Acting, Assistant Professor

Tenure Track Faculty Position 

Department of Theatre & New Dance 

College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences  

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty ASSISTANT PROFESSOR position in the Theatre and New Dance Department in an area related to the study and/or promotion of Acting.

Cal Poly Pomona is one of three polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 12 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students have participated in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive, relevant, and values diverse perspectives and experiences. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn-by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model. 

The university is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The university’s nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus’s more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 Baccalaureate and 29 Master’s degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership. 

Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 3 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 28 best value college in the nation by Money Magazine. Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility, and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.  

The Cal Poly Pomona campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour’s drive of beaches, mountains and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu, and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population.  California residents comprise the majority (96%) of applicants to undergraduate programs at Cal Poly Pomona – nearly half (49%) of new students were transfers in Fall 2020.  58% of Cal Poly Pomona students are first generation, 70% receive financial aid, and 44% qualify as Pell-eligible.  The university enrolls a diverse student body that identifies as 49% Latinx, 21% Asian, 15% White, 3% Black, 5% International, 3% two or more races, 3% unknown, and less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander and less than 1% Native American Indigenous. 39% of the student body were STEM majors with the top enrolled programs including psychology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biology and computer science.

Inclusive Excellence Criteria.  We aspire to be the model inclusive polytechnic university in the nation. We have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and to educational experiences that leverage the diverse perspectives and experiences needed to succeed and thrive in a diverse society. 

Tenure track faculty hires will demonstrate a commitment and record of contributions through their teaching, scholarship, or service to these inclusive excellence criteria (a minimum of two must be addressed in the Student Success Statement):

1. Integrates the values of equity and inclusivity into their teaching, scholarship and/or service contributions with diverse student populations;

2. Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups and communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions;

3. Adopts teaching strategies that support the learning and success of students from diverse student populations;

4. Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities;

5. Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities;

6. Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline;

7. Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education;

8. Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities;

9. Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and

10. Has expertise in or demonstrated commitment to teaching, scholarship and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education.

Cal Poly Pomona's College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS) brings to life a vibrant hands-on experience through disciplines in the humanities, performing arts, and social sciences. As the heart and soul of the campus, the College’s mission is to cultivate one’s intellectual development, ethical reasoning, and aesthetic sensibility to support creative and critical thinking in a dynamic world of competing challenges. We are a community diverse in backgrounds, expertise, and thought, committed to improving the human condition and to bettering the world. Our faculty, students, and staff are devoted to creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive through the College's programs, research activities, creative performances, community outreach, and signature experiences. Learn more about the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences and our 12 distinct departments at www.cpp.edu/class. 

The Department of Theatre & New Dance is a vibrant and rapidly growing collegial group of students, faculty, and staff who are working together to facilitate the growth towards artistic excellence of our students in their pursuits towards a Bachelor of Arts degree.  As a diverse, collegial, and vibrant group, our personalities are large and our energy is high.  We are committed to integrating our values of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in our teaching practices and in the creation of six to eight departmental theatrical and dance productions and other varied interdisciplinary artistic endeavors.  Our location in Los Angeles County allows faculty and students the opportunities to explore diverse opportunities across the entertainment industry mediums. 

Position description: The position is a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Acting to begin Fall 2023.   The position involves teaching all levels of acting and voice classes and other General Education theatre courses as well as specialties dependent upon the successful candidate’s skills and interests.  This position involves directing productions on the University Theatre Mainstage, the Studio Theatre, collaboration in the acting curriculum, and participation in university, college and departmental governance, curriculum development, student advising, and committee work. 

Minimum requirements include:   

• M.F.A., PhD, or equivalent terminal degree conferred by the start date of the position.
• A commitment and a record of contributions to student success through the applicant’s teaching, scholarship, or service. This will be described in the Student Success Statement, which must address at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above.  
• A currently active professional theatre resume, particularly in acting 
• A demonstrated ability to teach acting and voice. 
• Demonstrated directing experience. 
• Knowledge of a broad spectrum of classical and modern, western, and non-western genres and styles. 
• Eligibility for membership in professional unions (AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AGMA, AGVA). 

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:   

• Preference will be given to candidates with at least two years college teaching experience and the proven ability to teach acting, improvisation, directing, other courses, especially those inclusive of the diverse components in the curriculum and productions. 
• Demonstrated experience teaching beginning and advanced acting and voice. 
• All Performance styles and methodologies will be considered. 
• Various Voice and Speech/Dialect methodologies will be considered: 
  • Voice: Linklater, Fitzmaurice, Roy Hart, Lessac, etc. 
  • Speech/Dialect: Louis Colaianni, Knight-Thomspon, etc. 
• Additional training, certifications, and experience will be considered added value. 

Conditions of Employment:

The person offered this position is required to pass a background check.

The CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ . Questions regarding the policy may be sent to avpfa@cpp.edu.

Application Process:  

A completed application will consist of 

• Cover letter in which you summarize your interest in the position, relevant experience, and how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications; 
• A Student Success Statement (up to 2 pages, single-spaced) about your teaching or other experiences, successes, and challenges in working with a diverse student population.  Please address at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed above; 
• Curriculum vitae; 
• Teaching Philosophy statement (2-page max); 
• At least two letters of recommendation, 
• The names and contact information for at least three individuals who can serve as references; 
• Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, official transcripts will be required of finalists). 

Finalists for the position will be required to provide

• official transcripts for highest degree before the on-campus interview;  
• an additional letter of recommendation dated within the last two years 
  • At least one letter of recommendation (of the three total) should specifically address teaching. 
• Final candidates being interviewed will be expected to teach a sample class split between acting and voice.    

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than 02 October 2022.   

Please direct inquiries to Search Committee Chair, Bernardo Solano at bsolano@cpp.edu.  

Applications accepted only via PageUp – online application portal - for University hires.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. The university seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing. Cal Poly Pomona subscribes to all state and federal regulations and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and covered veteran status. The university hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. As required by the Clery Disclosure Act, the university prepares a public annual security report.