SEM Newsletter Editor – Call for Applications

The Society for Ethnomusicology invites applications from Society members who wish to be considered for the position of the SEM Newsletter Editor. The Newsletter is published four times annually (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall) and provides members with access to essential and timely information about the Society and the field. The Editor is responsible for the content and layout of all four issues. In addition, the new Editor will help determine the future evolution of the Newsletter.
SEM has published the Newsletter in an electronic-only format since 2010. At present, the publication includes a column on current issues and directions by the SEM President, special feature articles, SEM news, reports from SEM members, obituaries, information about upcoming SEM meetings, conference announcements, and other articles of interest to ethnomusicologists.The new Editor will be encouraged to develop new content for the Newsletter.
The Editor should have the following qualifications:

  • Understanding of the field of ethnomusicology and familiarity with SEM’s mission and activities
  • Editorial experience (including writing, copyediting, layout, and proofreading)
  • Knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of electronic media
  • Hands-on experience with computer software for editing and formatting online publications

The Editor will serve for a renewable term of three years, beginning January 2015,with a transition starting during the summer of 2014. The editor works closely with the SEM Business Office, maintains ties with the journal editor and the SEM Board of Directors, and attends the Publications Advisory Committee meeting at SEM Annual Meetings.
Specific duties include:

  • Soliciting or collecting articles, news items, photographs, calls for participation, member news, and other appropriate content for the Newsletter
  • Coordinating materials provided by the SEM Boardof Directors and members of SEM groups (Committees, Sections, SIGs)
  • Working with advertisers to produce appropriate ad copy; receiving camera-ready ads from advertisers and forwarding their contact information to the SEM Business Office for billing
  • Editing Newsletter content for length, correctness, style, and consistency
  • Laying out each issue of the Newsletter in a timely fashion and delivering an electronic file to the SEM Business Office for distribution
  • Interacting with the SEM Board of Directors to maintain the Newsletter’s ongoing usefulness to the membership
  • Participating in discussions about SEM publications to determine the most effective policies to serve the membership
  • Exploring and evaluating new electronic formats and features for the Newsletter
  • Producing a short annual report, both in written form (for the Board of Directors) and oral form (for the membership)

This position will require certain kinds of equipment and budgetary support. The Editor will need a computer, scanner, appropriate publishing software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat), and institutional support to cover occasional miscellaneous expenses (e.g., telephone). We encourage anybody interested in applying to contact the current Editor, Gordon Thompson, to discuss the position and its requirements.
Applicants should submit a statement describing (1) their relevant technical skills, such as experience with desktop publishing and new media; (2) previous editorial and/or administrative experience; (3) assurance that appropriate time and support will be available; (4) a brief narrative of their training and experience in ethnomusicology; and (5) their ideas about how the Newsletter might develop and what it might encompass under their editorship to best serve SEM specifically and the field of ethnomusicology generally. Applicants should also submit a curriculum vitae and the names of three potential referees (including the applicant’s immediate superior, if applicable).
Potential Editors must be members of the Society for Ethnomusicology. SEM welcomes nominations from Society members (nominees must also submit all required materials) and encourages applications from women and minorities.
A search committee, comprising Ruth Stone (Chair, Publications Advisory Committee), Margaret Sarkissian (1stVice President, SEM Board), and Steve Stuempfle (SEM Executive Director)will review the applications and make recommendations to the SEM Board of Directors for appointment. The deadline for receipt of applications is March 15, 2014.Please send all materials to Steve Stuempfle at .