Associate Dean of Humanities jobs in Gastonia, NC

Recruitment is for FOUR positions.

NCSSM is ranked as the #1 Public School in the U.S

POSITION NUMBERS: 65031829, 65036000, 65036001, 65036002

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled (priority consideration to applications prior to January 10, 2023)

HIRING SALARY: Commensurate with education and experience

POSITION TYPE: EHRA Faculty, 10-month, 1.0 FTE

The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) invites applications for four full-time Instructors of American Studies and Humanities at its new campus in Morganton, North Carolina. The positions are 10-month, permanent-track appointments with full benefits through the State of North Carolina.

NCSSM and its Academic Programs division foster an environment of collaboration across departments and divisions and support community-engaged service and research. NCSSM is proud of the diversity of its student body, and we seek to attract an equally diverse applicant pool for this position. NCSSM is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, and we are strongly committed to increasing faculty and staff diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as an individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran. If you are an individual with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process, please contact us at hr@ncssm.edu.

Description of Duties:

Founded in 1980, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics is a state-supported residential and online high school for students who have demonstrated exceptional talent or interest in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Since the school’s inception, the humanities and fine arts have been an integral part of an NCSSM education and have played a key role in helping the institution fulfill its mission to cultivate a new generation of informed, empathetic, engaged, and ethical citizens and leaders.

The four positions are full-time, ten-month appointments in the Department of Humanities at the NCSSM-Morganton campus, with full benefits through the State of North Carolina. The positions report to the Chair of Humanities, NCSSM-Morganton, and are responsible for providing instruction in American Studies, senior-level cultural studies courses, and humanities interdisciplinary elective courses, all with an emphasis on critical reading, critical thinking, and academic writing.

The expected teaching assignment for each position is three course sections per semester. The heart of NCSSM Humanities is our American Studies Program, the core experience for all juniors. American Studies doubles as the base of the NCSSM Writing Program, which emphasizes writing-as-reasoning. American Studies at NCSSM-Morganton will take advantage of the campus’s focus on data science to incorporate aspects of data analysis in the study of the American cultural fabric. As seniors, students choose from a variety of courses such as African Studies; Asian Studies; British Literature and Culture; Classical Myth: Epic and Tragedy; Creative Writing, Latin American Studies; Literature and Philosophy in the Twentieth Century; Modern World Fiction; Research in the Humanities; Shakespeare Now; Southern Studies; STEM and the Stage; courses focused on Western European cultures; and various topics courses. Interdisciplinary humanities electives include Black Studies; Critical Race Theory; Digital Humanities; Ecocriticism; Film Studies; Topics in the Study of Religion; Twenty-first Century Media Studies; and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Offerings in our Fine Arts program include studio and performance courses in the visual arts, music, and drama. Our program also includes student- and faculty-led seminars and independent studies.

Humanities faculty are responsible for developing and teaching innovative and engaging humanities curricula, with a focus on interdisciplinary studies, in NCSSM’s residential and highly interactive online programs. Faculty should plan on playing an enthusiastic role with colleagues across all campuses of the school in ongoing conversations and collaborations about ideas, goals, pedagogical methods, and authentic assessments in NCSSM’s teaching and learning environment.

Other responsibilities include:

• Develop and communicate to students clear course objectives and goals;

• Plan and develop an instructional program that helps students assimilate specific course content and skills;

• Hold office hours and tutorial sessions as outlined by the Department of Humanities;

• Regularly monitor and evaluate students’ progress, providing them with resources and feedback on their performance;

• Structure and manage an environment conducive to learning;

• Model for students responsibility to self and others;

• Follow the school’s philosophy, policies, and procedures;

• Participate in departmental, faculty, and staff meetings;

• Serve on departmental, faculty, and school-wide standing committees;

• Write recommendations for as many as 15 students each year, as requested;

• Serve as a January-Term sponsor;

• Participate in professional development and personal intellectual growth activities;

• Participate in one or more of the following activities:

  • Provide professional service and engagement in the field;

  • Assist students with special projects, independent and individual study, and seminar-based studies;

  • Participate in the NCSSM admissions process by recruiting, selecting, and advising prospective students;

  • Participate in NCSSM alumni activities;

  • Provide assistance for school-sponsored programs and extracurricular activities.

Since NCSSM is committed to an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the humanities, applicants should have a wide-ranging knowledge of literature and history and their cultural and social contexts, a passion for teaching and learning, and a love of ideas, combined with a commitment to serving as mentor and guide for students — both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Applicants should be able and willing to use appropriate educational technology to engage students in learning, in both face-to-face and remote settings. Applicants should be dedicated to continual growth, both as teachers and learners. Since all NCSSM faculty and staff are expected to support the intellectual, cultural, emotional, and social growth of students — responsibilities that transcend a traditional high school or college teaching schedule — applicants should bring to the work a keen commitment to participating actively in the multi-dimensional life of the NCSSM community. Since data science is one focus of the academic program at the NCSSM-Morganton campus, we welcome applicants who have interest or experience in using the tools of data analysis in the study of the humanities and social sciences.

