Teaching Professor – Theology

THE UNIVERSITY

Established in 1885, the University of St. Thomas is located in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and is Minnesota’s largest private university. Its 9,000 students pursue degrees in a wide range of liberal arts, professional, and graduate programs.

As a community, the University of St. Thomas is committed to:

• Pursuit of truth - We value intellectual inquiry as a life-long habit, the unfettered and impartial pursuit of truth in all its forms, the integration of knowledge across disciplines, and the imaginative and creative exploration of new ideas.
• Academic excellence - We create a culture among faculty, students and staff that recognizes the power of ideas and rewards rigorous thinking.
• Faith and reason - We actively engage Catholic intellectual tradition, which values the fundamental compatibility of faith and reason and fosters meaningful dialogue directed toward the flourishing of human culture.
• Dignity - We respect the dignity of each person and value the unique contributions that each brings to the greater mosaic of the university community.
• Diversity - We strive to create a vibrant, diverse community in which, together, we work for a more just and inclusive society.
• Personal attention - We foster a caring culture that supports the well-being of each member.
• Gratitude - We celebrate the achievements of all members of our community in goals attained and obstacles overcome, and in all things give praise to God.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The University of St. Thomas invites applications for a full-time, 10-month Teaching Professor position in Theology for the university’s two-year college, the Dougherty Family College. This is a non-tenure-track, renewable position.

The faculty member will teach sections of an in-person, 100-level Theology course (e.g., Foundations of the Christian Tradition) and serve as academic advisor and mentor to a cohort of students. We seek colleagues with a record of success in teaching theology courses, expertise in culturally responsive pedagogy, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Faculty are expected to teach in-person three sections of theology per semester and provide intensive mentoring and advising. The successful candidate will also teach an online course during January and every other summer (additional compensation is given for online courses). This is a full-time 10-month non-tenure track, renewable position (starting August 1, 2024).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION

We seek candidates who recognize the value of high expectations, student-teacher relationships, and home-school-community connections for students’ academic achievement. Competitive candidates will demonstrate how their teaching record fosters successful learning communities reflective of their students’ diverse cultures. Candidates will also demonstrate how their teaching has prompted students to make use of their culturally embedded knowledge, resulting in meaningful learning that affirms their students’ social identities and connections while promoting high academic performance.

Successful candidates will have a background in critical and/or culturally responsive pedagogies and recognize their own cultural experiences, identities, manifestation of privilege, and the dynamics these evoke in and outside of the classroom. Candidates will embrace self-reflection, value excellence through educational equity, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing culturally responsive learning in a collaborative, collegial environment.

We are seeking highly motivated, innovative, and creative educators who will provide intensive mentoring and advising to students. Faculty mentors are expected to help students earn their associate of arts degrees and prepare them with the solid educational foundation to successfully complete their bachelor’s degrees. Faculty are expected to be on campus and available to students at least four days a week 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. The academic class schedule is very structured. The faculty member will teach three sections of Theology in the Fall semester and three every Spring, with an additional January online course and a summer course (also online) every other year. The three theology sections are each scheduled for a 2-hour block twice a week (total of 4 hours of instructional time per section each week). Faculty will meet with each advisee (approximately twenty-five advisees) for individual mentoring sessions at minimum 20 minutes a month. Faculty will meet with their entire cohort in Leadership Advisory Groups (LAG) at minimum 1 hour a month. In addition to teaching, mentoring, and advising, faculty are expected to work with students during the August summer enrichment program and perform other responsibilities related to college program development and assessment.

Required: master’s degree in theology or a closely related discipline. Teaching experience at the high school or college/university level is required.

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time 10-month non-tenure track, renewable position (August 1- May 31). The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package and comprehensive employee benefits. The successful candidate will teach online courses during January and every other summer (additional compensation is given for online courses).

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The University of St. Thomas embraces diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity, and personal attention call us to embody and champion a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. We welcome applicants of diverse races, ethnicities, geographic origins, gender identities, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, religions, work experience, physical and intellectual abilities, and financial means. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. This commitment is consistent with our mission to inspire our students, using the Catholic intellectual tradition, to think critically, work skillfully, and act wisely – all for the common good. A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

TO APPLY

Application Deadline: February 29, 2024. Applications should be submitted online at https://jobs.stthomas.edu and include the following: cover letter; CV that includes at least three references who can specifically address the candidate’s teaching experience; a one-page statement that presents the candidate’s philosophy of developing and leading initiatives to support a culturally responsive curriculum (discuss culturally responsive pedagogy in the statement); and evidence of teaching excellence with underserved students (e.g., student feedback on your teaching).