Assistant Professor – Interdisciplinary Ceramic Artist at California State University, Sacramento, CA
Posted on October 22, 2022 – open until filled
POSITION DETAILS:
The Art Department seeks a Ceramic artist with an environmental/social justice focus, that will help the department serve an increasingly diverse student body. The candidate’s practice should demonstrate a strong foundation in ceramics while relating to ideas of environmental and social justice, which may include, but are not limited to, climate and environmental activism; centering indigeneity; and/or intersectionality in communities of color. The candidate’s artistic and teaching practice should reflect new developments in the field, such as initiatives to decolonize the curriculum, adoption of interdisciplinary approaches, sustainability, and/or integration of innovative methods and new technologies. The Art Department is keenly interested in diversifying its faculty and encourages applications from historically underrepresented groups in higher education. This is a full-time, tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor rank beginning with the Fall 2023 semester. The department reminds applicants that it is only necessary to meet the “required qualifications” to apply.
DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
The Department of Art at Sacramento State is one of ten departments in the College of Arts and Letters and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). As California’s capital university, we teach students in the visual arts, preparing them for lifelong creative and scholarly endeavors. We embrace and cultivate a diverse community of artists, scholars, and leaders. The department offers a BFA and an MFA in Studio Art, as well as BAs in Art, Art History, and Art Education. Through our courses, exhibitions, lectures and public programs, we introduce students and the local community to the expressive world of the fine arts. The department also promotes an appreciation and understanding of the fine arts in the general student population. A wide variety of approaches based on both Western and Non-Western cultures are integrated into courses that are oriented toward creativity, imagination, and critical thinking. Students can explore art through courses in art education, art history, ceramics, new media art, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Studio experiences develop the creative and artistic skills necessary for mastery of established styles and exploration of new ones. Art history classes provide an appreciation for and an understanding of our visual cultural heritage within a historical context. Courses in art education provide an understanding of the behavioral aspects of art, with regard to the creator, the viewer, and the developing person.
The Department of Art serves as a significant cultural resource in the region through the sponsorship of art exhibits, workshops, lectures, and symposia each academic year. It extends its influence out into the community through the involvement of its faculty, staff, and students in projects, activities, and events off campus. Our undergraduate and graduate students reflect our campus community, with students from varied racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, gender minority backgrounds, most working full or part-time, and many being first-generation college students. The candidate should demonstrate preparedness to advise and mentor a diverse body of students, foster inclusivity both in the classroom and through recruitment, and collaborate with Art Studio, Art Education, and Art History colleagues as well as other University and community partners.
JOB DUTIES:
- Teach 12 units per semester. This equates to 3 studio art courses
- Maintain an active art/research practice
- Assist with departmental and ceramics area program and curriculum development that diversifies the offerings in ceramics and in the BA, BFA, and MFA programs
- Collaborate with ceramics colleagues to maintain and develop ceramics area facilities and safety practices
- Coordinate part-time faculty assignments
- Manage and advise ceramics area technicians, and work with departmental support staff
- Mentor students through academic advising, student club advising, and involving students in conferences and exhibitions
- Collaborate with colleagues on department, college, and university committees and assist with departmental initiatives
- Assist with recruitment of majors from a diverse student population
- Engage actively with the local and regional community through teaching, service, and scholarship
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Earned MFA or equivalent terminal degree in ceramics or a related field by August 2023
- Active studio practice and strong exhibition record
- Evidence of engagement with teaching and/or community-based organization and leadership
- Potential to engage, foster, and mentor a diverse student body by incorporating inclusive and equitable teaching practices for different types of learners
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Demonstrated potential to teach ceramics at the college level
- Potential to develop and design curricula that are global and inclusive in perspective
- Familiarity and experience with current methods, and emerging technologies in ceramics and beyond
- Demonstrated commitment to teaching excellence in a diverse and inclusive environment
- Evidence of interdisciplinary approaches in artistic practice and/or teaching relating to ideas of environmental and/or social justice
- Demonstrated potential to collaborate with colleagues from a variety of disciplines
APPLICANT INSTRUCTIONS:
For full consideration, please submit the following documents by December 1, 2022. The position will remain open until filled.
A complete application requires the following documents:
• One-page letter of interest addressing your qualifications for this position.
• Current Curriculum Vitae, including links to your website and/or online/social media portfolio if applicable.
• One-page artist statement.
• One-page statement of your teaching philosophy addressing your approach in a classroom where students have varied skill levels and learning styles.
• One-to-two-page Diversity Statement outlining any experience or plans for advancing inclusive excellence, diversity, equity, and justice in your teaching, research/artistic practice, and service to the university, department, and community.
• Portfolio/examples of recent creative and teaching work. The portfolios should follow this format:
- Submit a PDF containing 20 samples of your work. This can be images, and/or video/audio in the form of YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud URLs. For video/audio works, up to two can be full duration. The rest must be excerpts with a 1-minute duration. Include Annotated list: Number each of the works. Create a corresponding annotated list for each of the above, as two separate PDFs, containing a description for each numbered item, with the title, date, media, and project information (not to exceed 200 words per item).
- Submit a PDF containing 10-20 samples of student work and/or community activities/mentorship/activism. This can be images, and/or video/audio in the form of YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud URLs. For video/audio works, up to two can be full duration. The rest must be excerpts with a 1-minute duration. The total number of samples, including image and media links, may not exceed 20. Include Annotated list: Number each of the works. Create a corresponding annotated list for each of the above, as two separate PDFs, containing a description for each numbered item, with the title, date, media, and project information (not to exceed 200 words per item).
• Unofficial transcripts of highest degree earned (official transcripts will be required if a campus interview is scheduled)
• Three (3) reference contacts in the form of reference name, title, relationship to applicant, email and telephone information that can speak to your professional qualifications.
• A syllabus of a sample course. This may be a proposed course or one that you have already taught.
SEMI-FINALISTS will be invited to participate in a brief Zoom interview.
FINALISTS will be invited to campus, where we are holding our final interview process.
For further information about this vacancy, please contact the Art Department (916-278-6166) or send an email to the co-chairs of the Search Committee, Scott Parady (sparady@csus.edu) and Summer Ventis (summer.ventis@csus.edu).
