Faculty Opportunities

Career Curriculum Development Committee

The Provost Office was recently awarded a planning grant from the Davis Educational Foundation to convene a faculty group to develop a curriculum that supports students' career planning and preparation and to support faculty professional development in instruction for this area. In conjunction with the Career Center, Associate Provosts Sarah Cosgrove and Shannon Jenkins are seeking applications from faculty who are interested in contributing to this work.

Project description

During the preliminary phase of this project, the Committee will explore different models of career curricula and determine an approach for our institution. The work of the Committee will be supported by the consultants from the Career Leadership Collective. In May 2025, we will convene two preliminary meetings to introduce the committee to the project and our consultant.

In early June, a select group of committee members will have the opportunity to attend the National Association of Colleges and Employers Annual Conference in Philadelphia from June 9th to 11th to learn about best practices in career education.

We will hold a one-day retreat in late June/early July with the full committee and our consultant to focus on developing career learning outcomes, exploring best practices in career curriculum, and reviewing career curriculum and faculty development models. We aim to create a plan to integrate career learning outcomes into the UMass Dartmouth curriculum. Research suggests career curriculum is most effective when faculty and staff are empowered with the tools and training to deliver this curriculum, so developing a faculty and staff professional development plan will be another key deliverable for this project.  

Eligibility and Application Process 

All full-time faculty are eligible to apply. Work on this committee will commence in May, and some summer work will be expected. In exchange for summer work, faculty will earn a $2,000 stipend. Faculty who are interested in participating should submit a CV and a brief statement of their interests and qualifications by 5pm on April 25th to provost@umassd.edu. 

Provost Leadership Fellows Program

The Office of the Provost is deeply committed to cultivating a diverse and talented cadre of faculty leaders through intentional career development and experiential learning opportunities. The Provost Leadership Fellows (PLF) program is designed to nurture the next generation of academic leaders at UMass Dartmouth by providing a distincrtive, immersive experience in university governance and strategic academic administration.

Recognizing the critical need for informed, visionary leadership across all institution levels— from department chairs and faculty senators to deans and senior administrators—this initiative offers Fellows a unique platform to engage meaningfully with institutional priorities while expanding their administrative acumen and developing a leadership portfolio.

Working in close collaboration with senior academic leaders, each Fellow will coordinate a cross-campus initiative that aligns with the university’s strategic goals. Fellows will be mentored by members of the Provost’s leadership team and integrated into the daily operations of Academic Affairs, where they will gain first-hand exposure to the complex dynamics of academic governance, strategic planning, budgeting, and the evolving landscape of higher education. 

Benefits to fellows

Participants in the program will:

• Broaden their institutional perspective by engaging directly with senior administrators, gaining insight into the decision-making processes that shape academic policy and strategy.
• Refine their leadership skills through structured mentorship and project-based learning that develops core competencies in collaboration, communication, and systems thinking.
• Gain administrative experience that prepares them for future leadership roles, from department chair to senior academic appointments.
• Make a tangible impact by leading high-visibility projects that advance the university’s mission in areas such as Faculty Development, Student Success, and Academic Policy.
• Expand their professional network across disciplines and divisions, building lasting relationships with faculty leaders and administrative colleagues.

The program is ideal for faculty who wish to explore or pursue administrative leadership while continuing to contribute to the institution's academic vitality. 

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to all full-time faculty who have been promoted to associate professor/associate teaching professor or beyond with at least five years of service at the university. Fellows will be selected based on their demonstrated ability or potential to provide collaborative and aspirational leadership, contribute to initiatives and projects of institutional importance and aligned with the strategic roadmap, effectively navigate cross-divisional relationships, and contextualize their work through a broad institutional perspective. 

Nominations

A nomination is required. Self-nominee applications will be strengthened with support letters from those in leadership positions, such as chair, senate president, associate dean, dean, etc. A select group of nominees will be asked to submit an application, including a statement summarizing their Fellowship goals and a current curriculum vitae. The application should have the approval of the department chair and dean.  

The deadline for nominations is April 18th by 5:00 p.m. Applications are due by 5pm. May 5th. Nominations and applications should be submitted via email to provost@umassd.edu. 

