Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology

 

Position title: Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology

Reports to: Director of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Department: School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Position Number: FS 8024

FTE: 1.0

Starting date: August 15, 2022 

Position Description

The Biology Program at Adams State University announces a one-year visiting position in biology. Primary responsibilities include teaching lecture and laboratory courses in human anatomy and physiology.  In addition, the successful candidate may participate in General Biology and general education science courses or other duties assigned by the School Director and commensurate with the needs of the Department. Teaching load is 12 credit hours per semester. 

The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and collaborate with diverse faculty, staff, and students within the Biology Program, in the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and across campus. Candidates should demonstrate (1) a commitment to student-centered instruction, and (2) a commitment to furthering the university’s mission of Inclusive Excellence. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Biology with a background in human anatomy and physiology;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Evidence of valuing equity, treating cultural and linguistic diversity as assets, and promoting inclusiveness.
• Ability to treat others with respect, civility, and courtesy, and to work honestly, effectively, and collegially with employees, students, and the community. This includes the ability to use appropriate conflict management skills to effectively manage any disagreement that might arise or to bring the disagreement to management for assistance in productive resolution when the situation requires.
• Adams State University is committed to the development of online courses and programs. The online division of the university is Adams State Online. The university has a comprehensive Academic Instructional Technology Center committed to the support of faculty teaching online. Support includes training in the process of teaching online, Instructional designers to support the development and designing of online courses and instructional tools to support video lectures, live classrooms and cloud-based storage for instructional training videos. The successful candidate for this position will be committed to the willingness to develop and teach online courses.

 

Preference will be given to applicants who possess/demonstrate

• D. in biology with a background in human anatomy and physiology
• Experience teaching at the undergraduate level
• Commitment to undergraduate laboratory instruction
• Commitment to high-impact teaching practices
• Experience using a variety of delivery methods for teaching 

Salary

The pay range for this position is $48,250 to $51,000, commensurate with experience and education,

for a traditional 9-month academic-year appointment.  In addition to salary, Adams State University offers a competitive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and retirement savings plans. For detailed benefits information please visit https://www.adams.edu/hr/benefits/ 

Campus and School Information

Adams State University is a state-supported regional comprehensive university in Alamosa, Colorado, United States. Adams State is Colorado’s premier Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and is also a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) with over 54% of our students representing diverse backgrounds. We have a high percentage of first generation students with an equally high percentage of students who are Pell eligible. The university offers undergraduate programs in physical and social sciences, kinesiology, fine arts, business and nursing, and specializes in educator curricula in several disciplines. Adams State also offers graduate degrees in history, art, business (MBA), and educator programs, including counselor education; the university also has a doctoral (PhD) program in counselor education. The university has an active athletic program, both in participatory sports and in athletics educator training. The Adams State Grizzly athletic teams compete under the auspices of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. 

Located in the beautiful San Luis Valley between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountain ranges, Adams State University is a state-supported Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Alamosa, CO. The vast San Luis Valley is designated the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area. We are, at 7,500 feet, in the largest alpine valley in the United States. Alamosa is located approximately 3.5 hours from Denver, 1.5 hours from Taos, New Mexico, and 2.5 hours from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alamosa has a population of 9,500, with recently built elementary schools, a moderate cost of living, and affordable housing. ASU takes a leading role in local theatre performances and musical events and is in an area where the opportunities for outdoor recreation abound. 

The city of Alamosa was established in May 1878 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and quickly became an important rail center. The railroad had an extensive construction, repair, and shipping facility in Alamosa and for many years headquartered its remaining narrow gauge service in Alamosa with tracks reaching many points throughout southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico. Alamosa is a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions, including the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado Gators Reptile Park, surrounded by national forest and several mountain ranges with peaks exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation. The town hosts "Summer Fest on the Rio" which occurs the first weekend in June, the Early Iron car show over the Labor Day weekend, and "Weekends on the Rio" on various Sundays throughout the summer. Alamosa has a population of 9500 with recently built elementary schools, a moderate cost of living, and affordable housing. The city takes its name from the Spanish adjective Alamosa, meaning "of cottonwood," for the cottonwood forests which grow along the Rio Grande and throughout town.  

Additional information about the university and the school may be found at http://www.adams.edu and https://www.adams.edu/academics/biology.  Information about the community and surrounding area can be found at http://www.alamosa.org/

 Adams State University is dedicated to fostering Inclusive Excellence and especially encourages applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other historically underrepresented populations. Given the university’s mission and student body composition, the institution is committed to increasing the diversity of its professional staff and is actively seeking qualified applicants who have experiences, skills, and/or personal attributes that augment the perspectives of our current faculty and staff; we will give particular consideration to qualified applicants with experience in ethnically diverse settings or who possess varied language skills and have a record of successful experience in engaging diverse communities and student populations. Additional information about the university and the academic mission may be found at www.adams.edu/academics/ 

Applications

Complete applications include the following:

1. Letter of application addressing the following points:
   • applicant’s interest in and qualifications for the position based on the above criteria
   • the candidate’s interest in teaching the specific courses mentioned in the position description
   • evidence of teaching effectiveness and a description of the candidate’s experience working with students from historically underserved populations
   • how the applicant would contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom
   • how teaching at a small, Hispanic Serving Institution, with a significant population of first-generation university students, set in a rural environment aligns with the applicant’s professional goals
2. Curriculum vita
3. Transcripts of all college work (legible copies accepted). International transcripts need to be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization to determine what US equivalencies exist for grades, credit hours, and accreditation. www.naces.org. Official transcripts and background check are required at time of appointment.
4. A list of three professional references (name, affiliation, email address, and phone number) who can address the applicant’s qualifications for the position

 

Send materials as PDF documents to:

Dr. Matt Nehring

matt.nehring@adams.edu

 

Review of completed applications will begin on 16 May 2022 and continue until closed. 

 

 

Additional Information

In compliance with the Immigration Control Act of 1968 candidates for positions must provide proof of eligibility to work before an offer of employment can be made final.

 

Adams State University performs background checks as a condition of employment for prospective employees and current employees seeking certain promotional opportunities. Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of an acceptable background check. Applicants will be asked to provide personal data and sign a release form before the background check is conducted. Applicants who fail to provide the data and consent form will not be considered for employment or promotion. Background checks include review of criminal records and sex offender registry background. Credit and driving record background may apply to certain positions.

 

Adams State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Applications are sought from all qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, disability, and, as covered by law, veteran status. In addition, University policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation including transgender status and gender expression, marital status, and parental status.

 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Part 106 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and CFR 106 to Adams State University (ASU) may be directed to ASU's Office of Equal Opportunity, Director Ana Guevara, and/or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of Education. Support resources for sexual misconduct, ASU's  sexual misconduct policies, contact information for the Adams State University's Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX, as well as a detailed  procedure for filing a grievance due to discrimination on the basis of sex may be found online at  https://www.adams.edu/administration/oeo/reporting-sexual-harassment/.  These procedures also describe the University's response to reports and/or complaints of sex discrimination or sexual harassment.