University of Connecticut, English
*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***
Position Description
INTRODUCTION
The Department of English at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for an Assistant Professor-in-Residence (APiR) who will teach First-Year Writing (FYW) courses, and, as Writing Center Liaison, will oversee the Stamford Campus Writing Center. This position will be located at UConn’s Stamford campus.
Ideal candidates will bring to this position an engaged understanding of recent composition practices, pedagogies, and approaches, as well as experience in and knowledge of writing center administration at the post-secondary level. Desirable areas of primary specialization in writing studies and writing-center studies include cultural rhetorics, literacies, and epistemologies (such as the languages and rhetorics of Black, AAPI, and Latinx communities; community-accountable literacies; and cultural epistemologies). We welcome secondary interests in multimodal composition, technical communication, computing and composition, and empirical research methods in writing and composition studies.
The successful candidate will have responsibilities that include both teaching FYW courses and overseeing the Stamford Campus Writing Center. In FYW, our curriculum is built on an inquiry-based approach to reading, writing, and composing. Students in our courses move through the intellectual tasks of composing to develop contextually sensitive multimodal projects in response to shared and discovered texts. Instructors in FYW at UConn enact pedagogies that foster active and accessible learning in a diverse and inclusive environment.
Administrative assignments for writing center oversight will be equivalent to two courses per year. The Stamford Writing Center serves a diverse student body and supports the work of students in FYW and Writing- (W-) designated courses. It is available to any student who seeks support with composition across the curriculum. As Writing Center Liaison, the successful candidate will oversee several undergraduate peer tutors while working closely with the FYW office, undergraduate advisors, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to develop programming and outreach.
The UConn English Department, active at Storrs and all of UConn’s regional campuses, is home to more than 60 full-time faculty members whose engaged teaching, scholarly reputations, publications, and creative work help make UConn one of the top public institutions in the nation. The Department is especially interested in attracting and hiring faculty who represent the diversity of the student body, as well as those with a demonstrated and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates must articulate an approach for working with first-generation college students, multilingual domestic and international writers, and/or students from historically underserved demographics.
UConn Stamford is an urban campus at the center of one of Fairfield County’s robust business communities, just 45 minutes from New York, which gives students ample opportunities for internships and careers. The campus serves 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, including many first-generation college students. It offers 14 undergraduate majors, including business administration, digital media and design, computer science, and history.
Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. in Rhetoric/Composition, English, or a closely related field by the start date of employment.
- Graduate coursework in rhetoric and composition, linguistics, and/or second language/multilingual writing.
- Experience teaching college-level writing and performing writing-center work at the post-secondary level.
- Evidence of a strong commitment to working with first-generation students, multilingual domestic and international writers, first-generation college students, and/or students from historically underserved demographics.
- Evidence of a deep commitment to supporting diversity, inclusion, and equity in a higher education setting.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Specialization in a subfield of writing studies and/or writing-center studies that engages cultural rhetorics, literacies, and epistemologies.
- Secondary interests and experience with multimodal composition, technical writing, professional communications, computing and composition, and/or empirical research methods in composition.
- Experience with both in-person and online platforms for teaching and writing-center work.
APPOINTMENT TERMS
This is a full-time, nine-month, non-tenure-line position based at the Stamford campus with labor equivalent to teaching seven courses per year. In practical terms, the successful candidate will teach five courses per year (2/3 or 3/2) and will fulfill administrative assignments equivalent to two courses per year. The person holding this position will also be expected to take part in professional development offered through FYW and the Writing Center. This position, which begins on August 23, 2023, may be renewed annually and may lead to long-term, multi-year contracts.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.
TO APPLY
Please apply online through Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/24226 and submit the following application materials:
- Cover letter;
- Curriculum vitae;
- Writing sample;
- Statement of commitment to diversity;
- Brief portfolio of teaching materials (e.g., syllabi, assignment prompts);
- Three letters of reference submitted through Academic Jobs Online.
Review of applications will begin immediately. For full consideration, online applications should be received no later than February 20, 2023. For further information, please feel free to review the following websites:
English Department: https://english.uconn.edu/
First-Year Writing Program: https://fyw.uconn.edu/
Writing Center: https://writingcenter.uconn.edu
At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.
This job will be filled subject to budgetary approval.
All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp
The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.
Application Materials Required:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Writing Samples
- Commitment to Diversity Statement
- Brief portfolio of teaching materials
- Three reference letters (to be submitted online by the reference writers on this site )
Further Info:
215 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4025
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269-4025