial transcript for screening purposes. If you do not have electronic version of the transcript required for the position, you can have it scanned by a Staples, Office Max or Office Depot, etc. All applicants will have an opportunity to upload transcripts when completing our online application process. You should be prepared to provide an official transcripts prior to employment start date should the position be offered. 4. If you do not possess the required educational degrees and are applying under the equivalency process, you bear the responsibility of submitting the Districts Equivalency Application. Equivalency applications with supporting documentation should be submitted when 1) degrees are not in exact discipline required; 2) degree is in progress; 3) degrees were earned at a college or university outside of the United States. All applicants will have an opportunity to upload an equivalency form for evaluation by a college equivalency committee when completing our online application process. 5. Applicants with foreign degrees must provide official certification of equivalency to United States degrees. An approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) agency must evaluate your course work. All applicants will have an opportunity to upload a foreign degree evaluation for review of by a college equivalency committee when completing our online application process. Please read more details in the Foreign Degree and Credit Statement section of the job announcement. 6. Documents uploaded online must be the actual documents to be considered for review. Do not upload a “placeholder” document. Applications with placeholder documents are considered incomplete and will be rejected. Only upload the required documents, other materials can be presented if you are selected for an interview. 7. All application materials become the property of the district and will not be returned or duplicated.

Selection Process

Applications will be screened to ensure the applicant meets the minimum qualifications as stated in the job announcement. 1. The applications, cover letters, answers to required supplemental questions, resumes, unofficial college transcripts, and other supporting materials submitted by all qualified applicants will be reviewed by a screening committee. Those who are deemed to possess the highest degree of desirable qualifications will be invited to the college at their own expense. 2. During the campus visit, each applicant will be interviewed and may be asked to conduct a demonstration appropriate to the discipline. Selected interviewees may be invited to present an entire lecture in front of a class. Responses to the interview questions and demonstration will be rated by the interview committee. 3. Based upon the overall rating, a small number of applicants will be invited at their own expense to the campus for an interview with the college president and vice president of instruction. 4. After consultation with the interview committee, the college president will make the final recommendation for employment to the chancellor and the governing board of the Contra Costa Community College District. 5. Upon hire, the successful candidate must meet the conditions of employment. Finalists must provide verification of transcripts. TB test, physical examination, fingerprinting/conviction clearance and proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

Foreign Degree and Credit Statement

In accordance with the United Faculty Contract, Article 20.3.1.3.2, all foreign degrees and credits used to meet the minimum qualifications must be evaluated by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) agency www.naces.org prior to the implementation of the equivalency process. Please upload your evaluation with your application when you apply for this position. We cannot accept foreign degree evaluations after the closing date

ADA Accommodations:

Request For Reasonable Accommodation

Medical Verification

Candidates with legally defined disabilities may request reasonable accommodations by notifying the Human Resources Department by the deadline date. Candidates will be required to supply documentation supporting the need for the accommodation when the request is made. Please complete the forms provided in the links above and email to slever@4cd.edu

Quick Link

https://www.4cdcareers.net/postings/11650

Diversity Statement

It is the Districts policy to ensure that all qualified applicants for employment and employees have full and equal access to employment opportunity, and are not subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of the District on the basis of ethnic group identity, race, color, ancestry, religion, marital status, sex, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, parental status, citizenship or because an individual is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.