Voices in Urban Education (VUE) is an open-access journal housed at the NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools and published twice annually. VUE endeavors to serve as a “roundtable-in-print” by bringing together diverse education stakeholders with a wide range of viewpoints, including leading education writers and thinkers, as well as essential but frequently underrepresented voices in educational scholarship, such as students, parents, teachers, activists, and community members.

Each issue of VUE is organized around a theme and strives to provide cutting-edge analysis of a vital topic in urban public education. Content formats include manuscripts, interviews, video and written documentaries, poetry, and visual arts.

We are launching a search for a lead editorial team for VUE, including an Editor-in-Chief and one or two Deputy Editor(s). The lead editorial team is responsible for coordinating meetings of the Editorial Board, soliciting manuscripts, overseeing the student artwork competition, overseeing the review process, and coordinating journal production. The appointments will be for a period of five years with the possibility of subsequent renewals, beginning ASAP. This document will describe responsibilities associated with each role, eligibility criteria for each role, and the application and selection processes. Please note that prospective candidates may apply independently or together with colleagues as a proposed editorial team. 

Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for coordinating the timely publication of the journal. To accomplish this, the editor will work closely with the Deputy Editor(s) and the Editorial Board, which consists of doctoral student editorial fellows.  

Eligibility criteria for the VUE Editor-in-Chief are as follows: (1) education scholar (in any discipline) at a two- or four-year institution of higher education; (2) prior experience writing for practitioner, policy, community, and/or youth audiences; (3) prior experience publishing and producing a journal, book, newsletter or other professional publication; (4) assurance of some university support such as (but not limited to) clerical assistance, travel support, office space, and release time adequate to cover editorial responsibilities; (5) prior experience managing and supporting teams; and (6) capacity for managing the online publication system. 

The Editor-in-Chief’s duties will include:

• Leading the editorial team in the production of 2 issues annually
• Providing strategic direction for VUE in collaboration with the editorial team
• Writing (or co-writing) an introduction for each standard issue (guest editors will write introductions for guest edited issues)
• Recruiting new members for the editorial team as needed
• Collaborating with Deputy Editor(s) and the doctoral student Editorial Board officers to decide future issue topics, content, contributors, and guest editors
• Using the online publication system to manage and track issue production
• Resolving problems that arise from time to time, such as plagiarism 
• Commissioning content from contributors on topical themes 
• Overseeing team members’ responsibilities and ensuring that they are completed on time
• Approving or rejecting submissions based on preset grounds
• Maintaining regular communication with the editorial team
• Promoting the journal to authors and readers across the field of education, broadly speaking

Deputy Editor(s)

The Deputy Editor(s) work(s) closely with the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board, providing support around coordinating meetings of the Editorial Board and soliciting manuscripts, leading the selection process for the student artwork competition, coordinating the review process, assisting with journal production, and stepping in to lead as needed.

Criteria for the VUE Deputy Editor(s) are as follows: (1) education scholar (in any discipline) at a two- or four-year institution of higher education; (2) prior experience writing for practitioner, policy, community, and/or youth audiences; (3) prior experience managing and supporting teams; and (4) capacity for co-managing the online publication system. 

The Deputy Editor’s duties will include:

• Collaborating with the Editor-in-Chief  and the doctoral student Editorial Board officers to decide future issue topics, content, contributors, and guest editors
• Providing occasional editorials as requested by the Editor-in-Chief
• Overseeing the Senior Officer in the day-to-day operation of the journal 
• Using the online publication system to manage and track issue production
• Commissioning content from contributors on topical themes
• Building relationships and communicating with Editorial Board members and authors
• Maintaining regular communication with the editorial team
• Promoting the journal to authors and readers across the field of education, broadly speaking

Application Instructions and Selection Process

Please submit your candidacy by filling out this Google Form. You will be required to provide basic information about yourself, an indication of the position(s) for which you wish to be considered, and contact information for three references no later than December 1st, 2023. 

Candidates for Editor-in-Chief will be asked to provide (1) concise statements of their interest in and vision for the journal, their relevant qualifications and experience for the role, and their experience managing and supporting teams, and (2) the following attachments uploaded in PDF form: a letter from a department chair or Dean regarding the university’s willingness to support the individual’s editorship, a current curriculum vitae, and two copies of publications (at least one of which should be a publication for lay audiences). 

Candidates for Deputy Editor will be asked to provide (1) concise statements of their interest in the journal, their relevant qualifications and experience for the role, and their experience managing and supporting teams, and (2) the following attachments uploaded in PDF form: a current curriculum vitae, and two copies of publications (at least one of which should be a publication for lay audiences). 

Candidates submitting applications as a lead editorial team should submit their applications individually, but should make note of the proposed team members on the Google form.