Compensation and Term of Appointment 

Provost Leadership Fellows will begin work in June before their academic year fellowship begins. The PLFs will work with the Provost’s office to develop a project with clear deliverables. Compensation will include a $5,000 stipend for the summer and a course release each semester.  Fellows will work with their mentor to develop the project proposal and deliverables and a schedule for the project work during the summer. The time commitment during the academic year will be commensurate with a course release each semester (20% of their time or one day a week). 

Call for Directors: Interdisciplinary Minors in Aging & Health, Leadership & Civic Engagement, and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

The Provost’s Office is committed to innovative, interdisciplinary education, and I recognize the essential place of interdisciplinary minors at UMass Dartmouth. These programs offer students the opportunity to make vital connections across fields, preparing them to address the complex challenges of our time with creativity, ethical insight, and critical thinking.

In the interest of transparency and equitable opportunity, we are committed to posting all such leadership openings on a regular basis, so that all faculty have the opportunity to apply and engage in interdisciplinary academic leadership. As such, we will regularly be posting calls for director positions for interdisciplinary minors.

We are currently seeking faculty directors for three of our interdisciplinary minors: Aging and Health, Leadership and Civic Engagement, and Sustainability. Faculty directors play a crucial role in stewarding the academic integrity of these programs, mentoring students, and helping shape their growth and impact. If you are passionate about any of these areas and are interested in leading one of these minors, please send an expressions of interest, including a brief statement of your experience and vision for the minor, along with your current CV to the Provost’s Office provost@umassd.edu by 4:00 pm on 12/22/25. Additionally, emails or memos of support from the department chair and the dean should accompany the application.

More information about the duties for interdisciplinary minor directors and compensation for this role is available below.

Minor directors shall be appointed for a term of three years.  The primary responsibilities of interdisciplinary minor Directors are listed below. 

• Raise awareness of the minor and recruit students;
• Ensure representation of the minor at relevant recruiting events such as open houses and admitted students days;
• Advise students who are minoring in the program;
• Complete degree certifications for graduating minors;
• Work with participating faculty and departments to ensure adequate course offerings and seat capacity within classes that will provide for timely minor completion;
• Work with the minor’s advisory board to evaluate the curriculum and revise the curriculum as needed;
• Work with the minor’s advisory board to create and host events that encourage engagement related to the minor.

Compensation for interdisciplinary minors will follow the following guidelines:

• Interdisciplinary minor Directors will be provided $1,500 of professional development funds. These funds will have to be utilized by the end of fiscal year deadlines and may not be carried over into future academic years.
• Directors of minors with at least 30 students enrolled and at least 8 graduated students in the previous years will be granted one course release in a future academic year. Official counts for the minor will be run on March 1st to determine whether a minor director is eligible for a course release.
• In exchange for this compensation, the minor director should prepare a brief (1-2 page) report on minor director activities and accomplishments; this report will be due by the end of May in each year of the appointment.

Assistant Director – Office of Faculty Development (Spring 2025)

The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) seeks applications for one Assistant Director position to begin in Spring 2025.

Job description

Assistant Directors in the Office of Faculty Development create and implement university-wide programming that supports best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment; pedagogical innovation across modalities (i.e. face-to-face, blended, fully online); research, scholarship and creative activity; and professional development opportunities for all faculty.

The ideal candidate will have a successful record of research and publication, teaching, and university service. They will develop programs that will attract faculty from a wide spectrum of disciplines and promote intellectual community and engagement. Assistant Directors meet regularly with the OFD Director and Advisory Board to develop new initiatives, increase attendance and retention at OFD events, and evaluate program efficacy. Assistant Directors serve a two-year term.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a portfolio focused on Scholarly Success and Development
• Develop at least 4 programs/workshops per semester that support faculty research and scholarship across disciplines
• Work with OFD staff and CITS Instructional Development team to plan an annual conference on current issues in pedagogy and higher education
• Work with OFD Director on program initiatives that support the OFD’s mission and meet changing needs of faculty
• Work with OFD Director to develop and update OFD website
• Work with OFD Administrative Assistant to promote and publicize events;
• Hold 2 weekly office hours in the Office of Faculty Development
• Other duties as assigned. 

Compensation

Course release for one semester per academic year or comparable stipend. Support for professional development related to OFD work will also be provided, as will workspace in the Office of Faculty Development. 

