English and Modern Languages (African American Literature, Thought, and Cultural Studies), Assistant Professor

Location:
Pomona
Open Date:
Dec 2, 2021
Description:

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in the Department of English & Modern Languages. Cal Poly Pomona is one of two polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 11 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students have participated in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive and relevant and in which diverse perspectives and experiences are valued. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn-by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model.

The university’s nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus’s more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 baccalaureate and 29 master’s degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 2 in the U.S. News and World Reportrankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 15 best value college in the nation by Money magazine. A Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Cal Poly Pomona stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility, and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

Cal Poly Pomona is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and ancestral homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour’s drive of beaches, mountains, and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu, and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population.  California residents comprise the majority (96%) of applicants to undergraduate programs at Cal Poly Pomona – nearly half (49%) of new students were transfers in Fall 2020. 58% of Cal Poly Pomona students are first generation, 70% receive financial aid, and 44% qualify as Pell-eligible. The university enrolls a diverse student body that identifies as 49% Latinx, 21% Asian, 15% White, 3% Black, 5% International, 3% two or more races, 3% unknown, less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander, and less than 1% Native American Indigenous. In Fall 2020, 39% of the student body were STEM majors, with the top enrolled programs including psychology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biology, and computer science.

Inclusive Excellence Criteria.  We aspire to be the model inclusive polytechnic university in the nation. We have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and to educational experiences that leverage the diverse perspectives and experiences needed to succeed and thrive in a diverse society. 

Tenure track faculty hires will demonstrate a commitment and record of contributions through their teaching, scholarship, or service to these Inclusive Excellence criteria (a minimum of two must be addressed in the Student Success Statement):
 

1. Integrates the values of equity and inclusivity into their teaching, scholarship and/or service contributions with diverse student populations;
    
2. Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups and communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions;
    
3. Adopts teaching strategies that supports the learning and success of students from diverse student populations; 
    
4. Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities; 
    
5. Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities; 
    
6. Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline;
    
7. Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education; 
    
8. Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities;
    
9. Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and 
    
10. Has expertise in or demonstrated commitment to teaching, scholarship and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education.
     

College.  Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS) brings to life a vibrant hands-on experience through disciplines in the humanities, performing arts, and social sciences. As the heart and soul of the campus, the College’s mission is to cultivate students’ intellectual development, ethical reasoning, and aesthetic sensibility to support creative and critical thinking in a dynamic world of competing challenges. We are a community diverse in backgrounds, expertise, and thought, committed to improving the human condition and to bettering the world. Our faculty, students, and staff are devoted to creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive through the College’s programs, research activities, creative performances, community outreach, and signature experiences. Learn more about the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences and our 11 distinct departments at www.cpp.edu/class. 

Department.  English & Modern Languages (EML) is a blended department that explores the intersection of diverse languages and cultures through the disciplines of linguistics, languages, writing, and literature. EML serves more than 500 undergraduate majors with specialized options in Literature, English Education, Spanish, Applied Language Studies, and over 80 graduate students with options in Literature, Rhetoric & Composition, and TESOL. 

The Department’s faculty support each other through clusters of scholarly interests around subjects such as Latinx languages, histories, and cultures; Writing Studies (including creative writing, translation studies, multimodal literacies, etc.); Critical Race Studies; and the Digital Humanities. Responding to student needs, experiences, and interests, EML looks to build additional supports in the department within Queer and Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Cultural Studies in film, graphic novels, gaming, or other narrative arts.

The Department seeks a faculty member working on African American Literature, Thought, and Cultural Studies, open time period across any aspect of the Black diaspora in the Americas. The successful candidate will teach courses in the English B.A. and M.A. programs, teach courses in the Ethnic Studies General Education program, and create new courses in their areas of interest.

The new faculty member will be a part of the university’s Ethnic Studies Affinity Faculty and will have the opportunity to engage with a new and permanent Office of Ethnic Studies Affinity Teaching and Scholarship. This is a space for collaboration across disciplines and methodological vantage points, mentorship, and professional development programming. The Ethnic Studies Affinity Faculty, and the resources to support them, are a key element of CPP’s ongoing efforts to ensure the flourishing of our diverse students and faculty and be the leading inclusive polytechnic university in the nation.  

Qualifications:

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in English or Ethnic Studies with a concentration in African American Literature and Cultural Studies, or a closely related field, from an accredited university by time of appointment;
• Demonstrated potential to implement culturally responsive and Ethnic Studies pedagogies, and to build a strong record of scholarly productivity in African American literature, thought, and cultural studies, open time period across any aspect of the Black diaspora in the Americas; and
• Demonstrated commitment to the university’s Inclusive Excellence criteria listed above.
• Ability to develop and teach a general education course that meets the requirements for Area F Ethnic Studies courses (described near the end).

Preferred/Desired Qualifications: 

We seek candidates who demonstrate the ability to support the department’s students through the framework of Critical Race Theory (broadly understood) in any of the disciplines and clusters above, valuing innovative and expansive approaches to these already broad fields. We also seek candidates with demonstrated experience or interest in community engagement through social justice work and/or student professionalization (e.g., service learning, internship coordination). 

Application Instructions:

A completed application will consist of the following items uploaded to Interfolio:

• Cover letter that describes the candidate’s teaching and research experience and interests, and that addresses the duties and qualifications articulated in the position description; 
• Curriculum vitae; 
• Student Success Statement that demonstrates the candidate’s commitment and record of contributions through teaching, scholarship, or service, by addressing at least two of the Inclusive Excellence criteria listed above (limit to 2 pages); 
• Three recent letters of reference;
• Writing sample; 
• Copies of official transcripts (official transcripts will be required of finalists for the position); and
• Completed application form on Interfolio. 

The position is open until filled. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate through their teaching, research, and/or service that they can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our community. First consideration will be given to complete applications received by January 12, 2022. To apply online, please submit applications via Interfolio. Semi-finalists will be interviewed via video conferencing. 

Please direct inquiries to:

African American Literature, Thought, and Cultural Studies Faculty Search Committee
c/o Dr. Liam Corley, Search Chair
English & Modern Languages Department 
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA 91768 

Phone: 909.869.3818    Fax: 909.869.4896

Email: wccorley@cpp.edu 

Conditions of Employment:

The person offered this position is required to pass a background check. 

The CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so.  Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ . Questions regarding the policy may be sent to avpfa@cpp.edu

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. The University seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the University, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives and ways of knowing and learning. Cal Poly Pomona subscribes to all state and federal regulations and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and covered veteran status. The University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. As required by the Clery Disclosure Act, the university’s annual security report is available at http://www.cpp.edu/~police/annual-security-report.shtml. The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.