Assistant Professor, Spanish/Latin American Studies

Position Title   Assistant Professor, Spanish/Latin American Studies

Open Internally or Externally External

If faculty, tenure track status Tenure Track

Reports to (title)         Associate Dean

Department    Div of Humanities & Languages (School of Humanities)-2F0

Requisition Number    F20004

Position Type Replacement

Job Category   Faculty

FT/PT   Full-time

Initial Work Location Varies

Starting Salary             $44,394-$66,591/academic yr.

Job Open Date            09/17/2020

Job Close Date           

Open Until Filled         Yes

Priority Review Date   10/24/2020

 

Job Summary

 

“Salt Lake Community College will be a model for inclusive and transformative education, strengthening the communities we serve through the success of our students.” (SLCC Vision Statement)

 

Salt Lake Community College educates more than 60,000 students each year – few institutions in Utah have a more significant impact on the state’s economy, workforce and education pipeline. SLCC is a place where high school graduates can take their first step into higher education, and where students can receive training and learn skills to take them directly into the workforce. SLCC is dedicated to engaging and supporting students from all cultures, abilities, and ages, including underserved, first generation, and refugee students, as well as English language learners from around the world. About 70% of SLCC students work while attending college, 56% are the first in their family to attend college, and 25% are from ethnic minorities. Rapidly changing student demographics, with increases in students from Hispanic/Latino/Latina backgrounds, have made the imperative to close achievement gaps for students of color a top priority for the entire college.

 

Salt Lake Community College seeks to attract an active, culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber, with demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, professional growth, and service. The successful applicant will join an innovative, collaborative, and diverse academic division, whose members are dedicated, knowledgeable professionals and skilled teachers in their respective fields. They participate in their professional communities, locally and nationally, excelling as scholars and reflective teachers. SLCC faculty members actively serve students in developing the knowledge and skills they need to lead meaningful, engaged lives, including successful and rewarding careers in the area of their choosing.

 

The Humanities and Languages (HuLa) Division is situated in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, strongly committed to social justice and issues of equity. The division includes programs in World Languages, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Humanities, American Sign Language-Interpreting, and International Studies. We offer beginning and intermediate courses in Spanish, Japanese, French, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, and Russian, and are extending our collaboration with the University of Utah to offer Less Commonly Taught Languages, specifically Vietnamese and Nahuatl, through distance education, in order to build programs in Latin American Studies and Asian Studies. As Utah’s Dual Language Immersion students enter college, we are expanding our “bridge” courses, to build on these students’ existing competency and further prepare them for advanced work at 4-year institutions and expanded employment opportunities. We offer “Spanish for Healthcare Professionals” to meet an important workforce need, and “Spanish for Spanish Speakers” to assist students, heritage speakers and others with advanced speaking skills, to achieve true bilingualism. We also have Culture and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) courses in Spanish, with CLAC courses in other languages on the way. Our International Studies courses allow faculty to teach culture and literature in English, in their area of broad specialization; they are encouraged to offer a simultaneous CLAC segment in the target language. We are looking for a colleague who will contribute to existing initiatives and also bring experience and interest in building opportunities for undergraduate research.

 

The faculty member will teach 14-15 credit hours per semester (30 per academic year) of Spanish Language and Latin American Studies classes as assigned by the division’s associate dean. Faculty members are also expected to contribute to SLCC and the HuLa division by attending forums, meetings, and significant College and division events; serving on College and division committees; advising and mentoring adjunct faculty; developing, revising, and conducting courses in the Spanish language (including hybrid and online modalities), Latin American Studies, and International Studies. Professional development in the faculty member’s area of expertise, and in pedagogical fields, is both required and supported by the College and division. Full-time faculty members teach day, evening, and weekend classes in accordance with established guidelines and policies, in addition to maintaining regular office hours and an on-campus presence.

Utah’s natural beauty, economic vitality, and nationally recognized schools offer residents an incredible quality of life. Salt Lake Community College is located in the Salt Lake Valley, nestled in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. Salt Lake City is the cultural heart of Utah, rich in educational resources, sporting events, arts, music, and entertainment. Utah’s exceptional economy includes a thriving tech industry and the burgeoning “silicon slopes.” The state’s scenic red rock country, vast national parks, and world-class skiing make it a year-round destination for people from all over the world.