Eligibility

Candidates must be tenure-track or tenured faculty members, must have a successful research and publication record, experience teaching in a range of instructional modalities, and a strong record of college and/or university service. Applicants should also have a record of participation in and/or development of OFD programming. Preferred qualifications include managing a research laboratory, including having received extramural funding and mentoring graduate students.

Preferred specializations include sciences (including SMAST), engineering, and nursing and health sciences. Interested applicants should discuss their application with their department chairperson and dean prior to submitting an application. 

To apply

Submit a letter of interest, CV, and statement of support from your department chair to Ellen Mandly, OFD Administrative Assistant by Monday, March 10, 2025, at 5pm. Questions may be directed to Dr. Michael Sheriff, OFD Director.

Faculty Director for Career

Job Description

The Faculty Director for Career provides leadership for integrating career learning into the UMass Dartmouth curriculum and co-curriculum. The Director advances a coordinated career ecosystem by mapping current career-related learning, supporting faculty and departments in embedding career learning into courses and programs, building shared teaching resources, and aligning efforts across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs (Career Center), and Advancement. The Director also leads assessment of career-related curriculum, using evidence to improve student outcomes and inform institutional decision-making.

Specifically and exclusively in the capacity of this role, the Faculty Director for Career reports to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Undergraduate Education

Responsibilities of the Faculty Director for Career:

Curriculum Inventory and Mapping

• Develop and maintain an institution-wide inventory of where career learning is currently integrated across the curriculum (e.g. major-specific career courses, University Studies, experiential learning, etc.)

Career Learning Repository for Faculty

• Partner with the Career Center and instructional designers to build and maintain a centralized repository of career-learning resources for faculty and staff
• Curate and/or develop reusable course modules, assignments, classroom activities, rubrics, templates, and referral pathways to campus career resources

Curriculum Development and Integration

• Partner with faculty developers of the new career exploration course and career management course
• Consult with departments and program leaders to align program-level curriculum with career learning outcomes and NACE competencies.
• Support implementation strategies that ensure equitable access to career preparation experiences across student populations and majors

Faculty and Staff Professional Development

• Oversee and coordinate professional development opportunities that ensure a broad group of faculty and staff are equipped to talk with students as they explore their professional options, including becoming conversant in available jobs in various fields, the skills needed for these jobs, and on-campus resources to support career development
• Build and sustain a faculty career champions program that develops faculty capacity to integrate career skills and competencies into existing courses resulting in artifacts for the repository to aid other faculty
• Develop and deliver training program for faculty who are teaching the new 100- and 200-level career courses
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Development, Career Center staff, and academic units to design workshops and resource guides
• Encourage and document faculty participation, showcasing effective practices for broader adoption

Cross-Campus Coordination

• Liaise with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Advancement, and other partners to align career learning and student opportunities
• Coordinate communication, planning, and shared initiatives that connect classroom learning to internships, employer engagement, alumni networks, mentoring, and experiential learning
• Participate in relevant committees and working groups to ensure coherence and reduce duplication of effort

Assessment, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead assessment of career-related curricular and co-curricular efforts, including the development of measures, data collection plans, and reporting cycles
• Use evidence to recommend improvements to curriculum integration, faculty development, and student-facing programming
• Produce regular updates and summary reports for campus leadership and stakeholders, documenting progress, outcomes, and next steps

General

• Supervise graduate assistant
• Meet regularly with Career Curriculum Committee, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Undergraduate Education, career consultant

Required Qualifications of the Faculty Director for Career:

• Current full-time faculty member at UMass Dartmouth
• Demonstrated experience integrating career learning into curriculum and/or engaging in career curriculum related activities

• Strong organization, collaboration, interpersonal, and communication skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively across the UMassD campus
• Commitment to student success, equity, and access in career development

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience partnering with advising, career services, experiential learning, and/or employer/alumni engagement
• Familiarity with career readiness frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies) and/or work-integrated learning practices
• Experience leading faculty development initiatives or building shared instructional resources
• Appreciation of professional and career development with an interdisciplinary and holistic approach
• Demonstrated experience with assessment or program evaluation

• Experience with the UMass Dartmouth curriculum review process

Compensation

Compensation for the position includes a $5,000 summer stipend and the director’s choice of:

• $15,000 stipend, OR
• One course release per semester, OR
• One course release per year and $7,500 stipend.

