Company Profile

Company Description:

Director, Center for Student Media
 
The University of Houston is a culturally diverse public urban institution seeking to become one of the nation’s top research universities.  The University is located on 567 beautifully landscaped acres near downtown Houston.  The University has 40,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.  The student population has more than 60% minority students (African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American) and 9.4% are international students representing more than 100 countries.
 
The Center for Student Media was officially formed in 2012 combining the Department of Student Publications/The Cougar Student Newspaper with the Student Video Network/Coog TV and Coog Radio.  In a short time, the Center for Student Media (CSM) has positioned itself to realize the vision to become a cutting-edge multi-platform laboratory that prepares collaborative, innovative and creative students for real-world leadership.  From the outset, CSM embarked on a major strategy shift for the student newspaper, became fully staffed and adopted the university’s Redline mobile application initiative.  Over the last year, CSM had launched a major new student publication, Cooglife, substantially increased local (off-campus) revenue, reached 11,000 mobile app users and kick-started a student media services team providing video and photo services to campus departments.
 
In 2014, the Center for Student Media moved into new office space in the transformed Student Center, providing the department a central place on campus to engage the heart of campus life and student engagement.  The department review process, conducted in 2015 (a standard Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services process every seven years) resulted in positive feedback from national evaluators and identified opportunities to refine the work of the center and move toward a sustainable model of high-impact educational practices alongside effective revenue-generating business ventures.
 
The center has develop a strong partnership with the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and has provided strong experiences outside of the classroom that builds upon what students are learning in the classroom.  CSM has also continued to develop a partnership to enhance its advertising programs and its approach to marketing with the C.T. Bauer College of Business.
 
The Director for the Center of Student Media provides leadership, vision, direction, guidance, and support for the overall operations of the Center for Student Media, and advises staff members in standards of publication ethics and responsibilities that are consistent with accepted practices of journalism, advertising and media production.
 
The Director also leads the department to ensure strategic initiatives are achieved and programs and services are maintained at a high quality which contributes to increased student engagement, student learning, and student success.  Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, the Director of the Center for Student Media is a member of the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services senior leadership team.
 
The Director’s specific job duties include:

• Provides leadership, supervision, and management of programs, services, and products, including: The Cougar student newspaper and daily digital presence, Student Video Network/Coog TV, Coog Radio, magazine publications such as Cooglife, the Houstonian (graduation publication), Transitions (new student publication), media services, the UH Redline app.
• Oversees the daily operations of the department; manages and advises full-time employees, student leaders and student staff in preparing student produced radio, television, print and web-based media.
• Oversees budget and payroll for the department, and is responsible for all its fiscal affairs.
• Directs and consults with staff and students to ensure that media policies are consistent and high standards of journalism, advertising and media production are maintained.
• Develops and maintains short- and long-term departmental goals.
• Serves as liaison with university administration, student media advisory committees, student groups and faculty and staff.
• Develops training and development opportunities for staff and students and implements program assessment activities.
• Oversees purchase of new equipment and ensures preventative maintenance on same.
• Serves on a variety of university-wide committees as assigned; coordinates advisory board for student media.
• Serves as liaison with University Information Technology and campus stakeholders for the campus mobile application Redline, ensuring it meets student needs through continual assessment.
• Develops and oversees new revenue initiatives, including media services (photography and video production).
• Networks with student media alumni, media professionals, and media associations to encourage relationships in support of the program (mentorships, recruiting, etc.).
• Knowledge of evidence based factors impacting student success from a Student Media perspective.
• Analyzes trends within student media, maintaining expert awareness of program information and change needs.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

 
Requirements:  Bachelor’s degree required, with a strong preference for a Master’s degree in journalism, mass communication, student development, or related discipline; requires a minimum of five (5) years of directly-related job experience. Previous experience as a Director and/or experience in a Student Media department in a college/university environment is preferred.  Occasional evening and weekend work is required.  Successful candidates will embrace a student-centered philosophy and the ability to work with a diverse student population. 
 
Application:  Complete a UH application on-line at https://jobs.uh.edu and select posting number S004672.  Include a cover letter, resume and references when submitting the on-line application.  Review of applications will begin on Friday, January 13, 2017.
 
The University of Houston strives to be an employer of choice by offering a full range of benefits to our full-time staff members.   Tuition scholarships, a retirement plan, dental and full medical coverage, are only a few of the benefits offered to employees at the University of Houston.  From our award winning faculty to our active student body, UH offers the most diverse research university in the country.
 
The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, the University prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.