FAC668P

https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/25531

Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor of Inclusive/Special Education - #171943

Office, Dean, Educ & Allied Prof

Western Carolina University has been named to the 2022 “America’s Best Employers by State” list by Forbes, ranking 14 out of the top 100 employers in North Carolina. Forbes has also ranked Western Carolina University in the Top 100 of America’s Best Midsize Employers for 2023. Western Carolina University is the UNC system’s westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South. WCU’s main campus is nestled in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 50 miles west of Asheville. WCU is located just 25 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, one of the nation’s most spectacular and most visited national parks. The entire region is known for its excellent quality of life and access to outdoor activities.

Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans – eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, and free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus.

This is a tenure-track, 9-month position at the Assistant Professor rank. Expected begin work date is August 2024. The successful applicant will join a strong faculty in the Inclusive and Special Education Programs within the School of Teaching and Learning at one of the nation’s most beautiful and dynamic universities.
The undergraduate Inclusive Education Program leads to dual North Carolina licensure in K-12 General Curriculum Special Education and K-6 Elementary Education. The Graduate Special Education M.A.T. program leads to initial and advanced licensure in General Curriculum or Adapted Curriculum. The M.A.Ed. program leads to advanced licensure in Special Education with concentrations in Mild to Moderate Disabilities, Severe Disabilities, or Gifted, Creative, & Innovative Education.
Western Carolina University holds inclusive excellence as a core value, and we work together to foster a welcoming community, where all are respected and know they belong. In a program that adheres to this core value, the successful candidate will be expected to teach in person in the Inclusive Education Program and online in the Special Education Program; engage strongly in research, and provide service to both regional and statewide P-12 schools, to the profession, and to the university.

The successful candidate will be expected to meet annual performance requirements in the School of Teaching and Learning for teaching, scholarship, and service, while demonstrating satisfactory progress toward tenure and promotion.
The position will require teaching in the Inclusive and Special Education programs. The successful candidate will teach face to face and online courses in mild to moderate disabilities and supervise interns in special education and K-6 general education settings. The teaching load for this position is three courses per semester with day and evening sections that may vary across terms. Expertise and experience with inclusion in schools is expected for this position. Consistent participation in on- campus responsibilities is expected.
Applicants should provide evidence of these qualifications and experiences. Also, applicants should demonstrate the potential to work collaboratively and across disciplines, contribute to the department’s multicultural and diversity goals, and show successful collaboration with in-service teachers in public school settings.
The institution has fully embraced the Boyer model of scholarship as a means of supporting its commitment to the stewards of place model and integrated learning. As such, faculty members are encouraged to utilize the scholarship of engagement to enhance student learning and fulfill its mission to the region and support the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Applicants are encouraged to visit the WCU website (www.wcu.edu) and read the university vision and details about the QEP.

The successful candidate should document:• an earned Ph.D. or Ed.D. in special education from an accredited institution• expertise in and experience working with children and youth with disabilities including learning, intellectual, and emotional and/or behavioral disabilities.• eligibility for North Carolina licensure and a minimum of three years of full time K-12 classroom teaching experience in special education mild to moderate or high incidence disabilities.• evidence of or potential for excellence in university teaching, including face to face and online formats.• demonstrated knowledge of inclusive practices and current research in teaching students with disabilities in the general curriculum.• demonstrated record of or potential for research in special education leading to a sustained record of scholarship.• commitment to service to the program (e.g. recruitment, open house), college, university and community.

Preference will be given to the candidate with:• experience teaching introductory courses, instructional methods, and supervision of preservice teachers.• familiarity with edTPA requirements• experience in online and face to face instruction and development of courses.• experience with inclusive education teacher preparation (dual preparation and licensure in special and elementary education)• specialty experience with transition, emotional behavior disorders, interventions (e.g. MTSS), and/or gifted instruction.• experience in instructional technology, Personalized learning and Universal Design for Learning.• collaborative work across disciplines; support of underrepresented multilingual, culturally diverse students; and implementation of culturally responsive practices• a productive research agenda or demonstrated line of research in special education in conjunction with the Boyer Model of Scholarship including conference presentations, peer reviewed scholarship, and external funding opportunities.

Permanent Full-Time

9

09/21/2023

Yes

Application must be made online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position has been filled.

Please submit a CV, letter of application, unofficial transcripts and a list of three references with complete contact information.

For more information, please contact the Search Committee Co- Chair, Karena Cooper-Duffy, kcooper@wcu.edu or Adrienne Stuckey aastuckey@wcu.edu

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks.

Western Carolina University uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program.
Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at University Annual Safety Report or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.