Job Title:

Lecturer of Civic Thought Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society

Department:

Academic Affairs Administration | Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society

The Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society

The Ohio State University’s motto, Disciplina in Civitatem, or “Education for Citizenship,” is not merely a slogan; it is an exhortation to remain focused on the responsibility to develop an informed, engaged, and civic-minded citizenry. It is essential to fulfilling Ohio State’s land-grant mission.

In 2023, the State of Ohio established the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at Ohio State ("the Chase Center"). The Chase Center is a multidisciplinary university center that conducts teaching, research, and public programming concerning the core texts and great debates of Western civilization; the principles, ideals, and institutions of the American and Ohio political order; and the foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship. It is an independent academic unit of the University. The Center is a leader of the growing cadre of similar schools of civic thought in Ohio and throughout the country.

During its first year and a half of operation, the Chase Center laid a strong foundation for long-term success, securing its mission to “conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas, traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society,” ORC § 3335.39. The Center’s founding faculty has offered the Center’s first classes and degrees, the Center has hosted a robust suite of public programming, the Chase Society is large and growing community of students, the Center launched its support for K-12 schools and their students, and the Center saw significant financial support from Ohio and donors.

Position Overview

The Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society is conducting a search for a one-year Lecturer of Civic Thought for the 2026–2027 academic year. The successful candidate will be a scholar in a discipline relevant to civic thought. The Lecturer will teach courses that advance the Center’s mission including, in particular, its foundational courses in American civics, and will be actively engaged in the Center’s and Ohio State’s intellectual life.

Chase Center faculty are public-spirited scholars committed to building an academic community in which civic life and the life of the mind flourish. As the heart of the Center’s academic community, faculty advance the Center’s mission by teaching and mentoring students, making meaningful contributions to their academic disciplines, modeling collegiality, and serving the University and the broader Ohio community. Faculty, as with all members of the Center, should be familiar with and embrace the Center’s mission as defined by ORC § 3335.39. 

Salary and benefits are competitive.

Performance Objectives

• Contribute and demonstrate a commitment to the Chase Center’s statutory mission through teaching, research, and service.
• Effectively teach in in-person and/or online modalities courses that advance the Center’s mission, including one or more of the Center’s civic literacy requirements.
• Demonstrate expertise in a discipline relevant to civic thought and leadership.
• Engage in service to the Chase Center, the University, and the broader community.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrate poise, professionalism, and good judgment.

Education and Experience Requirements

Required

• A Ph.D., J.D., or other terminal degree in a field related to the Center’s mission.
• Record or promise of developing and effectively teaching courses that advance the Center’s mission.
• Record or promise of scholarship and educational programming that advance the Center’s mission.

Additional Information:

How to Apply

Once you start the application you will need to fill it out to completion and upload all required materials. Please be aware that you will not be able to edit your application or materials after submission.

Application materials must include the following:

Cover letter describing how the candidate meets the qualifications for the position, including his or her commitment to the Center’s mission and an explanation of how the candidate is prepared to support that mission through teaching (including courses the candidate might teach), research, and contributions to the Center’s institutional development.

The letter should be addressed to:

Brian Schoen
Associate Director, Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society
174 West 18th Avenue, Room 5033
Columbus, OH 43210
Schoen.110@osu.edu

Curriculum vita (CV) Statement of teaching The names and contact information of at least three individuals who can provide a letter of reference. (We will request letters of reference if/when candidates move to the interview stage.)

The application deadline is Monday, May 20th, at 11:59 p.m. We will review all applications submitted by the deadline. Please email the search committee at Chasehiring@osu.edu if you have questions about the application process.

The Ohio State University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers. Over 67,700 students attend Ohio State’s main and regional campuses. In addition to its regional importance, Ohio State has a national and global impact. Many graduates remain in Ohio, but alumni are found across the world. The Ohio State University boasts 600,000 living alumni, and its endowment stands at over $7.0 billion.  

The University has an astonishing intellectual range with 15 academic colleges and a wealth of disciplines. All colleges are on the Columbus campus, which opens the possibility of working across units. The institution has enormous ambition; through its strategic planning efforts, Ohio State aspires to be the absolute model of a 21st-century land-grant university, enabling people from ordinary backgrounds to achieve the extraordinary. Students are exposed to a vast array of ideas, experiences, and cultures. Our University community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University. 

Columbus, Ohio

Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. Columbus is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the country, with a vibrant blend of arts and culture; a wide range of affordable housing; excellent schools; a strong economy; inspired culinary, fashion, music, and entertainment scenes; exciting collegiate and professional sports; and an open, entrepreneurial spirit. Its diverse population makes Columbus a microcosm of America.

Ohio’s state capital is the 15th most populous city in the U.S., second in the Midwest behind Chicago, and larger than Charlotte, Seattle, Denver, Boston, Nashville, and Baltimore. The population of the greater Columbus metropolitan area is more than two million. At the same time, the cost of living in Columbus is 10 percent below the national average.  

Intelligent Community Forum named Columbus one of the seven most intelligent communities in the world. The city has more PhDs than the national average and the largest concentration in the Midwest, plus there are 56 college and university campuses within the Columbus region. Columbus is within 550 miles of nearly half the nation’s population. John Glenn Columbus International Airport, 10 minutes from downtown, offers more than 150 daily nonstop departures to 35 airports. During the work week, the average Columbus commute is just 23.3 minutes and can be significantly less. Learn more about Columbus.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check.