Assistant Professor of Education in Equity-Based Inclusive Elementary and Special Education

Institution Information

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast, and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

The UNH Diversity Resource Guide with information and programming available in the seacoast area, New Hampshire and the region can be found here: https://www.unh.edu/hr/diversity-resource-guide

Summary of Position

The University of New Hampshire Department of Education in the College of Liberal Arts is seeking a tenure-track assistant professor faculty member in Equity-Based Inclusive Elementary and Special Education for Fall semester 2021. The selected candidate will become part of a new B.A. in Educational Studies: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (the EDI), an innovative undergraduate program leading to dual certification in elementary education/special education or elementary education/English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). Given the issues of disproportionality in identification and representation in special education among minoritized youth, the disproportional rates of suspensions for children of color with disabilities, and the ways that poverty and disabilities are inextricably linked, we seek a scholar/educator who is able to infuse an EDI approach throughout their research agenda and all teacher/administrator education courses they teach.

UNH and the Department of Education are committed to supporting and sustaining an educational community that is inclusive, diverse, and justice-oriented. This commitment is inextricably linked to our mission of teaching and research excellence. We strive to foster an accessible, racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse community in which civility and respect are fostered, and discrimination and harassment are not tolerated. We are committed to supporting under-represented groups and dismantling systemic inequality. We accept the responsibility of teaching and learning in a diverse, globally connected democracy where social justice and civic engagement are integral to a quality liberal arts education and a healthy society.

The selected candidate will contribute to a community-family-school-university collaborative and support the ongoing development of practicum and internship sites that provide excellent, inclusive education for all students. We place students in a diverse variety of settings, with partnership schools in small rural communities, seacoast suburban towns, and the immigrant/refugee newcomer cities of Manchester, Nashua, and Concord. Primary teaching assignments will be in the EDI, in courses related to community-responsive curriculum, pedagogies, policies, and/or assessment but the faculty member must be able to teach and advise at the graduate level, including in both our Master’s and Doctoral degree programs.

Additional Job Information

Doctoral degree in education or closely related discipline with a focus on Equity-Based Inclusive Elementary and Special Education.

Must show a demonstrated commitment to collaboratively working with and promoting excellence among diverse communities within and external to the university.

Applicants should be prepared to provide the following at the time of application:

• Cover letter describing a research agenda, as well as teaching and community-based experiences relevant to the job description
• A brief equity, diversity, and inclusion statement that includes concrete examples and evidence of how the candidate’s own research, teaching, or community engagement have both had a positive impact on nondominant groups
• Curriculum vitae
• List of three professional references with full contact information
• Optional documents: a recent syllabus

Cover letters as well as any questions regarding this position, should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Jan Nisbet. Questions about the application process or requirements should be directed to the Department’s Education Senior Administrator, Elaine Walczak (Elaine.Walczak@unh.edu).

Review of applications will begin January 26, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled. All aspects of the interview process will be virtual.

Acceptable Minimum Qualifications 

The position requires a doctorate in special education and/or elementary education or related field and a research agenda that addresses the ways that multiple factors (race, SES, disability, language) affect students’ and families’ access to equitable and inclusive public education. Strong candidates have a record of serving and partnering with culturally, linguistically diverse and minoritized communities across multiple levels of educational systems. Strong candidates will have an emerging body of research, evidence of high impact publications, and strong potential for acquiring research funding to support research, teaching, and engagement activities.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

Proficiency in two or more languages.

To view description and apply, visit https://jobs.usnh.edu/postings/38371

Special Instructions to Applicants

INTERFOLIO USERS: If using Interfolio to submit letters of reference, please follow the special instructions at this link: https://pa-hrsuite-production.s3.amazonaws.com/2729/docs/126635.pdf.

Instructions for reference providers can be access at: https://support.interfolio.com/m/29600/l/266335-submit-a-letter-of-recommendation-to-interfolio.

Special Requirements

A background check will be required as a condition of employment.

Departmental Information

The Department of Education’s mission is to engage in research, teaching, and service that advances education through a range of interdisciplinary “community as curriculum” studies that include: literacy education in local and international schools and community settings; public-private partnerships that support a strong network of schools, hospitals, museums, cultural institutions; libraries that engage the public in humanities, science, and social science activities; and studies in ethics, economic equity, education and the law, and transitional justice. Current curriculum partners for our methods and foundations courses include Indigenous New Hampshire (https://indigenousnh.com), the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (http://blackheritagetrailnh.org), and UNH-4U, a program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (https://iod.unh.edu/projects/unh-4u).

The College of Liberal Arts is the largest of the university’s colleges and plays a prominent role across a wide range of university programs, centers and institutes. The college offers distinctive, experiential programs taught by world-class faculty and takes great pride in its devotion to scholarly research and commitment to teaching, combining the best of a traditional liberal arts education with cutting-edge instruction in emerging fields. Liberal arts faculty include Guggenheim Scholars, Carnegie Fellows, Kennedy Fellows, Fulbright Scholars, and some of the most influential scholars, creative artists, and scientists in their fields. Nationally recognized centers, such as the Crimes Against Children Research Center and Prevention Innovations Research Center, reside in the college. More information about the college can be found at https://cola.unh.edu/.

For more information about the UNH Department of Education and its programs: https://cola.unh.edu/education.

As the state’s flagship research university, UNH serves that mission through strong academic and co-curricular programs that prepare students to mindfully and productively engage in the challenges facing the region, the nation, and the world. Classified as Carnegie Research Very High (R1), UNH is in the top 20 percent nationwide in research funding, and faculty members in COLA produce over $5.5 million in sponsored research annually.

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or marital status, genetic information, and political orientation. Application by members of all underrepresented groups is encouraged. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the U.S.