Assistant Professor (French)

Job Purpose:

The Modern Languages and Literature Department at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA invites applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor in French language and literature to begin in fall 2024. The successful candidate will be prepared to teach: lower division language (beginning and intermediate French); bridge courses from lower to upper division French (advanced language, introduction to literature, film, or culture); and one or more upper division French seminars per year based on the candidate’s area of specialization and suited to the undergraduate level.

Job Duties:

• Teaching responsibilities include an 18-credit annual course load across the breadth of the French program curriculum, from beginning to advanced levels.

• Teaching responsibilities may also include University Core courses taught in English.

• All members of the department contribute to and participate in student advising, reflective and effective teaching, department assessment and evaluation, academic citizenship, an active and well-defined research agenda, program development, and recruiting - all of which require near-native/native proficiency in English and French in order to be effective.

The Department is committed to an inclusive learning environment and to increasing the diversity of the campus community. In alignment with Gonzaga University’s mission, colleagues should demonstrate, via teaching, research, and/or service, a strong commitment to Gonzaga’s Jesuit, Catholic, and humanistic identity and mission which include issues of social justice, diversity, global engagement, and care for/solidarity with vulnerable and marginalized communities. The successful colleague will demonstrate excellence in reflective, effective, and inclusive teaching of undergraduate French courses. The successful colleague will support and collaborate with the French Program coordinator in student recruitment and program development initiatives.

The Department of Modern Languages and Literature collaborates closely with interdisciplinary programs such as International Studies, Women and Gender Studies, Film Studies. Applicants with evidence of success in contributing to the curriculum of programs outside of their home discipline are encouraged to identify those contributions.

Gonzaga University welcomes teacher-scholars who possess particular sensitivity to inclusive, equity-minded teaching practices and who have demonstrated experience or interest in mentoring undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds and identities, including those historically marginalized in the academy (e.g., first-generation students, students from low-income families, students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities).

The College of Arts and Sciences is committed to inclusive excellence, to increasing the diversity of the campus community, and to supporting traditionally underrepresented students in higher education, especially at a predominantly white institution. We encourage applicants to identify their expertise in issues related to social justice, diversity, global engagement, and care for/solidarity with vulnerable and marginalized communities; we invite them to share evidence of their experiences working with a diverse range of faculty, staff, and students and contributing to a campus climate of inclusivity. 

For more information about the College of Arts and Sciences, please visit: www.gonzaga.edu/casjobs For more information about Gonzaga University’s mission, please visit: www.gonzaga.edu/mission 

Required qualifications:

• Ph.D. in French or closely related field with an open field of specialization in one or more of the following: Literature (18th century or later), Francophone Literature and Culture, Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Postcolonial Studies.

• Evidence of effective and reflective college-level teaching in an undergraduate French program.

• Evidence of French and English near-native/native proficiency and excellent communication skills.

• Evidence of a well-defined research agenda and successful scholarship.

• Evidence of inclusive, equity- and diversity-minded teaching practices 

Desired Qualifications:

• Evidence of success in maintaining and growing an undergraduate French Program.

• Evidence of effective teaching in English, for example, in general education courses, International Studies program, Honors Program, etc.

• Evidence of expertise and scholarly work (publications, conference presentations, trainings, creative projects) in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Demonstrable commitment to issues applicable to diverse populations.

Application Procedure:

To apply, please visit our website at www.gonzaga.edu/jobs, complete an online application, and submit: (1) a cover letter that addresses your qualifications for the position and states how your teaching and scholarship engages with the Gonzaga Mission, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) a statement of language teaching philosophy that demonstrates your responsiveness to the academic and psychosocial needs of students from diverse backgrounds, including evidence of effective and reflective college-level teaching in an undergraduate French program, (4) student evaluations from at least two different French courses (5), unofficial copies of graduate school transcripts, (6) names and contact information of three professional references, (7) a statement on inclusive, equityminded teaching with a focus on Gonzaga’s humanistic identity and mission.

Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Ben Semple, French Program Search Committee, modernlanguages@gonzaga.edu. For assistance with your online application, call 509-313-5966. Review of applications will begin on Nov. 30, 2023. Preliminary interviews will be conducted via Zoom. 

Gonzaga University is a Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic institution, and is therefore interested in candidates who will contribute to its distinctive mission. Gonzaga University is a committed EEO/AA employer and diversity candidates are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their disability status and/or protected veteran status. Applicants with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations to complete the application or hiring process should contact Human Resources (509) 313-5996.