Ranked Renewable Term Faculty Position, General Education Course "Gateway to Belonging"

Description

The Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost invites applications for five full time, ranked renewable term faculty (open-rank) for the new university-wide “Gateway to Belonging at OU” course focused on building cultural fluency, understanding our collective experiences and histories, and building an inclusive community. This new course will be part of the General Education curriculum and is required for all incoming first-year and transfer students. The course will help students gain an understanding of the wide range of perspectives, values, and experiences they and others hold, building an intercultural awareness and appreciation of difference that will allow them to interact more effectively with others.

Course objectives:

• Cultural Fluency: Students will gain an understanding of diverse perspectives from people of many social locations, including identities, cultures, abilities/disabilities, and social backgrounds.
• Critical Thinking: Students will explore how they have formed their opinions and beliefs about themselves and others and determine the difference between beliefs, values, opinions, and facts.
• Civil Discourse: Students will master practical skills to interact with others of different beliefs and backgrounds and learn that they can disagree with humility and integrity and a willingness to learn from one another.
• Citizenship: Students will study the important historical dynamics and legacies in the U.S., and the ways in which they shape our experience of belonging and community.
• Community Engagement: Students will discover ways to create a shared vision and values for an inclusive, equitable culture on our campus and beyond, and practice engagement on campus and in the wider community.

Successful candidates will be appointed as ranked renewable term faculty, members of the Regular Faculty that are not tenure-track or tenured, but participate fully in faculty governance except tenure deliberations. Each new hire will be placed in an academic unit related to their field of scholarship/creative activity (including but not limited to: African and African-American Studies, Anthropology, Communication, Education, Film and Media Studies, Geography, History, Honors, Journalism and Mass Communication, Native American Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, Political Science, Religious Studies, Sociology, Women’s and Gender Studies). The term of the initial appointment is three years, and ranked renewable term faculty who meet the appropriate qualification requirements are eligible to be considered for renewal and promotion in rank. The regular teaching load is 3/4, including primarily Gateway to Belonging courses, with typically one course per year in the home department.

We seek candidates who contribute to fostering an inclusive culture in all aspects of faculty responsibility, including within the classroom, the academic community, and within their professional commitments. Successful candidates will have a commitment to excellence in teaching, outstanding teaching credentials, and evidence of successful teaching that promotes inclusive and equitable classroom environments.

The University of Oklahoma is a Carnegie-R1 comprehensive public research university known for excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, serving the educational, cultural, economic and health-care needs of the state, region, and nation from three campuses: the main campus in Norman, the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and the Schusterman Center in Tulsa. OU enrolls over 30,000 students and has more than 2,700 full-time faculty members in 21 colleges. In Fall 2020, approximately 22% of OU’s first year undergraduates were first-generation students and 29% of students belonged to an underrepresented race/ethnic group. Norman is a culturally rich and vibrant town located in the Oklahoma City metro area. With outstanding schools, amenities, and a low cost of living, Norman is a perennial contender on the “Best Places to Live” rankings.

The University of Oklahoma is committed to achieving a diverse, equitable, and inclusive university community by embracing each person’s unique contributions, background and perspectives. The University of Oklahoma recognizes that fostering an inclusive environment for all, with particular attention to the needs of historically marginalized populations, is vital to the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of our institutional mission. This enhances the OU experience for all students, faculty, and staff and for the communities we engage.

Qualifications

Required:

• Doctorate or other terminal research degree 
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion education and best practices in cultural competency
• Record of excellence in teaching 

Preferred:

• Demonstrated effectiveness in
  • Creating equitable and inclusive classroom experiences for students
  • Implementing inclusive pedagogies
• Building community with diverse student populations
• Cultivating enriching discussions and spurring critical thinking among students
  • Engaging students in learning experiences that take place outside of the classroom, for example, service learning and immersive experiences
• Preference will be given to individuals whose scholarship or creative activity has directly addressed the goals of this course

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly describing your interest in the position; 2) current CV; 3) teaching portfolio (see below); and 4) names and contact information for three references. Candidates should have their terminal degree in hand at time of application.

Teaching portfolio must include:

1. Teaching statement that includes a brief discussion of your teaching goals, methods, and strategies, and highlights your experience building inclusive and diverse teaching environments and cultivating enriching discussions with students.
2. Evidence of effectiveness in building inclusive and diverse teaching environments (can include, but is not limited to syllabi and other course materials from courses you have taught, testimonials from students, a list of relevant workshops and/or trainings attended, etc.).
3. A summary of past teaching positions and courses taught.

All application materials should be submitted electronically through Interfolio using the following link: apply.interfolio.com/85344. Inquiries about the position should be addressed to Dr. Lori Snyder, chair of the search committee, at lsnyder@ou.edu. We encourage applicants to apply by April 15, 2021, although applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Starting date is August 1, 2021.

Salary

Salary is competitive and commensurate with background.