Instructor of Humanities - Modesto Junior College

Modesto Junior College (MJC) is seeking a full-time, tenure track faculty member in the Humanities. The ideal candidate will share MJC’s commitment to educating its racially and socio-economically diverse student population. MJC currently serves 23,485 students annually, the majority of whom are from racially minoritized populations, with the following breakdown: 53.0% Hispanic, 33.6% White, 5.5% Asian, 3.3% African-American/Black, 1.5% Filipino, 0.5% Native American, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% Multi-racial/Unknown (DataMart: https://datamart.cccco.edu/Students/Student_Headcount_Term_Annual.aspx)

MJC is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, reflecting the great responsibility that the college has to the educational attainment and economic well-being of the surrounding community. The successful candidate will join the college already fully engaged in exploring new wrap around student support services and innovative pedagogical techniques to improve equity and overall student success.

The successful candidate will join a Humanities department that continues to create curriculum responsive to student needs and which values the exploration of diverse perspectives. The Humanities Departments’ curriculum exposes students to a variety of cultures and traditions, and explores art from the Western tradition as well as global/non-Western tradition, recognizing important context such as colonialism/imperialism, cultural appropriation, how these all relate to living within the Central Valley, and more.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s in humanities OR the equivalent

Determined by California State Chancellor’s Office. Click hyperlink for discipline applicable Minimum Qualifications.

Qualifications

The District has adopted an equivalency procedure that enables consideration of applications by individuals who may not directly meet the qualifications listed above. For more information on equivalency, you may access the link below:

https://www.yosemite.edu/recruitment/equivalency_policy_and_procedures

Applicants applying under equivalency must submit all required documentation with their application materials. Failure to include the required equivalency documentation will result in disqualification from further consideration.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide proof of equivalency.

Knowledge of and ability to appraise the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. Sensitivity to the needs, problems and challenges associated with the diversity of the community college student population.

General Job Duties And Responsibilities

All full-time faculty are expected to participate actively in their disciplines, department activities, and the general intellectual life and governance of the college. Part of the teaching assignment may be online, in the evening, and/or on Saturdays. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Teaching lower division college courses in, but not limited to, Introduction to the Humanities, Early Humanistic Traditions, and Humanities in the Modern World.
• Teach courses at a variety of times and modalities and serving the college with general education courses.
• Organizing and leading first-hand arts and cultural experiences.
• Advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines.
• Informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements.
• Preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress.
• Maintaining attendance, scholastic, and other records and submitting them according to published policies and deadlines.
• Attending department, division, and college-wide meetings on a regular basis.
• Posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy.
• Developing, implementing, and assessing student-learning outcomes for courses and programs and using the results for improvement.
• Engaging in data inquiry and self-assessment to develop strategies for student success, persistence, and equity.
• Collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review.
• Engaging in department program improvement initiatives.
• Participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide, especially connected to closing disproportionate impact gaps and improving completion goals.
• Maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/learning strategies to meet the needs of all learning styles.
• Maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics.
• Engaging in the college’s participatory governance processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Education and/or experience in teaching in Humanities at the community college level.
• Current knowledge of the Humanities disciplines as well as emerging trends, research, and pedagogy.
• Current understanding of assessment processes for improving student success at the course, program, and degree level.
• Competent in new pedagogies, such as accelerated learning, supplemental instruction, on-line or hybrid teaching, and other pedagogies directed at improving student success and student equity.
• Recent experience working with African American/Black, Hispanic, Native American, and other minoritized students in the classroom, and an understanding of how historical patterns of exclusion of these groups within higher education shape patterns of participation and outcomes;
• Willingness to examine and remediate one’s instructional, relational, and classroom practices to more effectively engage and support racially minoritized students;
• Experience and skill with addressing issues of equity in the classroom;
• Experience and expertise in culturally responsive teaching in Humanities, especially as it relates to the relevancy of the humanities in students’ lives, interests, and communities;
• Demonstrated ability to address equity gaps within coursework and the classroom;
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Hispanic-Serving designation for institutional, departmental, and instructional practices.
  
  

DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS

• Experience teaching in a variety of modalities, such as online (asynchronous and synchronous), hybrid, HyFlex, and in-person.
• Knowledge and willingness to utilize Open Educational Resources to increase access for students.
• A willingness to lead experiential learning outside of the classroom, providing students with primary experiences with artworks.
• Ability to develop curriculum or services that stress innovation and improve student equity.
• Enthusiasm for the learning process.
• Commitment to supportive relationships with students and colleagues.
• Capable of instructing using teaching methods that accommodate various student-learning styles.
• Participate in professional growth and remain current in subject area and major state initiatives.
• Ability to operate effectively in an environment of change and ambiguity.
• Vision and energy to plan and organize programs to enhance student success.
• Willingness to participate effectively in shared governance and to work collaboratively.
• Personal qualifications such as effective interpersonal communication skills, participation in community affairs, ability to conduct effective public presentations.
  
  

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STANDARDS

• Mobility: ability to sit or stand for long periods, move about an office, and reach above and below desk level.
• Dexterity: fine manipulation sufficient to operate a keyboard, handle individual papers, write and take notes.
• Lifting: occasional lifting of papers, files, equipment and material weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Visual Requirements: close vision sufficient to read files, documents, and computer screens and do close-up work; ability to adjust focus frequently.
• Hearing/Talking: ability to hear normal speech, speak and hear on the telephone, and speak in person.
• Emotional/Psychological Factors: ability to make decisions and concentrate; frequent contact with others including some public contact; frequent deadlines and time-limited assignments.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.