English Generalist-Developmental Reading and Writing faculty – Des Plaines and Skokie, IL
Oakton Community College, a caring community of educators dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning, seeks English faculty to join our College.Founded in 1969, Oakton is a comprehensive two-year community college offering associate’s degree programs and non-credit courses in northern Cook County, Illinois.
Oakton’s 147-acre main campus sits in a forest preserve in Des Plaines, Illinois. A second campus in Skokie serves residents on the eastern side of the District and is home to the Art, Science, and Technology Pavilion. The College also offers continuing education classes at off-campus locations throughout the region, and many students pursue studies at home through our distance learning program. The College is undertaking a new five year, $68.5 million Master Plan which includes the construction of a new Science and Health Careers building on the Des Plaines campus.
Oakton is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The College is recognized by the Illinois Community College Board and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges, as well as numerous professional organizations.
Oakton’s 700 full- and part-time faculty members’ true passion is teaching. In small classes, our faculty engage students as individuals and guide their learning experience.
Job Description:
Oakton Community College seeks to fill one full-time, tenure-track English generalist faculty position with additional qualifications to teach Developmental Reading and Writing beginning in August 2014.
Applicants must be strong communicators and effective classroom facilitators who enjoy teaching in a student-centered environment.
Candidates committed to working in a culturally competent environment are especially valued at Oakton. Cultural competence integrates and transforms knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services provided.
Applicants should be current and skilled in their use of evolving technologies, active in promoting critical thinking, and committed to challenging our students to be knowledgeable, ethical, and capable global citizens. Oakton is seeking enthusiastic faculty who are committed to innovation in college-level teaching and learning, and interested in non-traditional delivery of instruction. The College expects full time faculty to be professionally competent, have strong leadership qualities, participate in professional development activities, and to engage in institutional and departmental service. Prior undergraduate teaching experience is preferred.
Essential Functions of the Position:
• Construction of a course syllabus, consistent with the generic course syllabus that stipulates course objectives, content, and grading criteria.
• Preparation of course presentations and instructional materials for lecture.
• Delivery of instruction, including being prepared for and meeting courses at scheduled times.
• Consultation with and evaluation of students.
• Maintenance of clear records on student performance, as well as any other factors such as attendance involved with the grading of students.
• Compliance with departmental and institutional policies and procedures including but not limited to submission of midterm and final grades, keeping office hours, and decisions regarding instructional matters such as texts, assignments, and grading standards; also adhering to provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• Participation and compliance with departmental decisions regarding instructional matters such as texts, assignments, and grading standards.
• Participation in department and/or institutional assessments of student learning.
• Participation in department and/or institutional surveys.
• Participation on appropriate standing and/or ad hoc committees within the English department and Division of Languages, Humanities and the Arts.
• Participation in college wide activities, such as a college wide committee or task force, faculty governance, accreditation studies, student activities/clubs/organizations, planning and/or implementation of college wide professional development activities, college related external professional meetings and activities, planning and/or implementation of college related social or fund raising functions, and other college related community activities mutually agreed upon by the Dean and the faculty member.
• Compliance with institutional procedures.
Requirements
Qualifications:
A Master’s degree in English, Reading, or a related field such as Education, Linguistics, or Developmental Education with course work successfully completed in methods and strategies for teaching reading to secondary or postsecondary students, and demonstrated excellence in teaching Developmental Reading and Writing are required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Prior college teaching experience is preferred. Other preferred qualifications include:
• Participation in departmental and institutional service.
• Development and delivery of courses using learning management software such as D2L or Blackboard.
• Demonstrated experience working with a culturally diverse student population.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a culturally diverse workforce.
• Understanding of and commitment to diversity and cultural competence.
Cultural Competency is defined as a composite awareness, emotional maturity, and insights and skills, including, but not limited to:
• Self-insight, ability to suspend judgment and take responsibility for one’s self.
• Self control of emotions and demonstrations of empathy.
• Experience with and success in valuing and working with people of different gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or other attributes.
• Adaptability and flexibility in understanding and addressing problems and opportunities in situations where different cultural perspectives and points of view are in play.
Additional Information:
We encourage applications from candidates who reflect the increasing diversity of Oakton’s student body and community, who will enhance and promote engagement with other cultures and have a demonstrated commitment to working with and as part of a multicultural faculty and diverse student body and community.
The full time faculty member’s workload during the nine month academic year is 30 lecture hour equivalents (LHEs). The average teaching load is 15 LHEs in the Fall and Spring semesters.
The academic calendar consists of 169 working days; instructional days total 153 of the working days within the academic calendar. Four days are used for instruction, final student evaluations, or course culminating activities. Two days are designated for grading, and one day is associated with commencement. The remaining nine days are designated for staff development, course preparation, student orientation, advising, registration, and/or college or departmental activities.
The faculty member is expected to have a minimum of 10 regular office hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.
The College expects full time faculty to participate in professional development activities and to engage in institutional and departmental service.
