Assistant Director of First Year Experience (Curriculum and Instructor Development Specialist)

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the First Year Experience (FYE) Program Director, the Assistant Director of First Year Experience, Curriculum and Instructor Development Specialist, (Educational Program Administrator) recruits, trains, manages, and creates community among volunteer instructors for the FYE Program, supports the ongoing curriculum development of FYE courses, including those run by Learning Communities, collaborates with regional campus partners to support with curricular and instructor development aspects of programming, and manages FYE course scheduling and enrollment on the Storrs campus.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Recruit, interview, select, manage, provide individualized support for, and create community among faculty and staff volunteer FYE instructors (UNIV 1800). 
• Coordinate with regional campus coordinators to advise on best practice and support with instructor recruitment, training, and Faculty Courses and Curriculum Oversight Board approvals.  
• Update curricula for general sections of 1800, international sections, and first-gen sections annually. 
• Collaborate with Learning Communities to vet and train FYE instructors, providing specialized guidance for LC FYE curricula and instruction (UNIV 1810, 1840, 3820). 
• Seek instructors to develop and teach First Year Seminar courses (UNIV 1820) and collaborate with them to develop syllabi. 
• Collaborate with campus partners to develop presentations for FYE classes, along with campus partner facilitator trainings, and vet final presentations.   
• Create and update HuskyCT course shells and collaborate with IT to distribute to all relevant instructors.  
• Collect and review syllabi.  
• Stay informed of best, evidence-based instructional methodologies, issues impacting first-gen, low-income, underrepresented student populations and international students, along with opportunities and trends at the university and in the workforce to develop new learning modules for FYE courses that respond to and meet broad student needs and interests. 
• Coordinate and attend meetings of the Faculty Oversight Board, responding to and implementing board recommendations and requests.  
• Develop and deliver workshops and training throughout the year for FYE instructors. 
• Facilitate FYE Instructor mentoring program, creating mentoring materials, meeting with Instructor Mentors, and pairing Instructor Mentors with new instructors to provide support and guidance.  
• Observe FYE instructors and provide constructive feedback on their performance. 
• Provide instructors (on Storrs and regional campuses) with information regarding their students’ midterm and final grades with guidance on how to approach and support students. 
• Create semesterly FYE instructor rolodex in Nexus, semesterly FYE instructor directory, and update FYE instructor master database. 
• Perform assessments of instructor training effectiveness, analyze SET scores, and collaborate with the Student Development Specialist to assess and report annually on first-year student engagement and performance outcomes.  
• Execute department scheduling through CourseLeaf each semester. 
• Coordinate and execute FYE course advertising.  
• Present on FYP programming to new students during Orientation. 
• Coordinate and execute the annual FYE Conference for FYE instructors from all campuses. 
• Coordinate and execute the annual Thank You Breakfast. 
• Serve as a mentor for the UConn Connects Program each semester.
• Teach multiple sections of FYE (UNIV 1800) in Fall and Spring. 
• Perform related duties as required. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 Master's degree in education or related field and two to three years of related experience with at least 1 year as an advanced team member.  

Supervisory experience.

Teaching experience in higher education.

Experience working with diverse student populations.

Demonstrated ability to provide support for college students.

Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work in a team environment.

Willingness and ability to work occasional evening, weekend, or irregular hours to support programs. 

Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Volunteer management experience.

Experience teaching a First Year Experience Course.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, permanent position.  The University offers a competitive salary, and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment.  For additional information regarding benefits visit: https://hr.uconn.edu/benefits-beyond-pay/ . Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA). The starting salary for this position is $64,000.  

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs , Staff Positions, Search #498290 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Evaluation of applications will begin on April 18, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp .

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.