Assistant/Associate Professor of Kinetic Imaging – Animation / Game Art

Assistant/Associate Professor of Art – Kinetic Imaging Tenure Track Position

Gwen Frostic School of Art, College of Fine Arts
Expected Start Date: August 2022

The Western Michigan University Frostic School of Art (FSoA) seeks a full-time faculty position with a primary expertise in animation or game art beginning Fall Semester 2022.

Salary

Competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, with an excellent benefits package.

Major Responsibilities

The Kinetic Imaging program will welcome the first class of students in fall 2022. The FSoA Kinetic Imaging area will provide students with artistic and professional skills to succeed in their careers as artists and designers. The Kinetic Imaging curriculum introduces students to essential proficiencies in all facets of professional practice within animation, game art, and/or video art.

This position encompasses the teaching up to three courses per Fall and Spring semesters at all undergraduate levels in the Foundation and Kinetic Imaging areas. Successful candidates must be able to teach courses in Animation or Game Art. through a diversity of perspectives. Candidates will be able to make connections across the curriculum, fostering interdisciplinary studio practice. Candidates are expected to maintain an active research record and participate in contractually appropriate service to the institution. The successful candidate will be the inaugural coordinator of the Kinetic Imaging program and will participate in the hiring of additional faculty.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must hold a Master of Fine Arts degree or international equivalent in animation or game art and have at least three years of college-level teaching experience with an emphasis in related media. Applicant should have a vibrant professional exhibition record commensurate with years of experience in the field; evidence of creative, professional, and curricular accomplishment in animation or game art or related media is required.

Additional preferred qualification includes

Skills in additional areas of Kinetic Imaging, including sound art, illustration or video art desirable
A comprehensive knowledge of appropriate hardware and software
Experience with curriculum design and planning.
Knowledge and commitment to health and safety in the arts.
Proven track record of working well with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Ability to develop and nurture individual student artistic and professional abilities.
A strong commitment to self-learning to maintain or develop new technical expertise as required by changes to contemporary art and design practice.

The Kinetic Imaging component of the FSoA curriculum introduces students to the process of thinking and working with time-based media related tools in support of art and design practice, while initiating dialog into issues of aesthetic storytelling and diverse contemporary topics. It challenges students to think critically about their work and the work of others, and to articulate informed ideas in order to advance understanding of a broad variety of methodologies, including contemporary and emerging technologies.

The School: The Gwen Frostic School of Art is one of four units in the College of Fine Arts and is comprised of 350 undergraduate art majors, 20 full-time faculty, 12-15 part- time faculty, and eight staff. The School is NASAD accredited and offers BAs in Art and Art History; BFAs in Art Education and Graphic Design; BFAs with emphasis in Ceramics, Metals/Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmedia, and Sculpture. The School encompasses 40,000 sq. ft. of galleries, lecture halls, classrooms, design and art studios in the James W. and Lois I. Richmond Center for Visual Arts, and an additional 88,000 sq. ft. of classrooms and art studios in South Kohrman Hall. http://www.wmich.edu/art

The College: The College of Fine Arts (CFA) consists of the Gwen Frostic School of Art, Department of Dance, School of Music, Department of Theatre and the Richmond Institute for Design and Innovation which houses the Product Design program. All units in the College are nationally accredited. Facilities for the learning and practice of the arts at WMU are exceptional and compare favorably with other schools nationally with similar mission and scope. With a student body of approximately 1100, the CFA entering class regularly has the highest academic profile of any college at the University.

The College of Fine Arts is housed in Dalton Center, Richmond Center for Visual Arts, and South and Central Kohrman Hall, and the Gilmore Theatre Complex surrounding Fountain Plaza. Facilities for the learning and practice of the arts are the envy of the Mid-America region. Students perform in three theatres, a multi-media room, 400 seat recital hall, and dance performance studio mounting over 400 performances annually. New visual art studies, motion capture lab, specialized computer labs, and other laboratories are professionally equipped. State-of-the-art facilities host exhibitions of student, faculty, and visiting artist works. http://wmich.edu/finearts

The University: Western Michigan University is a learner-centered, discovery-driven,
and globally engaged public university that stands out among America’s more than
4,000 higher education institutions. Founded in 1903, WMU has grown to become a major national research university enrolling more than 16,000 students from across the
United States and 100 other countries. Based in Kalamazoo, WMU is a friendly, top-
rated college town situated close to large urban centers, great jobs, and abundant
recreational areas. WMU delivers high-quality undergraduate instruction, has a strong
graduate division, and fosters significant research activities. The Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching has placed WMU among the 76 public R2 institutions
in the nation designated as a doctoral university with higher research activities.
Kalamazoo: Western Michigan University is located in the arts-friendly community of Kalamazoo, Michigan, a metropolitan area of 250,000 located halfway between Chicago and Detroit. The community is enriched by the “Kalamazoo Promise”, an endowment program that provides each Kalamazoo Public School graduate with the opportunity to attend post-secondary education with up to a 100% tuition scholarship. https://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/kalamazoopromise

Application Deadline

The review of complete applications is in progress and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, application materials must be received by January 4, 2022.

Application

Include a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and three references. One pdf file upload should include curriculum vitae, teaching philosophy, 20 samples of professional work, 20 samples of student work with links as needed or a website address where this visual information can be viewed. http://www.wmich.edu/hr/jobs

If you have problems uploading your complete portfolio, please contact Human Resources at (269) 387-3620.

Western Michigan University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer consistent with applicable federal and state law. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.