Position OverviewThe University of Kansas (KU) School of Social Welfare (SSW) is seeking candidates for an associate professor of the practice position to teach in our online doctor of social work program (DSW). Our online courses are a 50/50 blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction and content. This associate professor of the practice position will manage the content for DSW capstone coursework to be divided .5 FTE capstone coordination and instruction/.5 FTE curriculum instruction during the first year and is expected to expand during the second fiscal year to 1.0 FTE capstone coordination/instruction to accommodate additional students during the second year of the DSW program. Faculty candidates should have experience in and/or a desire to teach at the DSW level within or across the program’s curriculum areas: ethical and historical frameworks; leadership and administrative practice knowledge, theory and skills; research, inquiry, and implementation science; and/or pedagogy and instruction.

This position is designated as hybrid to facilitate the coordination and design of the program; however, a fully remote option may be considered noting that work location assignments are non-transferable outside of the assigned position.

This associate professor of the practice position will coordinate and support DSW students through six credit hours of capstone course instruction toward students attaining program objectives academically equivalent to a dissertation and termed the “capstone project.” The DSW program requires student completion of a capstone project that exhibits a firm grasp of evidence-based academic literature in a particular area of social work practice and policy and the demonstration of knowledge, skills, and values in the implementation of those practices in existing community or agency practice settings. The capstone project can take any number of forms, including but not limited to the following: A community change initiative, a pilot study, intervention development and evaluation, measurement development for outcomes evaluation, program evaluation, evaluation of a clinical practice model, or quality improvement related to practice, organizations, or community services.

The associate professor of the practice for the School of Social Welfare is a non-tenure track faculty member who possesses the expertise and achievements to provide professional instruction. This is a 12-month position with coordination and teaching the equivalent of eight to nine 3-credit-hour courses per year. At 10% effort devoted to each course, teaching and coordination duties total 80-90% effort. The number of courses taught over a calendar year may vary to meet the service needs of the school. This position may also involve curricular development; organizing and planning course syllabi according to a standardized syllabi guide, textbook acquisition, and media/technology needs and equipment requests; planning and organizing courses; developing and organizing course management software; and/or mentoring adjunct instructors. Service duties, as described above, should not exceed 10-20% effort. This position is limited term and may be appointed for up to an initial three-year period with an opportunity for extension/renewal after a comprehensive review.

The KU SSW is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive educational environment for students, faculty, and staff. We also encourage our school community members to engage in service to the larger community to advance social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. The successful candidate will have a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In a continuing effort to enrich its academic environment and provide equal educational and employment opportunities, the university actively encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups in higher education. The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. prior to the start of the position. Job DescriptionAs a nationally accredited School of Social Welfare within a comprehensive, premier research university we continually strive to innovate, transform, and educate through quality education, research advancement, and community engagement. The main campus of the KU School of Social Welfare is in Lawrence and offers BSW, MSW, and PhD degree programs. The KU Edwards Campus is in Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City, and offers BSW and MSW courses. The MSW program is also offered at our partnership sites at Pittsburg State University, Kansas State University-Salina, and online.

About KU
Founded in 1865, the University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university that serves as a center for learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor. The University of Kansas is the only state university in Kansas to hold membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), a select group of 62 public and private research universities that represent excellence in graduate and professional education and the highest achievements in research internationally. The university enrolls more than 28,000 students, offers approximately 5,000 courses, more than 400 degree and certificate programs, and employs 2,800 faculty members, many of them at the top of their fields. In KU’s dynamic, cross-disciplinary research and learning environment, students exchange ideas, discover new ways of processing the world, and address society’s grand challenges.

In 2022, the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare developed the DSW program with the goal and intent to create a collaborative learning community that fosters scholars who are 1) leaders in anti-oppressive social work in both agency and community contexts, 2) experts in translational and implementation science, and 3) world class teachers and mentors. The program is scheduled to begin offering courses in Fall 2023. These courses will be taught fully online with synchronous and asynchronous content provided on an alternating weekly schedule.

Job Duties
The anticipated workload is below. All faculty have the potential for their workload to shift in discussion with the Dean and in accordance with the SSW’s workload policy.

40-50% Teaching

• Teach four to five 3-credit courses per year, primarily online DSW courses
• May also teach online MSW courses
• Plan and organize assigned courses including syllabus preparation according to a standardized syllabus guide, textbook acquisition, media/technology needs and equipment requests, and maintaining the course web-based learning management system
• Administer exams and assignments including grading of assignments and reporting of course grades to the Office of the University Registrar

40-50% Teaching/Capstone Coordination

• Provide six credit hours of capstone instruction toward students attaining program objectives academically equivalent to a dissertation
• Oversee adherence to all Council on Social Work Education and University of Kansas Office of Graduate Studies policies related to doctoral exams and doctoral committee structure
• Serve on DSW student capstone committees

10-20% Service

• Participate in curriculum development when appropriate
• Mentor adjunct faculty
• Review DSW applications for admission
• Serve as professional mentor to students
• Participate in faculty and school business meetings
• Serve on elected and appointed committees

Service duties are the same, whether hired as a remote or non-remote employee. For remote employees, service duties will be facilitated through online meeting platforms and/or other electronic media.
Required Qualifications

1. DSW degree or PhD degree in social work or a closely aligned applied social science field
2. At least 5 years of previous independent teaching experience, in person and/or remotely
3. At least 5 years of related macro practice experience.
4. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
5. Demonstrated commitment to social work values of social justice, anti-racism, strengths-based practice, and empowerment.
6. Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and interview process.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master's in social work degree from a CSWE-accredited program
2. Eight or more years of post-masters macro practice experience
3. Work experience within a social work academic context (accredited BSW and/or MSW degree programs or DSW degree program).

Additional Candidate InstructionsA complete application package will include:

• Online application
• Cover letter addressing: interest in the position; alignment between the applicant’s practice and experiences, and social work values and the School’s mission; candidate’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and candidate’s anticipated contributions to KU and the SSW.
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• Teaching, Mentoring and Advising statement describing: teaching philosophy with attention to DEI; evidence of responding to student feedback and evaluations; courses taught; interests in teaching at KU; experience with facilitating student research or learning projects (e.g., a capstone, experiential learning, or student research project).
• List of three professional references

Only complete application packages submitted online will be considered. In addition to the materials above, learning about each applicant’s contribution and engagement in areas of diversity is an important part of KU’s mission. As a result, applicants will be presented the following question at the time of application:

• In your current and/or previous role, please provide an example outlining how you demonstrate your ongoing commitment to working with diverse groups/populations.

Review of applications will begin on January 23, 2023 and will continue as needed to collect a pool of qualified applicants. First-round interviews are tentatively scheduled to occur in February, 2022. To ensure consideration, applicants should apply before application review begins on January 23, 2023. Contact Information to ApplicantsAmy Mendenhall, PhD
Professor & Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development
Director, Center for Community Engagement & Collaboration
amendenhall@ku.edu
785-864-4792 Advertised Salary RangeCommensurate with experience Application Review Begins23-Jan-2023 Anticipated Start Date18-Aug-2023