Job Description:

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples' lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found here.

Aurora University seeks talented faculty who are passionate about teaching and learning. As a private institution, Aurora University expects faculty to be involved in the lives of students through mentoring, student support, enrollment initiatives, and other activities related to the college experience. To facilitate this highly interactive faculty/student relationship, the typical teaching load is three 4 credit-hour courses per semester. Student advising is supported by professional staff. Undergraduate faculty share in the delivery of the general education program, most often by teaching within the university's interdisciplinary core. Evidence of successful teaching, or a strong potential for successful teaching, is required for all positions. Experience teaching at a smaller, private institution is highly preferred.

Position Purpose: This position supports student learning by utilizing expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusivity in clinical social work practice while teaching graduate level social work courses. Fully supports the Military and Veteran Social Work track in the MSW program as primary administrator of the track.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Develops and facilitates innovative social work curriculum designed to promote student competency in anti-oppressive clinical social work practice with individuals, groups, couples, and families designed for campus-based and online learning modalities.


2. Consistently creates a classroom learning environment cognizant of diversity, equity, and inclusivity while supporting student critical thinking and professional development.


3. Provides meaningful formative and summative feedback to students in each assigned course.


4. Provides needed support to students who require it and schedule consultation times where questions and concerns can be voiced.


5. Manages all attendance and grading responsibilities for each course assigned by meeting stated deadlines for data submission.


6. Actively engages in service to the school, college, university, and community in alignment to Aurora University mission and values.


7. Routinely engages in professional activity that supports continuous learning in the profession of social work.


8. Performs effectively all duties detailed in the annual performance evaluation processes for department/program faculty and staff.


9. Participates actively in the faculty development process.


10. Teaches 24 semester hours in the School of Social Work each academic year.


11. Recruits and mentors students in the Master of Social Work program.


12. Recruits new internship sites for Military/Veteran Social Work track.


13. Advises Military/Veteran Social Work track students.


14. Assists with licensure preparation for social work students.

Essential Job Requirements:

Education: Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE accredited MSW program with clinical licensure required. DSW, PhD, or doctorate degree preferred.
Experience: Minimum of 5 years of full- or part-time teaching experience in higher education.
Skills:

1. 
   Expertise in the field of social work: Extensive knowledge and skills in the field of social work, specific knowledge in diversity, equity, inclusivity, and social justice within clinical social work practice is expected. Candidate must be able to professionally model ethical social work practice to students.
   
   
   
   


2. 
   Teaching excellence: Teaching skills appropriate for diverse, graduate level learners utilized to promote competency achievement in clinical social work practice. Student engagement and instruction that promotes active learning in person or in online learning environments is required. Readiness to assess student learning outcomes.
   
   
   
   


3. 
   Scholarship and Professional Activity: Capability and readiness to continually engage in scholarship or professional activity to maintain understanding of contemporary changes in the field of social work and in higher education.
   
   
   
   


4. 
   Collaborative service: The ability to effectively work within a team environment in service to the school, college, university, or community is an essential skill area. Using effective communication, time management, and interpersonal skills to participate actively in service is required.
   
   
   
   


5. 
   Commitment to the implicit curriculum within the MSW program: Readiness to improve the ways in which students experience the culture and climate of the MSW program outside of classroom settings.

Physical Requirements:

1. Ability to move about campus.
   
   
   
   


2. Ability to interact via telephone, in-person, and electronic media.

All benefit-eligible faculty positions offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including health, dental, vision, life, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission. Applications must include a letter of intent including description of education, certifications held, and all relevant experience, current curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references including phone numbers (candidates will be notified prior to references being contacted). Electronic applications welcomed.

Please submit application materials as follows:

Hardcopy submissions:
Faculty Search, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Aurora University
347 S. Gladstone Ave.
Aurora, IL 60506



Electronic submissions:

facultysearch@aurora.edu

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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