Summary:

The Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale, MI (www.gvsu.edu/vma) invites applicants for a Visiting Professor position in Jewelry and Metalsmithing and Studio Art Foundations, beginning August 2023. This is a 1-year, full-time, teaching-focused position, with the possibility of renewal for 2 more years. The standard appointment length is 9 months.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing at GVSU is a studio emphasis area in the Department of Visual and Media Arts. The program engages students with materials, techniques and craft while reinforcing a dedication to innovation and experimentation, while embracing a wide range of ideas surrounding the field.

Candidates are expected to remain current by undertaking professional development opportunities to improve their disciplinary knowledge, competence, or skills. Professional Development funding is provided on a yearly basis to help offset developmental costs.

This position is part of a comprehensive hiring effort that seeks to bring five new faculty to our studio art program that can actively contribute to our teaching mission and commitment to inclusive excellence. Use this form to submit applications for this position. Candidates for the other positions will apply through this form. The other available positions are:

• Introduction to Art (Art Appreciation)
• Visual Studies (Contexts for Contemporary Art Practice) and Foundations
• Graphic Design and Studio Foundations (2 positions)

Required Qualifications and Education:

• Masters of Fine Arts in Jewelry and Metalsmithing
• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise to teach all levels of jewelry and metalsmithing and studio art foundations.
• Ability to organize and maintain a healthy, safe, and productive studio learning environment.
• Ability to implement student learning using visual and digital resources
• Experience in or demonstrated understanding of social justice education and/or initiatives, and/or inclusion, diversity, and/or intercultural training.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interact with others with respect and empathy.
• Hold strong knowledge of contemporary and historical theory in the field of jewelry and metalsmithing and other related fields.
• Be a practicing studio artist with an active exhibition record.
• Must possess excellent classroom/studio management abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of one year of undergraduate teaching experience in Jewelry and Metalsmithing (teaching assistantships will be considered);
• Professional experience as a scholar and/or practitioner in jewelry and metalsmithing, or related field such as sculpture;
• Demonstrated expertise in fabrication, hollow construction, basic raising/forging, and enameling

Responsibilities - Essential Functions:

The chosen candidate will:

• Teach 8 courses/year (4/4) in a NASAD accredited undergraduate program.
• Teaching responsibilities will include all levels of jewelry and metalsmithing (in particular basic raising/forging) courses, studio art foundations, and the opportunity to teach sculpture
• Remain current by undertaking professional development opportunities to improve their disciplinary knowledge, competence, or skills.

Non-essential Functions:

The chosen candidate will:

• Support the area coordinator in area operations.
• Participate in student portfolio reviews at the junior and senior levels.
• Knowledge of digital fabrication, CAD-CAM skills

Jewelry and Metalsmithing teaching will focus on a stacked course that focuses on basic forging/raising and jewelry and metalsmithing production, as well as basic fabrication, and studio art foundations.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing Courses:

Art 245 Fabricating Adornment: Jewelry Basics and Design

Art 246 Fluidity in Small Form: Jewelry Casting

Art 347 The Functional Metal Object in the Domestic Space (stacked Art 349)

Art 348 The Body Adorned: Constructed Identity

Art 349 Jewelry and Metalsmithing Production (stacked Art 347)

Art 498  Senior Thesis

About Grand Valley State University:

Grand Valley University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities, and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students’ social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable and rich in cultural amenities, and is located in easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Grand Valley is highly rated for safety, sustainability, and veteran and LGBTQ friendliness, and GVSU is committed to supporting employees and their families in work-life balance. 

About Visual and Media Arts at GVSU:

682 majors are enrolled in five programs offering ten different degrees. Located in two buildings on the GVSU campus, the department is equipped with the specialized equipment necessary to complete work in traditional and new media. Students’ efforts in the program are supported by thirty-six full-time faculty members and a dedicated staff. 20% of the students reported being from an underrepresented minority (African American or Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latinx, Two or more races, International, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). 33% of the department majors have reported being a first-generation college student.

Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Visual and Media Arts is also an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).  This association establishes national art and design standards for undergraduate (and graduate) degree programs like ours. We are located on the Allendale campus, halfway between Lake Michigan and Grand Rapids. The second largest city in Michigan, Grand Rapids has a thriving arts community that includes regional museums and independent arts venues. The campus is less than a three-hour drive from both downtown Detroit and Chicago. Close proximity to these cities offers students broader contexts for their classroom experiences.

Please visit https://www.gvsu.edu/vma/the-department-of-visual-and-media-arts-150.htm to learn more about our mission, vision, vision and values.

