Visiting Assistant Professor of Israel Studies
- Employer
- The University of Kansas
- Location
- Lawrence, KS
View more
- Faculty Jobs
- Arts & Humanities, Ethnic & Cultural Studies
- Position Type
- Assistant Professor
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
The University of Kansas is located in the city of Lawrence, a thriving community 40 minutes from the Kansas City metropolitan area and 30 minutes from the state capital, Topeka. Lawrence, a progressive college town of 95,000, boasts a lively downtown with many music venues, award-winning restaurants, and a nationally celebrated independent bookstore among its many independently owned small businesses. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the largest school within the campus and plays a central role within the University. Founded in 1865, KU is a designated Carnegie comprehensive doctoral and research university and is one of only 34 public members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). The University enrolls more than 28,000 students and offers students and faculty opportunities to collaborate in its graduate and professional programs, which include education, public health, medicine, law, and a number of allied social science and humanities disciplines.
KU's research residential campus is in the center of a vibrant and culturally-rich community — a quintessential college town. Visitors, students, and new employees from outside the area enjoy discovering the many wonders of Lawrence, including a thriving downtown, diverse local and regional events, area lakes, vibrant arts, and music scenes, and an indelible history. Lawrence is home to nearly 95,000 people and is located 45 minutes west of Kansas City and 30 minutes east of Topeka, the state capital. Along with the music, arts, culture, and sports experiences offered at KU and in Lawrence, the short drive to Kansas City provide quick access to historic jazz clubs, museums, world-class music and theatre venues, and professional sports teams.
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. KU's vision is to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each other and advances society. The Jayhawks Rising Strategic Plan was developed around three Institutional Priorities: creating a clear and ambitious direction to fulfill our mission to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world. Additional information is available at https://jayhawksrising.ku.edu/.
The College emphasizes interdisciplinary, experiential learning and global awareness and houses a vibrant university-wide Honors Program that highlights undergraduate research and service activities and has created strong affiliations with outstanding cross-disciplinary research centers. Faculty and academic staff have emphasized the importance of continuing and expanding relationships with centers and entities, including the Biodiversity Institute, Kansas Biological Survey, Kansas Geological Survey, the Hall Center for the Humanities, the Life Span Institute, the Institute for Policy and Social Research, the Spencer Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum. These relationships have brought a broad range of disciplines together to pursue and conduct sponsored research and education at the international, national, state, regional, and local levels and have created employment structures in which faculty and academic staff share appointments to emphasize collaboration. College faculty and research staff are welcomed as members in all of KU's designated research centers and institutes. The College is home to internationally recognized scholars and scientists who brought in $44M in research funding in FY 2021, nearly 30% of the total funded research at KU Lawrence.
Job DescriptionThe Teaching Fellow/Assistant Visiting Professor in Jewish Studies Program will teach 4 undergraduate courses a year on a 2:2 rotation on the Lawrence campus. At least three of the four courses will focus on modern Israel's society, culture, history, and/or politics.
Other duties will include participating in and developing Jewish Program events, including 4 outreach events/talks a year. This position is sponsored by the Israel Institute. This position is a full-time, academic year (9 -months), non-tenure track appointment with a two-year term.
Duties
80% Teaching Responsibilities:
- Teach four (4) undergraduate courses/academic year in the Visiting Assistant Professor's field of specialty. The VAP is expected to conduct teaching responsibilities according to departmental and university standards and to strive for excellence in the classroom. Prepare for and attend all class meetings. In case of absence, the Fellow must make arrangements for a substitute to teach the class. Classes should not be canceled. Provide instruction throughout the semester. Develop assignments, administer tests, evaluate student work, provide feedback to students, and assign grades. Hold regular office hours for students involved in classes taught. A minimum of three posted office hours each week is required. These office hours should be divided over at least two and preferably three different days. The VAP should be available for reasonable appointments if a student cannot meet during scheduled office hours. Adhere to departmental, college, and university policies.
- Treat students with courtesy and with respect for their rights, including, but not limited to, academic freedom and those rights as outlined in the Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities.
- Organize outreach events, including 4 outreach events/talks a year with a focus on Modern Israel.
- Visiting faculty members must share in the department's work, which includes attending faculty meetings and participating in departmental committees.
- Visiting faculty members must treat colleagues with courtesy and with respect for their rights, including, but not limited to, academic freedom.
- All visiting faculty members are expected to act in a manner that promotes collegial relationships and shows respect toward students, staff, and colleagues.
Faculty members are expected to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, currently viewable at: http://policy.ku.edu/FacultyCodeKULawrence/faculty-code-of-rights Required QualificationsEvaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) descriptions of work experience and educational experiences in the letter of application, (2) evaluations of recommendations, and (3) record of accomplishments and productivity addressed in the C.V.:
- Ph.D. in a field related to Modern Israel Studies.
- Expertise in Israeli politics, history, culture, and/or society courses.
- Teaching experience.
