English Language and Literature – California State University

College of Arts and Letters
Department of English

Position: Assistant Professor of African American Literature

Starting Date: August, 2022

Minimum Qualifications:
1) An earned doctorate (Ph.D) in English or closely-related discipline from an accredited institution (or equivalent) is required. Applicants nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) may be considered; however, the doctorate must be completed by the date of appointment (8/18/22).

2) Evidence of successful teaching experience at the undergraduate level.
3) Evidence of scholarly activity in the field of African American Literature.

Preferred Qualifications:
1) Evidence of successful teaching experience in African American Literature.

2) Evidence of work in and/or commitment to community engagement and social justice.
3) Evidence of secondary interests in one or more of the following fields: action research, community-based research, creative writing, critical race theory, gender and sexuality studies, transatlantic studies.

Duties:
The primary professional responsibilities of instructional faculty members are: teaching, research, scholarship and/or creative activity, and service to the University, profession and to the community. These responsibilities generally include: advising students, participation in campus and system-wide committees, maintaining office hours, working collaboratively and productively with colleagues, and participation in traditional academic functions.

We seek a colleague committed to exploring the intersections of scholarly work, lived experience, and community engagement. The successful candidate will have opportunities to contribute to the department’s emergent Engaged English initiative; will teach lower-division, upper-division, and graduate courses in the department; and will design new courses in their area of expertise.

The successful candidate will be committed to the academic success of all of our students and to an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates diversity and differences. To this end, the successful candidate will work effectively, respectfully, and collaboratively in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings. In addition, the successful candidate will be ready to join faculty, staff, students, and administrators in our University’s shared commitment to the principles of engagement, service, and the public good.

Salary: Initial salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The University:
California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is one of 23 campuses within the California State University system. The University is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the U.S. for the upward mobility of its students, and is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good. We offer nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, ethnic studies, and the humanities. Our faculty have a strong commitment to scholarship, research, creative pursuits, community engagement, and service.

Our 240,000 alumni reflect the City and County’s dynamic mix of populations. The University has one of the most diverse student populations of any college or university in the nation. As a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, and Asian-American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Cal State LA recognizes the transformative power of education and embraces its duty to identify and serve the needs of all of its students. The University is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can live, work and learn in an atmosphere of civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual.

The College:
The Cal State LA College of Arts & Letters transforms lives and sustains thriving communities and cultures. We develop and amplify our students’ unique talents, diverse life experiences, and intellects through the study and practice of the Arts and Humanities so that they can tell meaningful stories, forge their professional pathways, and inspire their communities. Our nine departments (Art, Communication Studies, English, Liberal Studies, Modern Languages and Literatures, Music, Philosophy, Television, Film & Media Studies, and Theatre and Dance) include programs that lead to Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees, Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, and Master of Fine Arts degrees. The College of Arts & Letters also fosters interdisciplinary work that impacts the campus and its communities through entities such as the American Communities Program, the Center for Contemporary Poetry and Poetics, the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities, and the Prison Graduation Initiative.

The Department:
The English Department at California State University, Los Angeles, cultivates students’ imaginations and critical skills through the intensive study of literature and language. Drawing on the richness of L.A.’s geographical and cultural context, the department equips students to see the study of literature and language as both personally enriching and publicly meaningful within their own local and global communities.

Required Documentation:
Please submit the following to the Search Committee Chair at the email address below:

1) A cover letter specifically addressing minimum and preferred qualifications.

2) A narrative statement describing your commitment to working effectively with faculty, staff, and students in a multicultural/multiethnic urban campus environment with a substantial population of students who are among the first-generation of their family to attend a college or university.
3) A curriculum vitae.
4) A list of three professional references.
5) A University Application for Employment Form (https://www.calstatela.edu/sites/default/files/groups/Human%20Resources%20Management/forms/empl_application_academic_2017_11_28.pdf)

Finalists will be required to submit:

Official transcripts.
Two current letters of recommendation.
A writing sample, not to exceed 15 pages, demonstrating the candidate’s recent research interests.

Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

Application:
Review of applications will begin November 1, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

Please email all application materials in a single PDF to: [email protected]. Please type “African American Literature Search” in the subject line.

Please address all questions to the search committee chair, Dr. Andrew Lyndon Knighton, at: [email protected].

Note: The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the CSU. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position.

CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement. The systemwide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to [email protected].

In addition to meeting fully its obligations under federal and state law, Cal State LA is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can live, work and learn in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual. To that end, all qualified individuals will receive equal consideration without regard to economic status, race, ethnicity, color, religion, marital status, pregnancy, national origin or cultural background, political views, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, disability, disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran status.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/TITLE IX EMPLOYER

Upon request, reasonable accommodation will be provided to individuals with protected disabilities to (a) complete the employment process and (b) perform essential job functions when this does not cause undue hardship.