Job Description

The full-time position serves the Spanish/Foreign Languages—World Languages Department on both the Pittsburg and Brentwood sites. The Spanish Assistant Professor position is responsible for providing high quality classroom instruction to a diverse student population. This position is also responsible for working collaboratively with other faculty in the World Languages department and the college to continually support student success.

At Los Medanos College we value the ability to serve students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities and orientations. We prioritize applicants who demonstrate they understand the benefits a diverse student population brings to a community college. The successful faculty member will be an equity-minded individual committed to student success by collaborating with faculty, classified staff, administration, students and community partners who are also dedicated to closing equity gaps. The World Languages department seeks faculty members who value mentorship and working in a collegial, collaborative environment, guided by a commitment to helping all students achieve their educational goals. The ideal candidate will share the colleges commitment to educating its racially and socioeconomically diverse student population. Los Medanos College is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, reflecting the great responsibility that the College has to the educational attainment and economic well-being of the surrounding community. The successful candidate will join a department dedicated to the use of curriculum responsive to the students it serves.

Providing instruction in Spanish on campus and/or at off-site community campus locations, the instructor will be responsible for:

• Teaching a full schedule of developmental and transfer level Spanish courses as assigned;
• Leading and developing the existing course of study in Spanish, including transfer degrees and curriculum;
• Leading and overseeing the process of Student Learning Outcomes assessment and analysis for foreign language classes;
• Maintaining currency in pedagogy;
• Promoting the vitality of the World Languages program;
• Identifying and recommending potential adjunct faculty;
• Evaluating adjunct faculty;
• Serving on and attending department, college, and district committees;
• Participating in program review, student learning outcome development and assessment to improve student learning;
• Teaching assignments in a variety of instructional settings and times, including evening, on-line or off-campus and large group instruction classes as needed.

About the Department

The mission of the Department of World Languages at Los Medanos College is to provide students with the opportunity to learn about world languages and cultures to broaden cultural understanding, increase language proficiency, and enable students to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American Society. The department offers four languages American Sign Language, French, Italian, and Spanish (including Spanish for Spanish speakers) at all levels and Spanish for Healthcare Professionals. Classes are offered at a variety of locations, days/times, and formats (e.g., face-to-face, hybrid, etc.) At present the department offers degree programs in American Sign Language and in Spanish. There is a total of three full-time professors and approximately ten associate instructors.

The department offers an Associate of Arts Degree in Spanish and in American Sign Language, as well as a Spanish and ASL Certificate of Achievement. The department values collaboration, fostering a robust and inclusive learning environment among peers and students, and developing innovative courses and degrees that enhance students educational, developmental, and transfer goal attainment. Los Medanos College is especially interested in qualified applicants who can contribute, through their experience, research, teaching and/or service, to the diversity and excellence of the college community. The department strongly encourages collaboration across disciplines to create inclusive, integrated, and interdisciplinary learning experiences, and faculty are expected to be knowledgeable about, and willing to use, different learning and teaching methods appropriate to the students they serve.

Our Vision for Social Justice

We are seeking people who recognize the critical role community colleges play in social justice, who have ability in this space, enthusiasm for this work, ideas and vision to improve our approaches, and a commitment to achieving equitable academic success for the 50,000+ students attending our five beautiful colleges and centers. Our social justice work calls for employees who have a sense of social responsibility, interest in our community and world in which we live.

The intention of social justice work is to strengthen humanity by understanding that every person deserves the benefits of fully participating in our society and institutions.

Academic researchers have illustrated that crucial social justice principles are a compilation of equality, equity, diversity, inclusion, engagement, environmental sustainability and human rights. These complex principles are challenging to operationalize in higher education; yet we are steadfast in our diligence to forge ahead to advance this vital mission.

Community colleges are uniquely positioned to lead higher education in the work of social justice. Many of our students come from historically underserved and underrepresented backgrounds, students of color, students with recent immigrant histories, students from cycles of low income if not poverty, students from indigenous communities, and students from first-generation families.

The idea of promoting social mobility through education is unconditionally and uncompromisingly embraced by community colleges. This is an exciting role, and it comes with a heavy responsibility. Simply put, we need to create environments where our students achieve greater academic success, so much so that we close our persistent equity/opportunity gaps.

If you are committed to social and racial justice and if you are interested in joining a community dedicated to solving these inequities through education, please apply.

Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to contractual duties, all full-time faculty are expected to participate actively in their disciplines, department activities, and the general intellectual life and governance of the college. Part of the teaching assignment may be in the evening and/or online. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. advancing equitable student learning through dedicated, exemplary instruction in accordance with established course outlines;
2. participating in the assessment of student learning outcomes for courses and programs; developing and implementing student learning outcomes assessment processes for courses and programs;
3. collaborating in the development and revision of curriculum and in program review;
4. engaging in department program improvement initiatives;
5. participating in department, division, and college committees;
6. participating in professional development activities, both departmental and college-wide;
7. maintaining current knowledge in the subject matter area and effective teaching/ learning strategies;
8. maintaining appropriate standards of professional conduct and ethics;
9. informing students of course requirements, evaluation procedures and attendance requirements;
10. preparing and grading class assignments and examinations and informing students of their academic progress;
11. maintaining attendance, scholastic, and personnel records and submitting them according to published deadlines;
12. posting and holding sufficient and regular office hours in accordance with prevailing policy;
13. participating in Colleges shared governance processes.

Minimum Qualification-Education/Experience

EDUCATION:

• Masters in Spanish;
• OR
• Bachelors in Spanish AND masters in another language;
• OR
• The equivalent

Desirable Qualifications

1. Experience working with students of various cultural, gender, age, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds, including disabled students, and skill incorporating elements of diversity, equity, and inclusion into all areas of responsibility;
2. Experience teaching, including the breadth of courses taught and the use of various pedagogies, as well as experience teaching Spanish online or hybrid classes;
3. Native or near-native fluency and experience teaching non-Spanish speakers and Spanish to Spanish speakers;
4. Demonstrated knowledge of American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and/or California Foreign Language Framework guidelines for the teaching of foreign languages;
5. Knowledge of current assessment methods and materials, knowledge and experience in computer assisted language/instruction, and willingness to serve as department chair.