Call for Nominations, Lead Editor, Chicana/Latina Studies

MALCS invites nominations and self-nominations for lead editor to serve five-year term, and provide institutional home for same five-year term for its flagship, interdisciplinary journal, Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social beginning May 15, 2014–June 15, 2019.

Scope of Chicana/Latina Studies:The flagship journal of MALCS is published twice yearly in fall and spring of the academic calendar. Chicana/Latina Studies is the only interdisciplinary Latino studies journal of a national organization. Originally housed at the Chicana/Latina Research Center, University of California, Davis, MALCS published Voces between 1996 and 2001. Adaljiza Sosa Ridell managed the journal and coordinated the collective editorial board.

In 2003 the journal moved to Loyola Marymount University, under the editorship of Karen Mary Davalos and Alicia Partnoy (through 2006). The journal was continued as Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social and expanded its genres to include review essays, commentary, and occasional sections on targeted topics. Tiffany Ana López (UC Riverside) joined as Co-Editor in 2006.

Currently and since May 2009, the journal is housed in the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) under the Lead Editorship of Josie Mendez-Negrete. The journal provides space for Chicanas/Latinas of the Americas who have been historically marginalized. It is receptive to all scholarly methods and theoretical perspectives that examine, describe, analyze, and interpret our experiences. It publishes interdisciplinary research articles, creative writing, art, commentaries, and reviews of books, performances, and conferences.

Lead Editor
Qualification and requirements of candidates: Key qualities sought for the position of lead editor: an established record of scholarship; experience with feminist editing; an established record of mentorship, collaboration, and advocacy for and within MALCS; managerial skills to oversee the editorial cycle and meet deadlines; and the ability to attract respected experts to the editorial board.

Major responsibilities include:

• Managing peer review process of approximately 50-75 manuscripts per year, beginning with the in-house review
• Soliciting high-quality manuscripts from potential authors, and assisting these authors in seeing their manuscripts to publication
• Organizing and synthesizing editorial suggestions that come from external and internal reviewers
• Deciding which manuscripts to publish in collaboration with Creative Writing and Book Review Editor, as appropriate
• Selecting a sufficient pool of competent reviewers to evaluate manuscripts in a timely fashion
• Supervising the Mentorship Program and the Annual Writing Workshops
• Serving as alternate for the Co-Editor in the review process, when the potential for conflict of interest surfaces
• Supervising and managing copy editor and proof reader
• Identifying and appointing qualified members to the Colectiva, the editorial board, and the national advisory board
• Collaborating with the Colectiva regarding non-editorial decisions
• Providing a clear vision for the direction of the journal
• Providing leadership on the MALCS Executive Committee and attending biannual meetings and Internet or telephone conference calls, as needed
• Receiving and acting upon recommendations from the National Advisory Board on matters of infrastructure, governance, and strategic planning
• Receiving nominations from MALCS Coordinating Committee for the editorial board
• Keeping all records of the journal, including correspondence and license agreements
• Writing a report at the end of the tenure

Applicants must have clear employer or institutional support for this activity for the duration of the five-year appointment, including release time as appropriate, funding for publication and professional staff, office space and in-kind support, as well as general office and clerical support. For applications from two individuals who are proposing to collaborate as co-Lead Editors from one institution, the proposal must clarify the roles and responsibilities of each person. Applicants must be available for the transition period in the summer of 2014.

Search procedure: The National Advisory Board will review applicants immediately after submission deadline. For the position of Lead Editor, the National Advisory Board will make a recommendation to the MALCS Executive Committee, the determining body.

The application packet for the Lead Editor should include:

• A Vision Statement: Set forth your goals and plans for the content of the Journal. This may include an assessment of the current strengths, weaknesses, or gaps that you plan to address and how you will operationalize your plan.

• Background Information: The name, affiliation, and other relevant information about the potential editor. Evidence of the ability and experience of the editor to provide sound judgment and feminist guidance to potential authors.

• Institutional Support: It is important for candidates to address the feasibility of serving as editor in light of the resources likely to be available to the editor candidate. The MALCS does not pay for office space or release time, but may provide some financial support for office resources as necessary to Journal editors. In the past such support included funds for travel to the MALCS Summer Institute and for artists’ honoraria. Since the support offered by different institutions varies widely, applicants are encouraged to contact the Executive Office of their University as necessary in order to ensure the feasibility of the application. A Memorandum of Agreement between MALCS and the editor’s institution will be required.

Nominators should ascertain their nominee’s willingness to serve before submitting a name; self-nominations are also welcome. Please send a letter describing your interest in and qualifications for appointment, a CV, and your contact information to: Karen Mary Davalos, Chair and Associate Professor, Chicana/o Studies Department, Loyola Marymount University, One LMU Dr., University Hall, Ste 4400, Los Angeles, California, 90045.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: December 1, 2012 (approximately 13 months from this call)