 

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

 

Teaching

 

1. a) Conducts assigned courses in accordance with accepted best pedagogical practices to maximize student learning.
2. b) Consistently improves course quality, design, and course integrity through participation in College, division, and program assessments of student learning, and in accordance with advancement through the pre- and post-tenure process.
3. c) Supports the College’s mission, vision, and values by incorporating appropriate cultural material representing a broad variety of ethnicities, national origins, socioeconomic groups and other identities, in additional to using inclusive pedagogical practices in the classroom.
4. d) Collaborates as appropriate with program, division, and College colleagues to ensure consistency in policies and placement, as well as in course syllabi, pedagogy, assignments, ePortfolio work, testing, grading, and so forth.
5. e) Teaches assigned classes at the scheduled time and place and meets required contact hours.
6. f) Maintains and posts teaching schedule and a minimum of five consultation hours per week. Maintains a significant campus presence to respond to instructional and daily needs of students and the program, division, and College.
7. g) Responds to student inquiries and emails in a timely fashion (usually within two business days).
8. h) Responds to student concerns or complaints in accordance with program, division, and College policy and procedure.
9. i) Prepares and administers student assessments. Provides appropriate and timely feedback per division and College standards.
10. j) Maintains accurate and complete student attendance records, grades, and other classroom documentation as applicable. Grades must be maintained on the College’s learning management system.
11. k) Provides ADA accommodations in accordance with College policy.
12. l) Is available to teach courses as determined by program, division, and College needs.

 

Service to the program, division, and College:

 

1. a) All full-time faculty members are expected to assume leadership responsibilities consistent with the needs of the program, division, and College, and in accordance with advancement through the pre- and post-tenure process.
2. b) Participates in strategic planning and in the implementation of program, division, and College initiatives, including College promotion, the creation of articulation agreements with other Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions, and Pathways efforts.
3. c) Participates in regular program and division reviews. Evaluates and revises program requirements and offerings on an ongoing basis.
4. d) Actively participates in updating and developing new curriculum and related activities.
5. e) Provides leadership and instructional integrity through collaboration with full-time colleagues and part-time and concurrent enrollment instructors. Participates in the hiring process, provides mentoring and support, observes classes, reviews teaching and assessment materials, and assists in training and evaluating program and division instructors.
6. f) Develops and participates in student recruitment and retention strategies, and assumes an active role in the student advising process, through contact with students, the preparation of advising materials, and interaction with College advisors.
7. g) Develops, coordinates, analyzes and reports regular assessments of student learning in accordance with College, accreditation, and State requirements.
8. h) Helps foster strong community relations, through initiatives such as service learning, cultural demonstrations, field experiences, or other community outreach events.
9. i) Serves on program, division, and College committees, administrative bodies, collaborative work teams, etc., developing a more comprehensive vision of the program, division, and College over time, and contributing accordingly.
10. j) Participates in required college events unless excused by the associate dean.
11. k) May assist in the preparation of class schedules.
12. l) May participate in budget reporting and management. Duties may include identifying budgetary needs and priorities within the program, division, or College; researching large-scale purchases to determine current program technology, equipment, and supplies.
13. m) Assists with prior learning assessment and reporting as needed.
14. n) Reports maintenance issues for classrooms and equipment to appropriate areas.
15. o) Maintains inventory, if appropriate, of equipment, tools, supplies, and storage/disposal of hazardous materials required for classes, and requests appropriate equipment repair.

 

Professional Development

1. a) Maintains educational credentials and professional skills appropriate to the teaching assignment and consistent with program, division, and College initiatives.
2. b) Expands knowledge in discipline, current accepted best pedagogical practices, and assessment of student learning outcomes on an ongoing basis, consistent with advancement through the pre- and post-tenure process.
3. c) Demonstrates significant reflection on teaching practices, professional development, and service work, focusing on the dialogic nature of the review process and the overlap and interweaving of these multiple aspects of a well-rounded professional life.
4. d) Creates and maintains an ePortfolio in accordance with the College’s review procedures.

