Assistant/Associate Professor-Tenure System, Foglio Endowed Chair of Spirituality

Working/Functional Title

Foglio Endowed Chair of Spirituality

Position Summary

Michigan State University invites applications for the Foglio Endowed Chair of Spirituality, the first such endowed chair in the United States. This is a tenure-track position at the rank of associate professor or advanced assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies in MSU’s College of Arts & Letters, beginning August 16, 2021. Salary and rank will be commensurate with the qualifications and record of the successful candidate. 

This newly endowed position has been created at MSU to focus on the holistic well-being of students, understood broadly to be at the center of the liberal arts endeavor, and meant to empower a wide diversity of students at MSU to consider how to live a meaningful life. The chair is named in honor of Father Jake Foglio and is dedicated to his vision of secular spirituality as the mindful pursuit of a meaningful and fully human life. With an academic home in the Department of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Letters, the Foglio Chair of Spirituality is expected to reach out across the campus to other Departments, Colleges, fields, and disciplines, with particular focus on Medicine, Law, and Athletics. The purpose of the Chair is to encourage students, faculty, staff, and community members to understand more deeply and practice more fully how to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life.

The successful candidate will also embody some combination of the following characteristics:

1. a record of research and publication in an area directly related to the area of spirituality;
2. a profile as a public scholar with a demonstrated interest in outreach and engagement, for instance through the nonprofit sector
3. a commitment to exploring and expanding the role of the humanities in professional and technical education; or
4. collaborative achievements that engage communities beyond that of the scholar’s own discipline.

Duties will include active research, teaching, and service/outreach. The normal teaching load is two courses per semester with at least one course each year to be offered to undergraduate students through MSU's Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (IAH).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate

Minimum Requirements

Required qualifications include a Ph.D. in a relevant field.

Desired Qualifications

• Candidates must show evidence of teaching and scholarship that reflects the standard required for a tenured faculty member at a Tier 1 research institution as well as a service and outreach record in areas related to spirituality and excellence in human achievement.
• Duties will include active research, teaching, and service/outreach.
• The normal teaching load is two courses per semester, with at least one course each year to be offered to undergraduate students through MSU's Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (IAH).

Required Application Materials

• A letter expressing interest in and vision for this position and describing qualifications and experience.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A summary of the applicants experience with diversity in the classroom and/or in past or planned research endeavors, any experience mentoring diverse students or faculty, any experience mentoring diverse students or community outreach initiatives, and an explanation of how you will advance our goals of inclusive excellence.
• The names and contact information for four individuals who are willing to be contacted and can speak to the candidate's scholarly record and qualifications for the chair.

Special Instructions

The search committee will begin to review applications after November 1, 2020. Additional applications will continue to be received until the position is filled, but applicants should ensure that their materials are complete by the above date in order to insure full consideration. Applications must be submitted electronically to the Michigan State University Human Resources web site at http://careers.msu.edu.

Review of Applications Begins On

11/01/2020

Website

www.religiousstudies.msu.edu

Department Statement

For more information, contact Ashley Housler, Department of Religious Studies, Michigan State University.

Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation. MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. MSU is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation. The College of Arts & Letters promotes an academic and organizational culture which actively seeks out and strengthens diverse voices and perspectives among its members in order to achieve true excellence.

The College of Arts & Letters is interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that intellectual leadership is achieved through open access and pro-active inclusion.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.