Department of Native American & Indigenous Studies - Multiple Positions

The Department of Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) invites applicants at the master and doctoral levels who can contribute to and share in the development and teaching of a meaningful, holistic, and decolonial Indigenous-centered curriculum.  The department expressly seeks scholars whose creative work, scholarship, and teaching is grounded in the application of Indigenous pedagogies, Indigenous research methodologies, and/or community-based research methodologies.  

With the generous support of the Mellon Foundation, we seek to hire four faculty members who will bring new teaching and research expertise to the department. We aim to bring together two tenure-track and two permanent lecturers. The speciality of candidates is open, but we seek candidates with expertise in Indigenous research methodologies, community-based research methodologies, and/or Indigenous pedagogies and Indigenous education.  Within this group, we hope to hire a candidate with expertise in Indigenous language and a candidate with expertise in Indigenous creative writing, poetics, oral literatures, or journalism/communication.   

The department is entering a transformative moment in its history: in the last several years, Fort Lewis College, a Native American student-serving institution, has begun a reconciliation process of engaging in truth-telling about its history as a former Indian boarding school with the removal of three historical panels from the FLC clocktower that falsely represented the Fort Lewis Indian school history in a positive light. With the addition of new faculty, we seek to continue and guide the conversation in truth-telling about boarding school history and engage in practices of healing and reconciliation. 

The department also seeks to update and expand its curriculum. Our program seeks to reflect reconciliation, healing, and resilience and to promote Indigenous pedadogy and research at all undergraduate levels. In partnership with these new faculty, we plan to develop new courses that will introduce students to Indigenous methodologies and guide students through the real-world application of these methodologies. Our program has many opportunities for innovation and transformation. For example, we envision the establishment of an Indigenous garden on campus that will allow our students to have hands-on instruction, faculty and peer mentoring, and embrace Indigenous approaches to teaching and learning that incorporate land-based practices.  In the past, our program also focused on Indigenous journalism through the production of Intertribal News, a student-produced biweekly newspaper; we seek faculty who may like to reimagine and update this publication to reflect new forms of media and communication.                                                                                                                            

These four faculty positions represent a significant expansion of the department through the broadening and deepening of current and yet-to-be developed curricular offerings and undergraduate research opportunities for both majors and non-majors. In addition, these faculty members will join, contribute to, and sustain a vital, innovative, and intellectually engaged community of educators at Fort Lewis College who are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic community. 

Required Education, Specialized Skills and Experience: 

• Master’s degree or higher in a field that supports the teaching of Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) courses at the college level. 
• Research or teaching grounded in Indigenous research methodologies, community-based research methodologies, and/or Indigenous pedagogies/education. 

Preferred Education, Specialized Skills and Experience: 

• An educational background in Indigenous Studies (AIS, NAS, and NAIS) at the bachelor's, master's and/or doctorate degree levels. 
• Expertise in a field that supports the teaching of Indigenous languages; ability to teach an Indigenous language at lower and upper-division levels.   
• Expertise in a field that supports the teaching of Indigenous creative writing, Indigenous poetics or rhetorics, Indigenous oral literatures, or Indigenous journalism/media/communications. 

• The teaching and/or research areas of the applicant should reflect specialized knowledge of Indigenous North America with a focus on Native American, Alaska Native, First Nations, and/or Kanaka Maoli Peoples.  
• An established record of College-level teaching that demonstrates knowledge of and embraces Indigenous pedagogies. 
• A demonstrated record of mentoring Indigenous students and/or other underrepresented students.  
• A record of collaborative and community-based research with an Indigenous community. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to the NAIS department by teaching both core and elective courses for the major 
• Develop new courses that complement the existing curriculum. 
• Provide academic and career advising to NAIS majors, double-majors, and minors. 
• Provide service to the NAIS department by participating in department events and programming; contributing to annual curriculum and program assessment; participating in the shared responsibility of representing the department at recruitment events, commencement, and Senior-seminar research symposia. 

• Mentor and supervise undergraduate NAIS student research.  
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities. 
• Perform other duties as assigned 

Work Environment: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that an employee can expect while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic). 

• Ability to work in a confined area. 
• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time. 

Compensation  

The salary for these positions is $41,000 for each of the two NAIS lecturer positions and $55,500, for each of the two Assistant Professor Tenure-Track positions.  All positions include a comprehensive benefits package. The anticipated start date is in August 2022. 

Application Process 

A complete application packet includes: 

• Cover letter addressing interest and qualifications for position 

• Include details regarding how your course design and personal and professional experiences allow you to encourage a learning environment grounded in equity and inclusion.  “How do you envision contributing to Fort Lewis College’s commitment to equity and inclusion?” 

• Curriculum vitae 
• Names and contact information for three current, professional references 

Submit materials as one PDF file via email to: 

NAIS-Search@fortlewis.edu 

Application materials received by December 12, 2021, will receive full consideration. All positions will remain open until filled. 

The successful candidates will be required to submit original, official college transcripts,  and pass a background check. 

Equal Opportunity  

Fort Lewis College does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex*, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family or domestic status, political beliefs, veteran status, pregnancy, or genetic information. Accordingly, equal opportunity for employment shall be extended to all persons. The College shall promote equal opportunity, equal treatment, and affirmative action efforts to increase the diversity of students, faculty, and staff. The College is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. 

To file a report, get resources, read policies, or make an appointment, See www.fortlewis.edu/CARE. 

Questions about Title IX sex discrimination? 

Office of the Title 9 Coordinator 

Molly Wieser 

230 Skyhawk Station 

1000 Rim Drive 

Durango, Colorado 81301 

(970) 247-7241 wieser_m@fortlewis.edu 

Other discrimination questions?  

Office of the Equal Opportunity Coordinator 

David Pirrone 

192 Education Business Hall 

1000 Rim Drive 

Durango, Colorado 81301 

(970) 247-7182 djpirrone@fortlewis.edu 

  * Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Part 106 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and CFR 106 to Fort Lewis College may be directed to FLC's Title IX Coordinator and/or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of Education. 

ADAA Accommodations 

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact Kristin Polens by phone 970-247-7459 or email kpolens@fortlewis.edu at least five business days before the assessment date to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.