Assistant Professor of Communication

Garden City Community College seeks an Assistant Professor of Communication to teach a variety of courses in the discipline of communication studies. These courses could include Public Speaking, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Argumentation and Debate, Mass Communication, Multi-media, Broadcasting, and Audio Production. This position requires applicants with a master's degree in communication (or a master's degree with 18 graduate hours in communication).

Garden City Community College is a vibrant and dynamic community college located in the heart of the rural Southwest Kansas high plains region. Officially designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution, the College serves a student population which reflects the area's rich diversity. The College serves approximately 2,000 students across multiple populations including on-campus, online, and area high schools and has a history of strong program options in both transfer and technical education. The College is located in Garden City, a community with a recent history of robust population growth. Garden City has many amenities including arts and culture, plentiful shopping, and daily jet service to Dallas. This is a full-time 172-day contract position under the direction of the appropriate Division Chair and the Dean of Academics. The primary assignment is to provide instructional services and learning facilitation for students in the Communications Division by offering communication courses.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Teaching a standard instructor load of 15 credit-hours per semester. Course assignments may include day, evening, or, rarely, weekend courses. This position is primarily intended to teach on-campus, but course assignments may also include off-campus outreach, hybrid, online, and/or video distance delivery formats.
• Responsible for preparing lessons that promote and encourage student learning in courses such as Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, and Mass Communication using lecture, lab, hands-on demonstration, cooperative learning, and other methods. Additional courses the areas of General Communication, Mass Communication, and/or Forensics/Debate may be assigned based on instructor's area of expertise and Communication focus.
• Courses are offered in accordance with established standards and course syllabi with processes for modifying course content, student learning outcomes, and program learning outcomes.
• Providing individual and small group facilitation of learning, diagnostic assessment of students, and identification of appropriate learning materials.
• Actively facilitating recruitment and retention of students.
• Participating in course and curriculum design, student advisement, program review, and college committees as required for maintaining and improving the learning program.
• Participating in college continuous improvement practices such as General Education Assessment, Semester Course Assessment, Annual Program Assessment, and 5-year Program Review, including the development of meaningful initiatives which innovate, improve, make more efficient, or broaden the diversity of curriculum and/or practices within the program and/or the college.
• Responsible for remaining current in subject matter and in the techniques most effective to promote student learning
• Responsible for remaining current in pedagogy and andragogy, continually developing a toolkit for effective teaching to an exceptionally diverse population of students.
• Performing other relevant tasks as assigned.

Performance Measurements:

• To foster learning environments which enable student success.
• To proactively support the work of the department.
• To proactively support the work of the college through recruiting, service on committees, etc.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Proven teaching ability.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• An understanding of the mission and role of the college.
• Ability to stimulate motivation, confidence, and enthusiasm in students.

Experience: Prior teaching experience at the community college level strongly preferred. Experience teaching general communication, mass communication, or forensic/debate courses. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in coaching college forensics teams for speech and debate competitions.

Education: A master's degree in Communication, Mass Communication, Journalism or possession of a master's degree with 18 graduate level credit hours in Communication.

Other Skills: Clear evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diversity of the human experience including but not limited to age, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, political perspective, socioeconomic status, citizenship, military status, mental health.

Ability to motivate and teach students of diverse learning styles and backgrounds, including experience creating validating learning environments to reach a variety of potentially-vulnerable student populations.

Proficient in learning technology such as Canvas LMS, virtual textbooks, Office 365, etc.

Self-motivated with excellent organizational, project, and time management skills. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Physical Requirements: Occasional lifting of objects up to 30 pounds. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, kneeling, pushing and pulling. Work is routinely performed in office environments.

Work Environment: Regular exposure to favorable conditions such as those found in a normal office setting.