Pool for Part-time lecturer - English 368: Small Press Editing (Zaum literary magazine)

Sonoma State University’s beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 22 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher education system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education.

About the Department

The English Department has a long history of providing students of diverse backgrounds with the chance to study composition, literature, and rhetoric and to practice creative writing with a faculty dedicated to quality education and personalized support and instruction. We are committed to serving students from all backgrounds and are proud that our department and Sonoma State provide access to all residents of California (and beyond). Our faculty are expected to teach in the general education program and to be flexible in terms of meeting the needs of the department. Lecturers who teach in our program teach primarily composition, although this is an opening for the teaching of the English 368 Small Press Editing: Zaum class.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to see the department’s web page at: https://english.sonoma.edu/.

Responsibilities

• Teach the 4-unit English 368 Zaum class. This course offers experience in editing and publishing a student literary journal as well as working on a national literary journal. Activities include editing, layout and graphics, marketing, and distribution. The faculty member both instructs and supervises the students in the class, who solicit contributions for a literary magazine, select pieces for publication, and publish a print copy of the magazine.
• Handle specific logistic and practical aspects of the Zaum class, including work with a printing company, coordination of campus events, coordinating student promotional efforts including social media articles/promotions, and arranging publicity for Zaum by having students attend campus promotional events.
• Follow university syllabus policies.
• Hold office hours (typically 1 hour per 3-unit course).

The Zaum class is taught both Fall and Spring semesters as students work on the literary magazine from planning through to publication and promotion. Although hiring for the Fall 2026 Zaum class does not guarantee employment for the Spring 2027 semester, the intention is for the same faculty member to continue with the course in Spring 2027.

Requirements

• MFA or PhD degree in Creative Writing.
• Previous editorial/leadership role in the publication of a print literary magazine at the graduate level (affiliated with MA/MFA/Ph.D. program) or in a professional capacity (such as paid work or work for a journal affiliated with a professional organization, foundation, or academic institution).
• Publication of creative work in journals with regional prominence.
• Previous teaching experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant previous experience in literary publishing and promotion and/or in organization of literary events (festivals, reading series, etc.).
• Publication of a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction.
• Significant publications in journals with national prominence.
• Significant teaching experience specifically in creative writing workshops and/or publishing.

Pay

Full-time is a 15-unit workload per semester. Actual salary is dependent upon the number of units assigned, educational preparation, and availability of funds subject to any CSU system faculty contract salary increases. Anticipated hiring salary range: $5,507 - $6,677 per full-time month. The full-time (15 units per semester) monthly base salary range indicated above is prorated to the number of units worked and is paid in six monthly payments for each full semester.

Temporary faculty appointments are made on a part-time, temporary basis and contingent upon department needs and funding. Appointments are made on a semester-by-semester basis.