Job Listings

Department: Department Of Fine Arts

Job Summary

The Department of Art and Performance Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana invites applicants for a tenure track position in Performance Studies at the assistant professor level beginning August 2025. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Performance Studies by time of appointment and possess a strong record of performance-based research including publications, staged creative scholarship, and teaching experience supported by strong evaluations.

While the area of research is open, as a historically black university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, candidates with cultural competency to meaningfully engage our student population, whose work clearly aligns with the institutional mission and indicates an understanding of the integral place the city holds within the African Diaspora are of particular interest.

Successful candidates will be expected to teach at all levels of the curriculum including current courses and to develop course offerings based upon their expertise that contribute to expanding critical areas of inquiry. The ideal candidate will be instrumental in educating students in the praxis of researching and developing staged creative scholarship. They will be expected to work with colleagues in selecting and mentoring students for participation in regional Performance Studies convenings. The department values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is particularly interested in candidates who can effectively teach in a diverse university environment and demonstrate a commitment to supporting the success of students from varied backgrounds.

Duties

• Primary duties for this position include teaching all areas and course levels in the Performance Studies curriculum including introductory and advanced courses, special topics, and seminar.

• Develop new courses that contribute to expansion of Performance Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences.

• Produce staged creative scholarship.

• Serve as faculty mentor to students' staged creative scholarship.

• Serve as academic advisor to both majors and minors in the Program.

• Participate in on-campus department, division, college, and university meetings and assemblies, as well as university convocations and graduation.

About the Department

The Program in Performance Studies has the distinction of being the first H.B.C.U to offer an undergraduate degree-granting program in the discipline, given that most institutions have emphasized theatre until recently. It also is the only full undergraduate major in Performance Studies in Louisiana (other institutions offer majors in other areas with concentrations in Performance Studies). The faculty work closely with colleagues in both Visual Art and other departments across the campus, and are actively engaged in both campus and community-centered activities developed through interdisciplinary lens.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Performance Studies (or a related field that encompasses Performance Studies scholarship and techniques).

• Record of Performance-based scholarship (conference presentations, performance composition, publications).

• Strong commitment to a 4/4 teaching load per academic year.

• Strong commitment to teaching a full load of 24 credit hours per academic year.

• Write and Speak English proficiently.

• Commitment to academic advising and mentoring of HBCU students leading to readiness for graduate school and the workforce.

• Demonstrated experience working with a diverse student population.

• Commitment to the mission of Xavier University of Louisiana.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with teaching, as well as a strong publication record that includes considerations of the African Diaspora area.

• Demonstrated commitment to successfully working with a diverse student population.

• Experience in performance technology.

• Successful experience teaching to a diverse student body and knowledge of effective strategies (e.g. culturally responsive or inclusive pedagogy, awareness of issues that may affect the success of minoritized students) supporting underrepresented groups.

Work Hours: Full-Time

Posting Number: F152P

Number of Vacancies: 1

Desired Start Date: 08/01/2025

Application Review Date: 10/23/2024

Open Until Filled: Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

How to Apply-Required Documentation:
Qualified candidates are invited to apply using Xavier's online application site by logging in to https://jobs.xula.edu. Please submit the following materials:
(1) A cover letter indicating qualifications aligned with the position requirements, description of professional goals, relevant academic and/or professional preparation, and expertise;
(2) a comprehensive CV;
(3) a statement of teaching philosophy;
(4) a statement of research interests;
(5) graduate transcripts;
(6) at least three references who can provide letters of recommendation.

Please contact the search committee chair, Prof. Ron Bechet, rbechet@xula.edu for additional information or questions. Xavier University of Louisiana is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Program in Performance Studies is especially interested in exceptionally well-qualified applicants who will contribute, through their research, teaching, and service to the diversity and excellence of the academic community. Screening of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. All applications received before November 29, 2024, are assured consideration.

Quicklink for Posting: https://jobs.xula.edu/postings/3335

About Xavier

About Xavier University of Louisiana

Founded in 1925 by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier University of Louisiana is the only Catholic Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Located in New Orleans, the ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. Xavier University of Louisiana's current enrollment is 3,419. Of these, 2,693 are undergraduates and 205 are graduate students enrolled in Masters and Doctoral programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, there are 518 students enrolled in the College of Pharmacy, which offers the Master of Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies, the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Doctor of Pharmacy. Xavier's student body is 80% African American, with approximately 37% from Louisiana, primarily from the New Orleans area. The balance comes from 42 other states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and several countries. In 2024, Xavier University and Ochsner Health System announced their formed partnership to establish the Xavier-Ochsner College of Medicine, intended to be the only HBCU medical school located in the Deep South region of the United States.