Master’s degree in history, English, comparative literature, American Studies, or a related field in the humanities or social sciences, with a proven record of effective and inspiring teaching, preferably with advanced high school or undergraduate students. Successful candidates will have the content knowledge to team-teach American Studies, the core Humanities experience for all NCSSM juniors; the willingness to develop a successful teaching partnership with a co-instructor; and the willingness and ability to work cooperatively and effectively with colleagues to develop and follow shared practices for this multi-section course. Successful candidates will also have the content background and experience to develop and teach solo (or collaboratively) high-interest interdisciplinary humanities courses for NCSSM’s senior students.

Desired:

Experience and/or interest in team-teaching. Experience in teaching writing as a tool and extension of thought, a means by which students integrate and articulate what they have learned. Experience and/or interest in integrating and applying digital tools (specifically the tools of data science) to the study of the Humanities. Willingness to teach in both NCSSM’s residential and online programs, with experience in using appropriate educational technology to engage students in face-to-face and remote settings.

Excellent organizational and collaboration skills. Experience and expertise in individualizing instruction to accommodate the range of students’ experiences and expertise.

The ideal candidate will be eager to participate fully in the wide variety of academic and cultural endeavors our school values, offers, and promotes. An exciting feature of NCSSM’s academic calendar is “January-Term,” consisting of two two-week sessions when faculty members lead intensive learning experiences both on and off campus. The ideal candidate will have the interest and ability to develop and lead these sessions on specialized topics that will appeal to NCSSM students. We also offer opportunities for students to travel domestically and abroad during this period; as such, experience in leading student travel groups and/or the willingness to do so is a definite plus.

About NCSSM:

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) is a world-class public high school with statewide reach empowering academically talented students from diverse backgrounds from every corner of the state to design their own future. We offer residential high school programs in Durham and Morganton for juniors and seniors or virtual high school courses and programs that students can take alongside their local curriculum, all tuition free. Our wide array of summer offerings for rising 5th- through 12th-graders includes free opportunities for in-state students alongside paid options for students from anywhere in the world. NCSSM Extended Learning partners with communities and regions to advance student learning and outcomes.

Specializing in science, technology, engineering, and math, and embracing the fine arts and humanities, NCSSM has become the model for 18 such specialized schools around the globe since its founding in 1980 and is a full constituent of the University of North Carolina System. NCSSM’s Ignite Transform comprehensive campaign seeks to raise $50 million in private support for our mission.

The new NCSSM-Morganton campus opened in 2022 for summer programs and its first fall academic term and focuses on the fields of data science and artificial intelligence, preparing the leaders of tomorrow to navigate a future driven by data and machine learning, with emphasis on the humanistic implications and ethical use of these tools.

Nearly two-thirds of NCSSM graduates earn a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field—more than three times the national average, including 58 percent of our underrepresented minority graduates, which is nearly four times the national average. Nearly three-quarters have earned or are seeking a graduate degree. A 2020 economic impact study found that 54 percent of our alumni continue to live and work in North Carolina, catalyzing nearly $1.3 billion in annual economic activity. NCSSM embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion, and seeks to recruit employees who share these values.

For more information, please read the NCSSM strategic plan and visit ncssm.edu.

How to Apply:

Submit electronic application via: http://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina/. Please create an account, search for the Instructor of American Studies and Humanities position vacancy, and submit the online application.

Please complete your application in full. All required Competencies, Work History, and Credentials must appear on the application in the Education and Work Experience sections of the application to receive consideration during the selection process. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the State Application form in its entirety. “See Attached Resume or an Embedded Text Resume” will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Please attach a cover letter, CV, and statement of teaching philosophy to the online application before submitting.

Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, along with the state application. Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach a NGB 23A (RPAS) if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. If applicants are a former member of the NC National Guard who served for at least six years and was discharged under honorable conditions, they must attach either a DD256 or NGB 22 along with their state application.

Final candidates are subject to criminal and sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require a motor vehicle check. If the highest degree is from an institution outside of the U.S., final candidates are required to have their degree equivalency verified at www.wes.org or equivalent service. NCSSM participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Please refrain from submitting multiple applications. However, if multiple applications are submitted to a posting, only the most recent application received prior to the posting close date will be accepted. There is a 24-hour waiting period before an applicant can re-apply to a position.

If you have questions, please contact Eric Hunsley, Assistant HR Director, at 828-347-9139 or eric.hunsley@ncssm.edu.

NCSSM is an EEO/eVerify/VEVRAA Employer