VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF THEATER AND DANCE

Job Description

Union College
Schenectady, NY

Job posting number: #7201277
Posted: December 14, 2023
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Details of Position

The Department of Theater and Dance at Union College in Schenectady, NY, invites applications to fill a two year Visiting Assistant Professor position, beginning September 2024. We are looking for a teaching artist and practitioner in the field with overlapping specialties in areas of acting, directing, playwriting, and embodied movement. The department would be especially interested in a candidate with secondary experience in other areas such as, circus/movement, dance, stage combat, stage management, sound, or performance for film/video. We seek a candidate whose teaching practices are inclusive, identity conscious, and consent-based.

Our department is committed to diversifying Union College. The successful candidate must have the ability and desire to work with, mentor and support all students and their diverse backgrounds. A demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusivity at Union and in the department is a crucial aspect of the position. We welcome applications from candidates traditionally underrepresented in Theatre academia.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should hold an MFA in an area of Theatre, or equivalent terminal degree (ABD considered); other degrees may be considered if the candidate also demonstrates exceptional professional experience. The candidate should demonstrate teaching experience in and/or commitment to a liberal arts context that supports an inclusive and diverse student body and be able to furnish evidence of teaching effectiveness and professional accomplishment. We seek an artist/educator looking to be of a collaborative community, and spark student investment in, and enthusiasm for the study of performing arts.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include teaching six courses per academic year (usually two courses, in each of three 10-week academic terms) with an expectation that the faculty member will direct one department theater production each year, with a corresponding course release. Courses may include acting and directing, public speaking, playwriting, or other subjects in the candidate’s area of specialty. Expected department service for this position includes: being active in season selection and senior thesis approvals, student mentorship, and production support in the candidate’s area of expertise as needed.

About the Department

The Theatre and Dance Department at Union College encourages community engagement, academic excellence and guiding student inquiry and experiences to develop artistic exploration, collaborative skills, and critical thinking. We offer our students hands-on training with a foundation of scholarly investigation by fostering the integration of a liberal arts education and an anti-racist, global perspective of their artistry.

The department fully supports three faculty- or guest artist-directed theater productions in each academic year, one faculty-directed dance concert, two faculty-led dance showcases, and a number of presentations of student-led performances as part of the production season in both dance and theater (three-six+ in each academic year). The department regularly invites guest artists to campus for performances, workshops, master classes in theater and dance, and produces a yearly Dance Residency with a co-produced performance at The Egg Center for the Performing Arts in Albany, NY.