Compensation
The hiring range for full time faculty is based on a 9 month, no overload contract. Additional pay is received for teaching overloads and summer assignments. The minimum salary in the hiring range is $47,305 and the maximum is $63,463.
Full-Time Faculty Benefits
• Medical and Dental Insurance: Individual or family (including domestic/civil union partner) coverage is available.
• Flexible Spending Account: Pre-tax dollars can be set aside to cover eligible medical or dependent care expenses.
• Term Life Insurance: Available at 2 times annual salary rounded upwards. Optional life and dependent insurance available.
• Tuition Waivers and Reimbursement: Tuition for Oakton credit-courses waived for employees, their spouse or domestic/civil union partner and children. Reimbursement for course tuition at other educational institutions is available.
• Retirement: Full-time faculty are required by state law to join the State Universities Retirement System (SURS), as the State of Illinois withdrew from the Social Security system. The College also offers 403(b) and 457 tax-deferred annuity plans.
• Observed Paid Holidays: 6 paid holidays are observed during the regular teaching calendar.
• Sick Days: Full-time faculty receive 15 per academic year, with an additional .5 sick day awarded per LHE for summer employment (up to a maximum of 3). Up to five sick days may be used for personal business.
• Sabbatical Leave: After six years of full-time teaching, faculty are eligible to apply for sabbatical and can be paid at half pay for one academic year or full pay for one academic semester.
• Four-Day Summer Work Week: The College adopts a four-day summer work week beginning with the Friday following Memorial Day and continuing until the Friday of the week two weeks preceding the beginning of the academic year.
The full consideration deadline is November 29, 2013.
On campus screening interviews will be conducted by the search committee with selected applicants, and are anticipated to be held during the period January 6-10, 2014. A teaching demonstration is part of the interview. Finalists will participate in a second round of on campus interviews with the Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Finalist interviews are expected to be conducted during the period January 27-31, 2014.
Appointment to a faculty position is contingent upon approval by the College’s Board of Trustees. It is anticipated that this appointment will be taken to the Board of Trustees for approval at the February 18, 2014 Board of Trustees meeting.
The faculty member appointed to the position begins employment on August 18, 2014.
Interviewees will be reimbursed for expenses associated with travel in excess of 50 miles to the interviews.
Application Instructions:
To become an applicant, interested individuals must complete the online application (accessible once the “Apply Now” button is clicked. You will be prompted to create an account for this purpose once the “Apply Now” button is clicked.), and submit electronic copies of a cover letter, resume/cv, list of three (3) references with contact information, two letters of recommendation and transcripts via uploading to the Oakton employment website. Please indicate the position code (EGLDEV-14) on the cover letter. Uploaded documents need to be under 2 MB in size and in either .doc, .txt, or .pdf format. A total of 8 separate documents may be uploaded to an application file that has been successfully submitted to the College.
TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED:
An unofficial copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application. Official transcripts for all degrees earned are required prior to appointment.
Recommendation letters may either be original documents with signature or e-mailed from the reference to facultysearch@oakton.edu. Official transcripts or a placement/credential file should be e-mailed to facultysearch@oakton.edu. Official transcripts or placement/credential files sent by postal mail should be sent to:
Oakton Community College
Faculty Search EGLDEV-14
c/o Human Resources
1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Please contact Craig Ahrndt, Assistant to the AVP for Human Resources at 847.635.1676 or ahrndt@oakton.edu if you encounter any difficulties with electronic submission of these documents.
The full consideration deadline is November 29, 2013. Required transcripts, letters of recommendation, resume/cv, cover letter, and list of references with contact information are also to be submitted by November 29, 2013. The posting will be removed from the Oakton website at 11:59 pm eastern US time zone on December 1, 2013. Once posted positions are removed from the website, no additional applications will be accepted.
Oakton Community College is an equal opportunity employer.
Oakton’s 147-acre main campus sits in a forest preserve in Des Plaines, Illinois. A second campus in Skokie serves residents on the eastern side of the District and is home to the Art, Science, and Technology Pavilion. The College also offers continuing education classes at off-campus locations throughout the region, and many students pursue studies at home through our distance learning program.
Programs of Study
Associate’s degrees in 80 areas of study prepare students to transfer to four-year institutions or to step directly into rewarding careers. Continuing education programs offer personal enrichment and career advancement opportunities through courses ranging from art to home improvement to English as a Second Language.
Faculty
Oakton’s 700 full- and part-time faculty members boast top academic credentials, and their true passion is teaching. In small classes, our faculty engage students as individuals and guide their learning experience.
Students
Oakton’s 46,000 credit and non-credit students represent all ages, 55 nations, and a wide range of experience. More than half come from a minority background, bringing a wealth of perspectives to campus.
Accreditation & Associations
Oakton is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The College is recognized by the Illinois Community College Board and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges, as well as numerous professional organizations.
Des Plaines, IL 60016
