Call for Editor-in-Chief

Position Summary: The Editor-in-Chief is primarily responsible for coordinating all aspects of preparing four issues of the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration (JPRA) for publication each year. This includes activities such as soliciting manuscripts, previewing manuscripts, assigning manuscripts to associate editors and reviewers, working with reviewers to ensure timely reviews, and assisting authors in revisions. Additionally, the editor is responsible for identifying and working with a team of associate editors and guest editors as needed for special/ themed issues. A stipend is provided yearly to recognize the efforts of this position.

 

Essential Job Duties:

• Guarantee a high-quality scholarly publication that encompasses the broad reach of the outdoor recreation, education, and leadership field.
• Actively solicit manuscripts and coordinate and manage all aspects of the manuscript review process (acknowledge receipt of manuscript via Sagamore-Venture Publishing’s manuscript management tool; make initial determination related to the manuscript appropriateness; send out manuscripts for review in a timely manner; based upon reviews, make final decisions on the status of submissions; compose notifications to authors; ensure that the review process, from submission to review, acceptance or rejection, is professional and timely).
• Work with and support authors on manuscript content, quality, and The editor is especially encouraged to work with new writers who are enthusiastic, but less experienced.
• Facilitate development of special/themed issues, including coordination with guest
• Facilitate the preparation of each issue (prepare manuscripts for review edits by copy editor and conduct final edit prior to publication).
• Recruit and continually retain a sufficient number of competent and dedicated reviewers and associate
• Maintain and meet reasonable and regular deadlines associated with the

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in a related field of study
• Tenured faculty member with sufficient time available to fulfill journal responsibilities
• Demonstrated record of high quality, scholarly productivity in the field
• Knowledge of current scholarship in the fields of interest
• Knowledge of other academic journals in the fields relevant to JPRA
• Interest in working closely with authors and their writing
• Demonstrated record of journal publications in a field related to park and recreation administration
• Ability to work independently
• Skills in organization, delegation, and handling a multitude of tasks simultaneously; ability to commit regular blocks of time to the tasks
• Respect for, yet flexibility toward, deadlines
• Computer skills, particularly word processing and e-mail (except for initial submissions, most correspondence with authors, reviewers, and the copy editor is done electronically via the journal management system)
• Preference will be given to applicants who provide evidence of institutional support for their application (e.g., release time, student assistance, or other considerations)

 

Manuscript Process – Desired Timeline:

Our goal is to conduct the review process as efficiently as possible out of respect for authors and to facilitate the timely dissemination of knowledge. We strive to notify an author(s) of an “acceptance decision” within 90 days of submitting a manuscript, but acknowledge this is not always possible.

Application Process:

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by June 1, 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Please email, as pdf file(s), a letter of interest and complete vitae to: Dr. Chris Wynveen, JPRA Editor-in-Chief,

chris_wynveen@baylor.edu using the subject line: [JPRA] Editor application.

Feel free to send any pre-application questions to Susan Davis at sdavis@sagamorepub.com or Chris Wynveen at chris_wynveen@baylor.edu.

New hire to begin training/working with current Editor-in-Chief as soon as mutually convenient, however no later than

November 1, 2025.

To learn more about the American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration, visit www.aapra.org.