Salary/Benefits:

The salary will be commensurate with experience. The university offers a comprehensive package that includes health and life insurance, tuition waiver, adoption resources, wellness coaching, and free access to campus fitness facilities. Family and child care options on and off-campus are also available. For a detailed description of benefits, please visit https://www.gvsu.edu/hro/benefitswellness/visiting-faculty-benefits-466.htm.

Department/Division:

As a community of educators, artists, and scholars, the Department of Visual and Media Arts values the examination of the world through diverse cultural discourses which inform pedagogy and scholarship, and diverse forms of collaboration with the university, local, and regional communities. We seek candidates committed to undergraduate teaching excellence and students’ career connectedness. We encourage applications from candidates from underrepresented groups, and from candidates who have an interest and/or experience in working with diverse student and community populations.

The Department of Visual and Media Arts seeks to uphold the values of a liberal education while providing intensive engagement in the production and examination of the visual and media arts. The department is located in the Allendale campus and has 34 full-time faculty and 600 majors. 20% of the students reported being from an underrepresented minority (African American or Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latinx, Two or more races, International, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander). Roughly 30% of the department majors have reported being first-generation college students.

The Department offers NASAD-accredited undergraduate degrees in Art History (BA), Art Education (BA/BS), Film and Video Production (BA/BS), Photography (BA/BS), and Studio Art (BA/BS/BFA). The BFA in Studio Art degree has emphases in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Visual Studies. The department also offers minors in Art History, Photography, and Studio Art. Several courses offered by the unit serve the institution through its General Education program or are courses for non-majors.

Link to information on the Department of Visual and Media Arts: https://www.gvsu.edu/vma/

Link to information on Jewelry and Metalsmithing program: https://www.gvsu.edu/vma/jewelry-and-metalsmithing-emphasis-bfa-22.htm

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the largest college at Grand Valley, offering over 50 bachelor degrees and a growing number of advanced degrees in the natural and mathematical sciences, the fine arts and humanities, and the social sciences. CLAS is a student-centered and diverse learning community that engages in critical inquiry, extending knowledge to enrich and enliven individual and public life. Our faculty are active teacher-scholars committed to equitable, inclusive, career-connected, and community-engaged liberal arts and sciences education. There are many opportunities for collaboration within CLAS and across a broad group of partners on and off campus.

Campus and Community:

Grand Valley University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities, and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students’ social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable and rich in cultural amenities, and is located within easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Grand Valley is highly rated for safety, sustainability, and veteran and LGBTQ friendliness, and GVSU is committed to supporting employees and their families in work-life balance. For a list of community resources  on and off-campus that may help a candidate’s decision toward accepting a position at GVSU, please visit https://www.gvsu.edu/hro/community-resources-1056.htm

Culturally, the Grand Rapids area is an active hub for art and design, housing the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, the South Division Street Corridor — known as Avenue for the Arts, and the international art competition ArtPrize every two years.

The Grand Rapids metro area has historically been one to appreciate and advocate for design. In the 19th century, the city became a major center for residential fine wood furniture. Today, the furniture manufacturing industry has shifted its focus toward the workspace market, but still appreciates and advocates for the value of design in our culture and daily lives. The West Michigan design community is a mix of in-house designers, freelancers, design studios, user experience designers, user interface designers, design strategists, and more. There are many opportunities to connect with the professional community through a variety of organizations, including: AIGA West Michigan, IxDA Grand Rapids, Creative Mornings, Code For Good, Ladies that UX, Michigan UxPA, The Illustration League, etc.

How To Apply:

Apply through this form on the VMA website. Please include:

(1) a letter of application addressing qualifications, interests, proficiencies, and your motivation to teach at GVSU

(2) a curriculum vitae

(3) a teaching philosophy that highlights your experience with student-centered teaching/learning techniques

(5) a statement on commitment to inclusive excellence that includes a summary of ongoing and anticipated activities to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity in your teaching

(6) a url for a portfolio of scholarly/creative works with 8–10 samples

(7) a url for a portfolio of student works with 8–10 samples of works.

The online form will allow applicants to input responses and attach documents electronically. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts. If you need assistance, call the Department of Visual and Media Arts at 616-331-3486, or email Professor Renee Zettle-Sterling at zettlesr@gvsu.edu. Please allow 3–5 days for a response.

All search events and processes will be conducted online. Candidates should expect to have technology that will allow the use of videoconferencing software such as Zoom, Google Meets, Skype. Accommodations within reason will be provided for qualified applicants.

Application Deadline: Consideration of applications will begin on May 30, 2023. The position will remain open until filled and may be closed at any time at the discretion of the university.