The Black Film Center and Archive, a center within The Media School, was established in 1981 as the first archival repository dedicated to collecting, preserving, and making available historically and culturally significant films by and about Black people.
The BFCA's primary objectives are to promote scholarship on Black film and to serve as an open resource for scholars, researchers, students, and the general public; to encourage creative film activity by independent Black filmmakers; and to undertake and support research on the history, impact, theory, and aesthetics of Black film traditions.
This position reports to the director of the BFCA and will work closely with the director, archivist, archival staff, student hourly staff, and campus partners.
Department specific responsibilities
- Assists with the acquisition, processing, preservation, and management of paper, photographic, and audiovisual archival collections, including, but not limited to cataloging, scanning, re-housing, routine inspection of collection materials, vault management, collection assessment, and conservation treatment.
- Supports the development and maintenance of internal and external collection records and descriptive resources, including, but not limited to inventories, databases, finding aids, and catalog records.
- Performs tasks to support reference assistance and collection access to faculty, students, researchers, and others, via tours, online or by phone.
- Researches, writes, edits, and provides content for the BFCA blog, newsletter, website, and print publications to promote the BFCA's collections, exhibitions, curation, programming, and preservation work.
- Supports the planning, promotion, and execution of the BFCA's public events, exhibitions, and programs.
General responsibilities
- Leads the management of physical archive collections. Creates and maintains classification systems and finding aids to facilitate access to the collections. Oversees photograph digitization projects including the creation of metadata for online database of photographs. Manages processing of large donations of personal papers and other donated documents.
- Uploads archival documents and other historical materials into the library's digital repository. Analyzes the content of the materials and entering appropriate metadata for each article.
- Digitizes appropriate archival material and uploads into the library's digital repository. Analyzes the content of the material, determining the appropriate method of digitization and the appropriate metadata to describe the material. Works closely with the repository's steering committee to create new digital collections and expand the repository's content.
- Evaluates the most damaged and deteriorated library materials and determines appropriate repair and enclosure treatments based on accepted conservation practices. Responsible for all necessary preservation activities, including the construction of phase boxes.
- Oversees the management and the preparation of library materials for binding by overseeing the collection and organization of issues/volumes to be sent to the library's commercial bindery, using software provided by the bindery.
Coordinates and processes items being transferred to other facilities. - Uses and configures digital repository, digital preservation, data management, content management, and discovery systems, including open-source solutions.
- Hires, trains, and supervises hourly or temporary workers. Makes process improvement suggestions.
Non-IU employee application
Current IU employee application
The Media School at Indiana University is built on a decades-long tradition of journalism, film, media, and communication at one of the nation's premier public universities. Our programs focus on teaching, researching, and creating media from academic, creative, and professional perspectives. The Media School is committed to building and supporting a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community of students, faculty, and staff.
This position is a new addition to The Media School's academic advising team and reports to the Director of Student Services.
Please note: This position is only available to current IU staff.
Department-specific responsibilities
- In addition to the advising responsibilities outlined below, an estimated 30% of this position's responsibilities will be administrative:
- Supports onboarding new advisors by tracking progress through the training process, scheduling training sessions, confirming comprehension, and providing training on Media School-specific processes.
- Coordinates ongoing training activities and workshops for academic advisors.
- In the absence of the director of student services, serves as the primary contact for advising-related student complaints, addressing concerns and resolving issues when possible.
General responsibilities
- Provides academic counseling for students pursuing or considering majors, minors, or certificates. Guides students in planning their course of study in concert with the departments' curricular requirements; explains curriculum requirements and school and campus policies.
- Meets with students in groups and one-on-one to guide students in academic programs that will meet their educational needs and the requirements of their chosen major, minor, and/or certificate. Assesses student satisfaction and engagement with advising and recommends improvements in practice.
- Assists students in making informed decisions about a choice of major and potential career or graduate school direction; helps students to assess their interests, values, and academic skills and to understand these in relation to major choice and potential future career/graduate school options.
- Teaches students how to navigate university systems, academic processes, and policies; empowers student accountability in academic decisions about courses, career direction, and long-term plans; and provides guidance on avenues for increased involvement as an IU student and in the IU community.
Refers students to appropriate campus resources, such as academic support resources, placement programs, internship and overseas study opportunities, etc. - Tracks and monitors students' academic progress, reviews and maintains confidential student records to ensure that students meet requirements and to document advising discussions, and communicates this information in a timely manner to students and to appropriate academic offices when necessary.
- Represents the advising function as a presenter at campus meetings and recruiting functions; assists in developing written advising materials for use in student events. Assesses the effectiveness of messaging and timing of communications related to advising topics and technologies.
- Researches, recommends, or creates best practices for unit or campus initiatives, projects, processes, or programs and regularly provides guidance to other Academic Advisors.
- Roles above the Core career level may include expanded duties and leadership and/or higher expectations of performance in line with the campus advising ecosystem.
Current IU employee applicaiton
