Director for Center of Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring

Western Colorado University invites applications for the inaugural Director for the Center of Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring (CTLM).  The successful candidate is highly collaborative, innovative, integrative, and supportive of faculty development across all career stages in their continued growth in the craft of teaching and mentoring students and each other.  The CTLM Director works to aid faculty in the design, implementation, and assessment of classes and curriculum relevant to societal needs.  The Director reports to the Associate Provost.  Western Colorado University is a public institution with an enrollment of ~3,700 graduate and undergraduate students, the majority of which reside on the campus and in the community.  With average class sizes of 17 students, faculty and staff share a strong commitment to inclusivity and personalized, immersive education. They are student-oriented, collegial, energetic, and engaged in the campus and community. Western is committed to continual growth in regard to diversity, equity, and inclusivity and promotes participation in DEI initiatives from students, faculty, staff, and the community. Please see our diversity statement, and our DEI Committee charge.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the development, establishment, and assessment of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring according to the newly adopted 2023-2028 Strategic Plan;
• Elevating the visibility and reach of the Center by engaging the campus-wide undergraduate and graduate faculty community, research librarians, and IT personnel in coordinating innovative and inclusive pedagogical training opportunities, faculty learning communities, guest speakers, workshops, teaching observations, individualized consultations for syllabi, course delivery, and providing other forms of formative feedback;
• Exploring the establishment of a "teaching laboratory" or "methods studio" to provide faculty with opportunities to practice new methods with mentoring from experienced teachers;
• In collaboration with IT personnel, train faculty through offering instructional design workshops and individual support in effective use of instructional technologies supported by the institution and helping design and deliver new faculty orientation;
• Creating, implementing, and assessing—through consultation with faculty and administration—mentoring networks that support faculty of all ranks;
• Supporting faculty, departments, and programs with assessment of student learning outcomes as they relate to general education courses, discipline assessment reports, and program reviews;
• Staying current in the field through researching existing publications, engaging professional networks, contributing to current research in best practices and trends in higher education instruction, and participating in ongoing professional development;
• Collaborating with Academic Affairs, Marketing, and Admissions to generate and maintain robust internal and external webpages for the Center, including its mission and vision, resources on a wide variety of topics of interest to the community, innovative faculty highlights, external professional development opportunities, and other items to support inclusive excellence in teaching and learning;
• Working with faculty and staff to identify and pursue grant funding to support the mission of the CTLM; managing CTLM budget;
• Teaching one to two courses annually.

Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited institution and a minimum of four years of experience as an instructional faculty or staff member in higher education, including online and/or hybrid instruction. Successful candidates will have

• Experience with researching, implementing and assessing, pedagogical solutions including educational technology;
• A record of teaching excellence;
• Documented evidence of technological expertise in an educational setting, including an informed awareness of emerging technologies in the area of AI;

• Demonstrated record of resourceful and effective approach to major tasks and ability to bring projects to timely completion;
• The ability to prioritize multiple tasks and shifting priorities;
• Strong communication, critical thinking, and information literacy skills;
• Evidence of exceptional interpersonal skills and multicultural skills in the workplace;
• Ability to use of video meeting software for administrative and teaching purposes.

Preferred Qualifications:  Ph.D. or other terminal degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 2 years of experience in delivering faculty development training in pedagogical innovation and/or instructional design at the university level.  Preferred candidates will have

• terminal degree in education, curriculum and instruction, curriculum design, higher education leadership, organizational leadership, online education, or a related field;
• Knowledge of contemporary learning theory and high impact teaching and mentoring practices;
• Significant experience in designing engaging Canvas courses and use of its tools;
• Certificate or formal post graduate education in instructional design and assessment; 
• Experience with creating and delivering education programs in residential, hybrid/blended, and online classrooms;
• Ability to collaborate using Office 365 and other tools for team projects;
• Experience with developing and receiving grants, programs and/or partnerships;
• Experience working with creating inclusive pedagogies for all, especially students from first generation and/or from communities historically marginalized within higher education. 

Compensation:  The annual salary range is $65,000 – $68,000 (Depending on experience and qualifications) and is FLSA exempt.  Position is eligible for an excellent benefits package including health and dental insurance plans with low co-pays and low out of pocket maximums, generous paid time off, a shared contribution retirement plan and, following one year of employment, tuition benefits.  Professional development is valued, encouraged, and supported. Additional benefits of employment include four weeks of paid vacation with an additional eleven paid state holidays. This is primarily an on-campus, in-person position.

What you need to apply: Required attachments for the online application include a one-page letter of application, CV, and an essay (two pages, double-spaced maximum) demonstrating evidence of how your qualifications position you to be successful in creating a campus culture that values and has access to resources that promote engaging and effective teaching and mentoring.

Contact: Associate Provost, Dr. Kelsey Bennett, with position-specific questions: kbennett@western.edu

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a successful candidate is hired.  Start date is negotiable, but preferable no later than Nov 1, 2024.

Note: Official transcripts (unopened or delivered directly to HR) are required upon hire; copies/scans submitted during application will not serve the purpose of official transcripts upon hire.

Additional Information on Western and Gunnison/Crested Butte

The University is located in Gunnison, Colorado, a rural community 200 miles southwest of Denver and the gateway to Crested Butte, a world class ski community.  K-12 students are served by the award-winning Gunnison Watershed School District. Both communities value the arts, quality of life, community-based wrap around services for children and adults, and continued personal growth and learning opportunities. At an elevation of 7,700 feet in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Gunnison Valley provides exceptional year-round outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities including summer arts and music festivals, mountain biking, skiing, kayak/rafting, rock climbing, hiking and camping… all within minutes of the campus.

Visit http://www.western.edu to learn more about the university.

An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets

Western Colorado University believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. Western is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (for state classified positions, with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Please see our diversity statement, and our DEII Committee charge.

 
ADAAA ACCOMMODATIONS:

Western Colorado University is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Western will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to the Office of Human Resources at HR@western.edu or (970) 943-3140.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER INCLUDING DISABILITY/VETERANS