Assistant/Associate Professor of History-Endowed Chair in Polish, History

[C24-100]
Assistant/Associate Professor of History
Stanislaus A. Blejwas Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish American Studies
Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences



Central Connecticut State University invites applications to join the Department of History as a full-time Assistant Professor or Associate Professor . The department seeks a scholar of Polish history whose work focuses on Eastern Europe. Each semester, the successful candidate will teach a combination of general education courses and upper-level undergraduate/graduate courses in field of specialization. The successful candidate will also serve the department, the university, and the wider Polish-American community.

The Stanislaus A. Blejwas Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish American Studies was inaugurated in 1997 at Central, thanks to the generosity of Connecticut's Polish Americans and their friends and a matching grant of $600,000 from the State of Connecticut. The chair is named in honor of the late Professor of History, Dr. Stanislaus A. Blejwas, the first director of the program and the first person to be designated a CSU Professor by the Connecticut State University System. The Blejwas Endowed Chair teaches a reduced load of 9 credits per semester (with the possibility of further reductions in teaching load), directs the Polish Studies program and coordinates its cultural and educational events, works closely with the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research to maintain and strengthen ties to Polish-American communities in New Britain and beyond, collaborates with national and international partners, and contributes service to the department of History and the university.

Central Connecticut State University is the first publicly funded university in the state. As we celebrate 175 years of academic excellence and innovation, please visit CCSU to learn more.

About Central’s Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences



The Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences (CLASS) prepares students for a complex and interdependent world as engaged and thoughtful global citizens. Through learning in the liberal arts tradition, we challenge students to be critical, creative thinkers; accurate, effective communicators; and knowledgeable members of society. Our graduates are innovative, intellectually curious, well-read, and prepared for professional lives or further specialized study. We achieve these goals through excellence in teaching; faculty and student scholarship; research and creative activity; and community engagement.

Position Profile

Academic excellence is the cornerstone of the Central Connecticut State University mission, and our faculty, full- and part-time, take pride in being scholars, mentors, and advisors who collectively contribute to a vibrant and engaged community. Central fosters a collaborative environment characterized by the commitment of faculty and staff to support each other in service of the university’s academic mission. The voting membership of the Faculty Senate includes representatives of academic and administrative departments, with non-voting representation for university administrators and the student government association. Teaching faculty are represented by the Connecticut State University Association of University Professors (AAUP). The collective bargaining agreement defines the process for renewal, promotion, and tenure, while also delineating support for professional development.

With the support of the members of the Polish community in Connecticut, the Polish Studies Program, inaugurated in 1974, has served Central students and the broader central Connecticut community by interpreting and offering perspectives on the history and culture of Poland and the Polish-American ethnic community in the United States. In addition to offering a range of courses in the areas of history, politics, culture, literature, and language, the program sponsors lectures, cultural events, exhibitions, recitals and concerts, and literary evenings. The Polish Heritage Collection in the University Library, numbering over 35,000 catalogued books and periodicals, supplements course offerings. The Connecticut Polish American Archives is a research repository for the public, scholars and students of the Polish community in America.

Applicant Evaluative Criteria



Applicant profiles and supplementary materials will be evaluated for appointment based on the following:

Education:



All applicants must possess a Ph.D. in History from an accredited college or university, with a concentration in Polish history, or Eastern European History, or a closely related field.ABD candidates will be considered but the doctoral degree must be completed by May 31, 2025. If you would like to be considered at the rank of Associate Professor, you must possess five years of full-time service in a college or university at the rank of Assistant Professor or above. As per the union contract, a candidate cannot be hired with tenure but can apply for tenure upon arrival at the university.



Experience and Training (required):

• Demonstrated teaching excellence in the field of Polish history or Eastern European history with a focus on Poland;
• An active research agenda in the field of Polish/Eastern European history;
• Native knowledge or fluency in the Polish language.

Ideal Candidate



Preference will be given to applicants with the following:

• Experience in creating and implementing community outreach and enrichment programs;
• Experience in fundraising;
• Experience in program and curriculum design;
• Additional areas of research or specialization in any of the following: migration studies and transnational history with a focus on Polish American history, cultural and transmedia studies, digital archiving, genealogy, or Holocaust/genocide studies

To Apply



To begin the application process, select the “Apply” button and electronically submit the following documents by December 8, 2024 .

• Letter of interest addressing the qualifications for this position.
• Current Résumé
• Names of three current professional references with title, email addresses and telephone numbers.
• Please upload for review by the History department the following materials as a single PDF in the following order:
  • Letter of interest addressing the qualifications for this position (Same letter as above)
  • Current curriculum vitae with names of three current professional references including their title, email address, and telephone number (Same vitae as above)
  • Two Syllabi –General education Polish history course and upper-level specialization course
  • Writing Sample (dissertation chapter, or book chapter, or published essay, or equivalent writing sample)

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. E-mailed and mailed applications will not be accepted. Please redact any personally identifiable information (i.e., Social Security Number, date of birth, marital status, country of origin) from any documents submitted.



Inquiries may be sent to Search Committee Chair at polishstudiessearch@ccsu.edu

Compensation and Employee Benefits



In accordance with the Connecticut State University American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Collective Bargaining Union Contract, compensation for this position is at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor for 2024-2025. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. For more information on the AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement, please visit AAUP .

The State of Connecticut and Central Connecticut State University are proud to offer its employees competitive wages and a wide range of fringe benefits including voluntary and supplemental benefits.

Fringe benefits include: paid personal leave and sick leave accruals; medical, dental, and prescription plans; group life insurance; retirement; retiree health care; tuition waiver for employee and eligible dependents at any of the Connecticut State Universities (Central, Eastern, Southern or Western) as well as an array of voluntary and supplemental benefits such as Deferred Retirement Contribution plans, Dependent Care Assistance and Medical Flexible spending accounts; long and short term disability insurance plans.

For more detailed information, please visit CCSU Human Resources .

As an affirmative action employer, Central Connecticut State University actively seeks and encourages applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.