- Describe your experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds and explain how those experiences reflect your commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Application review will begin February 17, 2023 and will continue until a pool of qualified applicants is obtained. Contact Information to ApplicantsProf. Renee Perelmutter
[email protected]
Advertised Salary Range$55,000 plus benefits (funded by a grant from the Israel Institute) Application Review Begins17-Feb-2023 Anticipated Start Date18-Aug-2023
Organization
Working at the University of Kansas
Join the University of Kansas, and you’ll become part of a Jayhawk family that spans the globe. Wear your KU shirt in London, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Nairobi or anywhere else, and you will likely hear a resounding “Rock Chalk!” from a stranger. Of course, the appropriate response is an enthusiastic “Jayhawk!” Because, after all, they’re not really strangers, they’re family.
The Jayhawk community is united by more than 150 years of tradition and by our commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge, transforming the academic experience, and creating solutions through innovative research. KU’s mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world.
The University of Kansas is the state’s flagship university and one of just 66 invited members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). We consistently earn high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university.
KU faculty and staff embrace our role as the state’s flagship university, AAU member and R1 institution that serves the state, nation and world. We celebrate the energy and compassion that infuse the Jayhawk spirit; and, we remain true to KU’s historic values: the elevating force of education, the transformative power of research and the healing power of service.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
The University of Kansas is committed to a learning and workplace environment that is representative of our nation and global society, accepts and values everyone, appreciates our common humanity and understands that our multiple differences are the cornerstone of academic preparation, professional excellence and distinction. KU must be a place where all people feel they belong and have access to resources and support that help them attain their educational and professional goals.
We recognize there are inequalities and privileges generated by historical and persistent intersecting differences by race, ethnicity, gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, abilities, religion, regional background, veteran status, citizenship status and nationality. And we hold ourselves accountable for policies, processes and programs that appreciate these and other differences and create more fair, safe and just learning, working and living environments for KU students, faculty and staff.
Instruction
KU offers a broad array of undergraduate and graduate study programs, and we fulfill our mission through academic and research programs of international distinction, coupled with outstanding libraries, teaching museums and information technology. These resources enrich the academic experience for students from all 50 states and 112 countries, and provide enrichment resources for KU faculty and staff.
Research
The university attains high levels of research productivity and recognizes that faculty are part of a network of scholars and academicians that shape a discipline as well as teach it. KU staff are integral to our research success, participating in and supporting discoveries that expand knowledge and improve lives.
Service
The university and our employees serve society through research, teaching and the preservation and dissemination of knowledge. KU's academic programs, arts facilities and public programs provide cultural enrichment opportunities for the larger community. And, KU offers educational, research and service programs throughout the state. KU employees are encouraged to participate in and serve the campus and surrounding communities in a way that is meaningful to them.
International Dimension
KU offers more than 100 programs of international study and cooperative research for KU students and faculty at sites around the world. The university offers teaching and research that draw upon and contribute to the most advanced developments throughout the United States and abroad. At the same time, KU's extensive international ties support economic development in Kansas.
Values
The University of Kansas, our students and employees are committed to excellence. We foster a multicultural, inclusive environment in which the dignity and rights of individuals are respected. Intellectual diversity, integrity and disciplined inquiry in the search for knowledge are of paramount importance.
Our City and State
KU sits atop Mt. Oread in the center of Lawrence, a town full of natural beauty and culture. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine named Lawrence one of the best college towns in the United States. Lawrence is home to more than 100,000 people, and has a charming, Midwestern friendliness that welcomes visitors and celebrates diversity. In addition to KU, Lawrence is home to Haskell Indian Nations University, the premiere tribal university in the United States.
Lawrence’s historic and thriving downtown features restaurants, nightlife and local shops offering unique finds that you won’t find anywhere else. The town has more than 50 parks, an encompassing mixed-use trail, and quick access to biking/hiking trails along the Kansas River and around Clinton Lake. A five-minute drive from Lawrence, Clinton Lake offers fishing, boating, beaches, camping and other outdoor activities.
Located just 40 minutes west of Kansas City, Lawrence offers the appeal of a mid-size, suburban town with quick access to the amenities of a large city, including an international airport. The Kansas City metro area is home to world-class museums and cultural activities, Jazz clubs and other nightlife venues, expansive shopping options, and exciting professional sports with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Sporting KC.
Kansas is in the center of the country, making it convenient and cost effective to fly or drive to destinations throughout the United States. Far from flat, the Flint Hills, just 90 minutes from Lawrence, offer panoramic vistas that showcase the breathtaking beauty of America.
Making KU Your Home
Something about Lawrence is magnetic. Long-time residents are never surprised when a KU student or employee from out of state decides to make Lawrence their permanent home. And, even those who do leave often find themselves returning to “the nest” at some point in the future. In fact, Lawrence has been named by several publications as one of the best places to retire.
At the University of Kansas, you’ll join a global Jayhawk family and find a place to call home.
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