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Call for Applications - AU Honors Faculty Director

The Office of Undergraduate Education and Academic Student Services is seeking a Faculty Director for the AU Honors Program. This is a three-year appointment, beginning July 1, 2024, through May 31, 2027, and is open to full-time faculty members. The position reports to the Dean of Undergraduate Education and Academic Student Services and will work closely with the AU Honors team. While serving as Faculty Director, the incumbent will maintain their appointment in their home department and school, following the usual reporting lines.  

AU Honors is an academically rigorous four-year program open to students across all majors. AU Honors students take multiple Honors cohort classes over their time as undergraduates and reside together during their first year in the AU Honors Living-Learning Community (LLC). You can read more about the program on the AU Honors website.

The Director’s Role

The Faculty Director of the AU Honors Program will be responsible for working with faculty and students, and in cooperation with the program staff, to curate the Honors community and continue the operation of the curriculum introduced in 2019. You will be responsible for recruiting other AU faculty to teach in the Honors Program and serve as the central point of contact for curriculum, instruction, and classroom management. You will be responsible for working with academic departments and schools to staff the Honors offerings for academic years 2025-2028. You will participate in student co-curricular and extra-curricular activities as appropriate to sustain the Honors community, as well as teach at least one AU Honors course per year during your term of service (coordinated with the home academic unit). In addition, you will hold weekly office hours in order to remain accessible to AU Honors students.

As part of your leadership duties, you will chair the Honors Advisory Committee (a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate) where you will oversee course review, new course proposals, and learning assessment. Moreover, you will serve as a program ambassador, participating in prospective student marketing and recruitment events, and representing the AU Honors Program at various University functions. On occasion, you will have the opportunity to attend and present at national conferences to raise the profile of the AU Honors Program on a broader scale. You will meet regularly with faculty teaching in the Honors Program and help plan and facilitate occasional retreats with Honors faculty and staff. You will also convene regular meetings with faculty directors of honors in the major programs. Lastly, you will work with the Office of Advancement to identify donors and other outside sources of funding for the AU Honors Program.

Desired Qualifications

The AU Honors Faculty Director must be a full-time faculty member, preferably one who is currently teaching in, or previously has taught in, the AU Honors Program. The Director should have a record of teaching excellence, as well as an ability to lead faculty in exploring a range of inquiry-based and active learning pedagogies. The Faculty Director should be comfortable with pedagogies associated with best practices in Honors education and have strong relationships with colleagues across campus. Strong interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills with multiple demonstrated cultural competencies (LGBTQ, International, first-generation, socioeconomic class differences, BIPOC students) to serve a diverse student population are required. Experience teaching in living-learning communities is preferred, as well as experience with successfully obtaining external funding.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application consisting of a CV and a one-to-two-page statement of interest addressing their qualifications for the role and their vision for the AU Honors Program to undergradstudies@american.edu by January 31, 2024.