Lecturer in Performance/Directing

Employer

Union College of New York

Location

Schenectady, New York

Salary

$67,000-$69,000

Posted Date

Nov 6, 2023

Website

https://jobs.union.edu

Position Type

Faculty Positions

Employment Level

Non-Tenured Track

Employment Type

Full Time

About the Position

The Department of Theater and Dance at Union College in Schenectady, NY, invites applications to fill a Lecturer position (three-year contract, with opportunity to renew). We are looking for a teaching artist and practitioner in the field with overlapping specialties in areas of acting, directing, voice, and embodied movement. We seek a candidate whose teaching practices are inclusive, identity conscious, and consent based.

Our department is committed to diversifying Union College. The successful candidate must have the ability and desire to work with, mentor and support all students and their diverse backgrounds. A demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusivity at Union and in the department is a crucial aspect of the position. We welcome applications from candidates traditionally underrepresented in Theatre academia.

Position begins September 1, 2024. The salary range is $67,000- $69,000, commensurate with experience.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should hold an MFA in Directing, Acting or equivalent terminal degree (ABD considered); other degrees may be considered if the candidate also demonstrates exceptional professional experience. The candidate should demonstrate teaching experience in and/or commitment to a liberal arts context and furnish evidence of teaching effectiveness and professional accomplishment. We seek an artist/educator looking to help create a collaborative community, and spark student investment in, and enthusiasm for the study of performing arts.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include teaching six courses per academic year (usually two courses, in each of three 10 week academic terms) with an expectation that the faculty member will direct one department production each year, with a corresponding course release. Primary courses will include acting and directing (introductory to advanced levels with the ability to incorporate a variety of acting methodologies, particularly those that incorporate anti-racist, decolonized, and non-eurocentric practices). In addition, all Lecturers have co-curricular duties which support programmatic activities for the department. The duties for this position include:

• Being active in season selection and student thesis approvals
• Student mentorship and advising
• Internship guidance as well as production coaching support when needed
• Developing and supporting community engagement, including with under-represented communities in the college and the community at large

About the Department

The Theatre and Dance Department at Union College encourages community engagement, academic excellence and guiding student inquiry and experiences to develop artistic exploration, collaborative skills, and critical thinking. We offer our students hands-on training with a foundation of scholarly investigation by fostering the integration of a liberal arts education and an anti-racist, global perspective of their artistry.

The department fully supports three faculty- or guest artist-directed theater productions in each academic year, one faculty-directed dance concert, two faculty-led dance showcases, and a number of presentations of student-led performances as part of the production season in both dance and theater (three-six+ in each academic year). The department regularly invites guest artists to campus for performances, workshops, master classes in theater and dance, and produces a yearly Dance Residency with a co-produced performance at The Egg Center for the Performing Arts in Albany, NY.

More information may be accessed at https://www.union.edu/academic/majors-minors/theater

About Union College and Schenectady

Union College is a four-year liberal arts institution that provides a blend of intellectual, social, and cultural opportunities to facilitate the integrated academic, social, and personal development of a diverse community.

Union College is an equal opportunity employer and strongly committed to student and workforce diversity. Union provides a blend of intellectual, social and cultural opportunities to facilitate the integrated academic, social and personal development of a diverse community. We value and are committed to a host of diverse populations and cultures including, but not limited to, those based on race, religion, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin and veteran status.

Union College is committed to helping students think across boundaries of disciplines, connecting and integrating their studies in order to make broad contributions to humanity for social change on a local or global scale. In the service of this goal, Union has a vibrant set of interdisciplinary programs to which the ideal candidate might also contribute. These include: Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; Film Studies; Africana Studies; Asian Studies; Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Jewish Studies; World Music and Cultures, and more.

Schenectady and the surrounding Capital Region offers a variety of cultural opportunities and organizations, from the professional to community-based. Located in the metropolitan area surrounding Albany, Schenectady is three hours from major cities such as Boston, Montreal and New York City.

Requested Materials

Please submit through PageUp: (1) a cover letter outlining your interest in the position and your qualifying artistic and teaching experience. (2) a curriculum vitae that includes realized production experience; (3) evidence of teaching effectiveness, including a teaching statement addressing how you incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion practices within your pedagogy; (4) examples of creative work or portfolio materials. Please provide names and contact information for three references when you complete the online application. Each will automatically receive an email message requesting that they upload a letter of recommendation to our system. Application deadline: December 11th, 2024 for questions, contact Brittney Belz, at [email protected]

Note: All new hires of Union College are subject to a thorough education, work experience, and criminal history background check.