Description

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses.  In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution. 

To grow our workforce, we are seeking creative, collaborative faculty who are reflective of the diverse community we serve. Tacoma Community College is a public Associate- and Bachelor’s-granting institution that serves a student-body of approximately 12,000 students.  Our students are 27% students of color, 60% female, and have a median age of 26.  We embrace our identity as a community college.  Our faculty are engaged in innovative work to improve student retention and program completion, and community success.  According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, TCC ranks high on measures of active learning and academic challenge, thanks to our creative and scholarly faculty. 

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Have experience teaching or doing research in Native/Indigenous communities.
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC’s mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

The Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (SEM) Division, which includes around 35 full-time faculty, offers courses for STEM students, who transfer to colleges and universities throughout the nation, our pre-allied health students, and general education courses.  We also proudly have a Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program, with the stated goal of diversifying the STEM workforce.  We are currently looking for tenure-track faculty in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, and Physics.

REGIONAL SETTING

For information on Tacoma and the surrounding area:  https://www.tacomacc.edu/tcc-life/life_in_tacoma

Position Summary:

These are full-time tenure track position entails teaching lectures and labs in one of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, or Physics.  This position reports to the Dean for Mathematics, Science & Engineering and supports the broader scope of academic programs at TCC.  This position is also eligible for a legislature funded High-Demand stipend issued on a quarterly basis depending on courses taught. The stipend amount is approximately $1450 per quarter.

This is an on-campus position with opportunities for hybrid and online teaching. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement provides for a 176 day yearly contract running approximately from September 1 to June 15. This position occasionally may be assigned classes to be taught on evenings or weekends, or at our Gig Harbor campus.  This position reports to the Dean for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.  This position is expected to start in September 2024. Tenure track candidates are supported through a 3-year long tenure process, after which they are eligible for tenure. Tenure track faculty are reviewed primarily on their teaching, service to the college, and community involvement.  This may include performing research or writing grants, however the college strongly values other ways faculty choose to advance the college’s mission.

Essential Functions:

• Prepare and teach courses in the fields listed above.
• Instruct and assist in the growth and success of a diverse population of students through careful preparation of course materials, effective teaching methods including hybrid and online pedagogy, and informed critical feedback on assignments and discussions including student learning outcomes
• Provide service to the College, including curriculum development and participation in college committees, shared governance, and appropriate professional development activities
• Advise and mentor students, helping them to formulate sound educational and career plans
• Participate in department, division, and college governance
• Participate in SEM Division and College equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts and work towards promoting an anti-racist curriculum
• Participate in the recruitment and retention of students within the specific SEM fields, particularly from historically under-represented groups
• Collaborate on strategies to facilitate success for historically underserved populations
• Participate in program review and instructional assessment
• Participate in institutional effectiveness and college accreditation activities
• Work in support of the mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities of the college
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Click links for the tenure-track faculty job postings: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, and Physics.

Requirements

Duties of the position require the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Ability to effectively respond to the broad-ranging needs of a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with students, faculty, and staff
• Ability and willingness to develop well-coordinated relationships with other academic divisions and institutions
• Experience in recruiting and retaining historically underserved students into science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics
• Experience in reviewing, developing, and assessing curriculum
• Experience with instructional technology and online learning management systems (e.g. Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle)
• Experience integrating technology into teaching and learning including LMS/CMS software
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership in projects and initiatives
• Cultural self-awareness and cultural sensitivity to diverse populations of students and colleagues
• Dedication to remaining current in the discipline
• Willingness to using contemporary teaching techniques such as collaborative, inquiry-based, active, and experiential learning, integrative learning communities, and individual and group student projects
• Knowledge of and attention to safety in classroom and laboratory environments
• A strong commitment to serving as an accessible mentor to students
• A strong commitment to helping students improve their writing and critical thinking skills, and to assessing those skills
• A strong commitment to continuing professional development

Required education and experience:

• Master’s degree in given area or closely related field
• Strong academic background in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, or Physics.
• Teaching experience in both classroom and laboratory settings as appropriate.
• Teaching experience in community colleges (preferred)