 

Preferred Qualifications        

 

1. a) Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics (with possible emphasis in language assessment, second language pedagogy, or second language acquisition), Hispanic Linguistics (Theoretical or Applied), or comparable field, from an accredited college or university.
2. b) Coursework, experience, and training in current language pedagogy (including f2f, hybrid, online, competency-based) and assessment.

• Student teaching evaluations and letters of recommendation that demonstrate superior teaching in language courses and student-centered pedagogy.
• Experience developing and conducting hybrid and online language courses using current best pedagogical practices and tools.
• Teaching experience at a community college.

1. c) A demonstrated, on-going commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice.

• Theoretical understanding or demonstrated success in applying inclusive pedagogy in all course-related practices, and in improving access for, and completion of, students from communities traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
• Experience employing critical linguistics to ground curriculum and pedagogical practices, to emphasize the relationship between linguistic structure (language), social interactions, and power relations.

1. d) Ability to create and teach courses such as Spanish for Professions, Latin American Studies, or Heritage Spanish.
2. e) Language instruction capability in another language.
3. f) Experience in SLO (Student Learning Outcome) assessment for language programs.
4. g) Ability to create opportunities for student research and mentor students undertaking research. h) Experience successfully fostering strong community relations.

 

Minimum Qualifications        

 

1. a) Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics (with possible emphasis in language assessment, second language pedagogy, or second language acquisition), Hispanic Linguistics (Theoretical or Applied), or comparable field, from an accredited college or university.
2. b) Native level of fluency in Spanish, or a ranking of Advanced-Mid or higher as scored by an official Oral Proficiency Interview of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
3. c) A record of successful language teaching for 40 credit hours or more at the college level.

(Note: Applicant must indicate number of credit hours taught for all full or part-time teaching for those credits to be counted.)

 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities  

 

1. a) Able to work and communicate effectively with diverse SLCC community members, including students, staff, and faculty, from a broad range of academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and ability backgrounds.
2. b) Demonstrates understanding of the scholarship, theory, and practice of foreign language pedagogy and of best practices for face-to-face, hybrid, and online modalities.
3. c) Demonstrates knowledge of and commitment to inclusive pedagogy in all delivery methods.
4. d) Becomes familiar with and abides by SLCC policies and procedures.
5. e) Completes required department paperwork on time.
6. f) Completes/attends required College, division, and program trainings; participates where possible in other trainings, as appropriate.
7. g) Responds to division and College inquiries and emails in a timely fashion (usually within two business days).
8. h) Native or near-native level of fluency in English.

           

Special Instructions    

 

All applications submitted by the priority review date (Oct 20, 2020) are guaranteed first consideration by the committee.

 

The search committee requires the following documents to be submitted online as part of the application:

 

1. a) A letter of interest addressing how the candidate meets the required and preferred qualifications;
2. b) A copy of the candidate’s current curriculum vitae;
3. c) A Statement of Teaching Philosophy;
4. d) Copies of university transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are fine for screening purposes, but official copies are required before hiring;
5. e) Student evaluations of teaching.

 

Applicants selected for an interview will be asked to send three confidential letters of recommendation, and may be asked to participate in a teaching demonstration and to provide an academic portfolio. If necessary, the selected finalist will complete an oral proficiency examination (OPI) before hiring. The committee will notify the selected candidates when appropriate.

 

SLCC HR Dept will conduct criminal background checks on the selected finalist. In addition, Official Transcripts from the selected finalist are required before offering employment.

 

Faculty salaries are commensurate upon higher education and experience. SLCC offers a comprehensive benefits package for FT Faculty members. Please review SLCC’s Benefits Summary located on our jobsite’s webpage: https://jobs.slcc.edu.

 

Apply online at: http://jobs.slcc.edu/postings/47440

 

FLSA    Exempt

SLCC Information       

 

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is fully committed to policies of equal employment and nondiscrimination. The College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, religion, protected veteran status, expression of political or personal beliefs outside of the workplace, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

 

SLCC is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”).

 

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check.