Location: Bemidji State University

Full/Part Time: Full Time

Employment Condition: Probationary

Job Description:

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites applications from experienced social work professionals for a tenure-track appointment an Assistant Professor of Social Work.  We seek colleagues who embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion and have a commitment to decolonizing social work education and practice.  We seek applications from individuals with experience in distance and face-to-face teaching.  BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with Indigenous communities to become a destination university.

BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji.  BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture.  The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.  Major campus facilities are connected by all-season underground passages for safe and warm travel during the cold, winter months. 

Enrolling around 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship.

BSU’s Social Work Program is an accredited program with approximately 200 students in the major.  The Social Work Program also offers an Addictions minor and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Certification (LADC) with approximately 75 students seeking the minor and/or the LADC.  There are two tracks or options for students to complete their Social Work Degree:  A traditional on-campus track and a hybrid track (SWIM).  The hybrid SWIM track, a cohort-based model, is completed predominantly online with four on-campus course meetings each semester.  The Social Work Program mission is to:  Prepare students for the generalist social work practice, social and economic justice, professional values and ethics, critical thinking, and global interconnectedness.  Special emphasis is placed on working with diverse groups of people, particularly Native Americans.  

Responsibilities of the Assistant Professor include:

• Effectively teaching core courses in the undergraduate generalist social work program. On-campus and online/hybrid courses may include, but are not limited to, Intro to Social Welfare, Interpersonal Relations, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Generalist Practice (individual, group, and community), Family Dynamics, and Social Welfare Policy.
• Pursuing scholarly or creative achievements or research, supporting one’s teaching and contributing to the social work profession. Supporting student-based research projects.
• Ongoing preparation for effective teaching practice and engaging in activities that enhance the candidate’s ability to teach within the continually changing landscape of social work practice.
• Contributing to student growth and development through development of student-centered curricula; advising; mentoring; advising or serving the social work club; supporting students seeking graduate study and/or employment; and working with students in multi-cultural, anti-oppression and inclusion topics and efforts.
• Serving the university community through participation as an active member of the social work faculty team; contributing to Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) reaccreditation activities; curriculum design; and involvement in various community collaborative ventures.
• Contributing to interdisciplinary teaching and involvement in activities that support BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values.

Required Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in social work and an active social work license are required. A terminal degree will be required to apply for tenure.
• Evidence of teaching in undergraduate social work education.
• Prior social work practice.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the NASW Code of Ethics and its foundational values of social justice, dignity and worth of the person, self-determination, service, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence.
• Ability to integrate diversity and cultural content in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Preferred Qualifications:

• DSW or PhD in Social Work or closely related terminal degree.
• Experience with online teaching.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working with historically underrepresented cultures and populations, particularly Native American.
• Experience teaching using electronic course management delivery software such as Desire to Learn (D2L)/Brightspace or willingness to learn for Fall 2021 course delivery.

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your application and/or resume clearly demonstrate fulfillment of these minimum and preferred qualifications.

Other Requirements:

Other considerations include:

• All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.
• Official transcript(s) must be provided to Human Resources upon hire.
• Employment for this position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) which can be found at https://www.ifo.org/.
• In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to MinnState’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.
• BSU and NTC are tobacco free workplaces (see policy).

Apply online:             https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/

A complete application will include the following attachments:

• Cover letter, which addresses the required qualifications and your specific interest in working at Bemidji State University.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae.
• Unofficial transcripts for all coursework.
• Contact information for three professional references, including at least one who can speak to candidate’s teaching effectiveness.
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (i.e. teaching statement, course evaluations, training evaluations, supervisor evaluations, etc.).

Inquiries:

Dr. Rebecca Hoffman, Chair 

Department of Social Work

E-mail: rebecca.hoffman@bemidjistate.edu

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, contact Teresa Hanson at teresa.hanson@bemidjistate.edu

About:

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

JOIN OUR UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY!

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Bemidji State Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Located between three American Indian reservations – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth, students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information, visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a “special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise” at Bemidji 2.0

Benefits Info:

For information regarding benefits: https://www.bemidjistate.edu/offices/human-resources/current-employees/benefits-2/

This position is included in the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) bargaining unit.  A copy of the contract can be found at:  https://www.ifo.org/

Desired Start Date: 08/17/2021