Director of Service Learning, Open Rank Faculty Position, 10 months

High Point University is currently seeking a full time Director of Service Learning. The Director of Service Learning will oversee all aspects of the Service Learning Program. As appropriate the Director of Service Learning will coordinate activities with the Executive Director of the HPU Center for Community Engagement. The Service Learning Program includes only curricular-based Service Learning courses. The director must be a university faculty member, with expertise in teaching Service Learning courses. The director will be responsible for all faculty recruitment, training, continuing education, student learning assessment, community partner relationships, oversight of the Social Innovation Minor, and program development. The position comes with appropriate course releases, so the director will teach a minimum 1-1 course load. This is not a remote work position.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Required doctorate or other terminal degree
• Preferred 3–5 years of experience in service learning and community engagement work.
• Strong understanding of experiential education and civic engagement principles. 
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills. 

Experience and Training

• HPU faculty member 
• Experience teaching Service Learning courses 
• Background in the best practices of sustainable service 
• Experience in working with community partners, service programs, and a wide range of campus populations 
• Experience developing interdisciplinary curricular programs focused on deep and integrated learning, critical reflection, and related and assessable learning outcomes 
• Ability to conduct assessments and help faculty improve their courses based on feedback from students, community leaders and best instructional practices 
• Experience building partnerships with a varied population of constituents, including but not limited to students, faculty, staff, community leaders, and leaders in the field 
• Research and publication background in Service Learning is preferred 

Knowledge, Skills, Ability:

• Strong communication skills 

• Ability to mediate issues between faculty, students, and community partners 

• Strong management skills 

• Familiarity with best practices in civic engagement and service learning 

• Familiarity with, or/and the ability to become familiar with, the needs, assets, and key players in the City of High Point and surrounding areas

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  

• Recruit HPU faculty to become trained to teach Service Learning courses. About 5-10 faculty per year should be trained. 
• Train HPU faculty to teach Service Learning courses. Host regular workshops to help faculty learn best practices in Service Learning and develop quality syllabi, community partner relationships and impactful student experiences. 
• Manage the Service Learning courses taught each semester. Ensure faculty have quality community partnerships, problem-solve issues that arise in classes, etc. 
• Assess the learning in all Service Learning courses through assessments of every Service Learning course which are aligned with the Office of Research and Planning. 
• Use assessment data to improve course instruction. 
• Provide continuing education and mentoring to faculty as they teach their SL courses. 
• Represent SL at Presidential Scholars, Open Houses, and other events as needed. Engage community partners, help build the capacity of partner sites to handle Service Learning students, and create stronger connections between faculty and the community. 
• Oversee and build the Service Learning Scholars Program, tracking students through the program and awarding students when they successfully complete it. 
• Research, present, and publish in the field of Service Learning, highlighting HPU’s distinctive model of Service Learning and increasing the university’s visibility. 
• Recruit faculty to attend and present at Service Learning conferences. 
• Encourage faculty to publish in the field of Service Learning. 
• Ensure proper protection of minors policies are followed for all SL courses and activities. 
• Chair the Service Learning Faculty Committee 
• Work with the Director of General Education to ensure alignment of SL offerings with the needs and work of the General Education program 
• Update the Service Learning website as needed. 
• Coordinate Service Learning stories with the Office of Communications. 
• Perform other site and position specific functions as assigned. 

ACCOUNTABILITY:

• This position reports to the Provost and the Executive Director of the HPU Center of Community Engagement.  The Provost is the primary supervisor of this position.

For more information regarding this position please contact Dr. Daniel Erb, Provost, at derb@highpoint.edu.