The appointment is annual, renewable by mutual consent and contingent on funding, for a total of three years.

Student Support Faculty Coordinator

Job Description

The Student Support Faculty Coordinator (SSFC) fosters academic success and undergraduate student belonging by providing leadership and day-to-day oversight of two student support initiatives: the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program and Corsair Navigators. This position is responsible for the recruitment, hiring, training, and ongoing supervision of undergraduate student workers serving as PAL leaders and peer mentors, equipping them with the skills, tools, and confidence needed to effectively support their peers. This position requires a dynamic, equity-minded educator who is passionate about peer-led learning models, committed to student success, and experienced in program coordination, supervision, and data-informed continuous improvement.

• PAL is a supplemental instruction program for gateway courses with high DFW rates. Undergraduate students who were previously successful in a PAL course are trained and empowered to run 2-3 weekly workshops for students enrolled in the course. The SSFC works with the Associate Provost for Student Success to identify classes receiving PAL support and is responsible for training and supervising 8-12 PAL leaders each semester. The SSFC works with faculty and Chairs to recruit and hire PAL leaders and engages with University systems and staff to schedule workshops.

• Corsair Navigators is a new peer mentoring program for first-year first-generation undergraduate students designed to provide academic and social support and belonging through social events, interest groups, 1-on-1 interaction, and online messaging through an evidence-based app. The SSFC is responsible for recruiting, hiring, administering training, and supervising 7-10 peer mentors per academic year and works with the AmeriCorps VISTA Peer Mentor Coordinator (VISTA) to recruit mentees, coordinate communications, oversee events, respond to flags raised in the app, and monitor engagement between mentors and mentees.

Specifically and exclusively in the capacity of this role, the SSFC reports to the Associate Provost for Student Success (APSS).

Responsibilities of the Student Success Faculty Coordinator:

PAL Related Duties

• Train PAL Student Leaders at the beginning of each semester (roughly 6 hours of training time per semester)
• Coordinate PAL Leader schedules, PAL session meeting times, and meeting locations through 25Live
• Hold weekly meetings throughout the semester for ongoing PAL Student Leader training
• Conduct PAL study session observations
• Act as mediator between PAL Student Leaders and Faculty Partners, as necessary
• Onboard and assist Faculty partners (course instructors)
• Coordinate with academic departments on the recruitment, hiring, and HR processing of each PAL Student Leader
• Collect PAL session attendance data from PAL Leaders and prepare for assessment
• Meet or otherwise communicate intermittently with Faculty partners to share information and answer questions or concerns about the program

Corsair Navigator Related Duties

• Work with the VISTA to recruit and administer training to mentors and mentees
• Hire, supervise, and support ongoing training for mentors
• Monitor app engagement and check-in data, referring students to advisors and other campus resources when higher level intervention is warranted
• Work with the VISTA to identify and market existing campus events to mentors/mentees to build community
• Liaise with Academic Resource Center staff for mentee support programming (e.g. time management, study skill, financial literacy workshops)

Admin Related Duties

• Meet regularly with Associate Provost for Student Success to discuss progress of programs and future planning
• Communicate with campus collaborators to market the programs
• Research and develop best practices for student support programs, including assessment practices, student leader recruitment strategies, and participant recruitment strategies
• Conduct semester-end qualitative assessment of programs
• Coordinate early residence hall move in for PAL leaders and mentors to attend summer/winter training
• Submit late pay forms for student workers as needed
• Compose and submit to the Associate Provost for Student Success by June 30th a report summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the programs over the last academic year.

Required Qualifications of the Student Success Faculty Coordinator:

• Current full-time faculty member at UMass Dartmouth
• Experience using COIN, Slate for Student Success, and Canvas
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with students of diverse backgrounds and academic levels
• Ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff across the UMassD campus
• Strong organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

Successful prior experience with:

• Supplemental Instruction or related student academic support services (e.g., tutoring)
• Peer mentoring programs
• Training student employees to provide support to peers
• Administrative work in an academic environment
• Teaching lower division/first year courses

Compensation

Compensation for the position includes a $5,000 summer stipend and the coordinator’s choice of:

• $15,000 stipend, OR
• One course release per semester, OR
• One course release per year and $7,500 stipend.

The appointment is annual, renewable by mutual consent and contingent on funding, for a total of three years.