Director of the Second Language Teaching and Research Center and Associate / Full Professor Spanish
University of Utah - World Languages & Cultures
Application
Details
Posted: 14-Sep-23
Location: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Administrative
Faculty & Research
Required Education:
Doctorate
The Department of World Languages & Cultures at the University of Utah seeks an innovative leader, experienced administrator, and established scholar to direct the Second language Teaching and Research Center (L2TReC) with a concurrent appointment as Professor or Associate Professor of Spanish. In addition to leading the L2TReC team, the director will be expected to teach one course per semester in their area of specialization. L2TReC’s primary activities are in three areas: research, pedagogy, and outreach. It profiles the university’s unique strengths in foreign language education, coordinates with the Utah State Board of Education’s (USBE) foreign language initiatives, manages the state’s Bridge Program for Advanced Language Learning, and provides a focal point for research in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Minimum Qualifications:
• A Ph.D. in Spanish Applied Linguistics or related field • A scholarly record commensurate with the rank of tenured Professor or Associate Professor • A record of relevant administrative experience and evidence of effective leadership, including effective financial planning and oversight • Demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of collegiality and transparency among a diverse group of faculty, staff and students • Experience applying for and administering large grants • Native or near-native proficiency in both Spanish and English
Desired Qualifications:
• Background in proficiency-based instruction and language assessment • Familiarity with secondary education language learning pathways • Demonstrated experience with program development in research and education • Demonstrated commitment to teaching and academic innovation and transdisciplinary collaborations • Evidence of excellent communication and organizational skills
Complete applications include the following documents: letter of application, curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, a writing sample of no more than 20 pages, a teaching statement or portfolio, and a diversity statement. All materials must be submitted by November 1. Questions may be addressed to Prof. Christopher Lewis, Chair of the Department of World Languages & Cultures (christopher.t.lewis@utah.edu).
A diverse scholarly community stimulates innovation and educational excellence. The College of Humanities and the Department of World Languages & Cultures work to maintain a respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone can flourish. We are actively working to increase our diversity and to promote belonging and community for all. We value constructive input and welcome feedback from our community.
Located in metropolitan Salt Lake City in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, the University of Utah is the state’s flagship R1 research institution and a member of the Association of American Universities. The university emphasizes exceptional scholarship, quality teaching, and professional service. It serves over 34,000 students from across the U.S. and the world, with over 72 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, such as law and medicine. The university’s language programs benefit from and serve the state’s extensive K–12 Dual Language Immersion program.
Known for its proximity to seven world-class ski resorts within 40 minutes of campus, the University of Utah encourages an active, holistic lifestyle, innovation, and collaborative thinking to engage students, faculty, and business leaders. Salt Lake City is a vibrant, major metropolitan area with a diverse, multicultural population and numerous cultural and outdoor activities.
About University of Utah - World Languages & Cultures
Founded in 1868 as the department of Modern Languages, the Department of World Languages & Cultures (WLC) is housed in the College of Humanities (CoH). The WLC mission embraces the teaching, research, and public life dimensions of the College of Humanities and the mission of the University of Utah.
The department provides its students the opportunity to gain linguistic competency, cultural literacy, and the analytical framework to engage successfully and on a high level with the people and culture of a language community other than their own. To that purpose, we seek to combine the practical aspects of language acquisition with the development of interpretive skills at all levels of instruction. The emphasis on the practical goes back to the department’s inception. The entry under “Modern Languages” in the 1868-69 University of Deseret First Annual Catalogue reads: “In the department of Modern Languages, every effort will be made to render them practical. So far as possible, they will be made the communication medium between the Professor and [their] Classes.”
WLC faculty contribute to the university’s research mission in literary and cultural studies, linguistics, and second... language (L2) pedagogy. The department teaches twenty-two languages, works of literature, and cultures, from beginning language classes to advanced and graduate seminars in various subject areas. WLC awards undergraduate and graduate degrees, minors, and certificates. We provide the instruction that makes the university BA language requirement possible.
The department is affiliated with several programs and centers housed in CoH and beyond, contributing teaching and research expertise and serving a variety of student interests. In addition, we support the university’s public life mission through lectures and programming in the community, community-based research projects, our Community-Engaged Learning and Continuing Education courses, and close cooperation with Utah’s Dual Language Immersion and Bridge Programs.
