Western Kentucky University, Honors College

Assistant Professor for Honors Interdisciplinary Studies

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

HONORS COLLEGE

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

HONORS INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

The Honors College at Western Kentucky University (WKU) invites applicants for an Honors Interdisciplinary Studies faculty position.  This is a nine-month, tenure-eligible position at the Assistant Professor rank. Duties will begin August 2014.

WKU is home to the only Honors College in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  The Honors College provides its 1,200 students the experience of a prestigious, highly selective college within the context of a large public university.  Students selected for admission to the College rank in the top 5% of the nation in terms of SAT/ACT scores. The Honors College emphasizes writing, research, interdisciplinarity, and international learning.  The Honors College was recently spotlighted in publicuniversityhonors.com and has an excellent record of placing alumni in top graduate/professional programs.  It has a strong record of success in nationally competitive scholarships. Additional information about the College can be found at www.wku.edu/honors.

This faculty positions is part of a number of new hires dedicated to the Honors College.  The hired faculty’s tenure home will be in the Honors Academy.  The successful candidates will primarily be responsible for teaching the Honors Citizen and Self course – a key component of the College’s developing interdisciplinary core curriculum, with additional opportunities to teach in the faculty member’s specific area of expertise.

The Citizen and Self course concentrates on building theoretical knowledge and practical skills for effective, engaged citizenship in a democracy. Course format includes interactive team teaching in large class meetings, as well as working closely with students in small seminars and in their research teams. The successful candidate must have the skills and experience to teach a course that emphasizes:

• exploration of the role of citizen as a co-creator of public goods;
• theoretical knowledge and practical skills that prepare students to work effectively in their communities, social groups, and broader society in order to strengthen democracy;
• development of strong writing and research skills, with a focus on knowledge creation;
• community partnerships and collaborative problem-solving;
• engagement with methodologies and approaches to public scholarship and community-based research; and
• interdisciplinary perspectives, methods, and insights to critically examine social issues and democratic life.

Applicants who do not already have an earned doctorate must demonstrate a firm completion date to be considered. 

Disciplinary background is open, but candidates should demonstrate a history of, and commitment to, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary engagement—with a specific interest in civic studies and public scholarship.  Applicants with experience in digital humanities are encouraged to apply.  Beyond the specific qualifications to teach Citizen and Self, the successful candidate must demonstrate:

• excellence in undergraduate teaching;
• potential for an outstanding research program;
• strong potential to secure external grant funding;
• willingness to mentor students in and outside of the classroom (e.g. national/international scholarships, undergraduate research/thesis, etc.);
• a record of working with diverse community partners;
• a desire to actively participate in the intellectual life of the Honors College; and
• ability to work as part of a team, with a willingness to collaborate with colleagues.

WKU is a progressive, proactive institution that seeks candidates possessing the same qualities. WKU, one of the fastest growing universities in the region, is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with a total enrollment of over 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students.  The area (with an urbanized population of 90,000+) is noted for its high quality of life, increasing cultural diversity, and modest cost of living.  To learn more about Bowling Green, please follow this link:  http://www.wku.edu/honors/contact/discover_bowling-green.php

To apply, candidates should provide a cover letter describing qualifications for the position, a Curriculum Vitae, and three professional letters of recommendation that specifically address the qualifications above. In the case of recent Ph.D.s or ABDs, one of the recommenders should be the candidate’s dissertation advisor.  The above material should be sent to:

Clay Motley

Search Committee Chair


The Honors College

1906 College Heights Blvd. #31082

Bowling Green, KY 42101-1082

Email inquiries may be sent to the following email address:  honors@wku.edu

Review of applications will begin December 9, 2013, and continue until the positions are filled.

Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

Western Kentucky University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, or marital status in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices in accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.