Assistant Director of Academic Success at the University of Dayton

Assistant Professor of Academic Success 

at the University of Dayton School of Law

Work Type: Faculty Full Time

Location: Dayton, OH

Applications Close: January 6, 2021

Position Summary:

The University of Dayton School of Law invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Academic Success. This is a twelve-month, non-tenure track position with an initial appointment of one year and the possibility of renewal for long-term (three or five-year) appointments after three years of satisfactory service. The position is expected to begin on July 1, 2021.

The focus of the Academic Success Program at the University of Dayton School of Law is to help students develop the skills necessary for law school success and first-time bar passage.

At the University of Dayton, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. We translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range perspectives and experiences, we encourage diverse candidates to apply, including people of color, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

The University of Dayton School of Law has positioned itself in recent years on the cutting edge of legal pedagogy. Its innovative Road to Bar Passage and Academic Success Programs, school-wide curricular reforms, and ongoing partnerships with expert consultants and University experts from outside the law school such as the Director of Assessment and Student-Centered Analytics, have led to significant leaps forward in the art and science of improving student and alumni outcomes. In the last four years of concerted effort, the school bar passage rate has increased markedly, as have median test scores and GPAs of incoming students. The Law@Dayton Online Hybrid JD program, launched in 2019, expanded access to legal education to students not otherwise able to join the profession. Few American law schools have pushed as aggressively as the University of Dayton School of Law for novel, creative, effective ways to help all students learn and succeed in the legal profession. The Assistant Professor of Academic Success will contribute to these ongoing efforts of the School of Law.

Responsibilities of the Assistant Professor of Academic Success will include:

• Teaching academic success courses related to legal reasoning, critical reading, exam- writing, and bar examination preparation;
• Providing academic advising and professional development counseling for students;
• Supervising and evaluating the Law School’s Learning Communities program, including designing student-led sessions and working with upper-level Dean’s Fellows;
• Participating in the larger community for academic success professionals through regular attendance or presentations at conferences and other relevant endeavors to support the faculty member’s professional development;
• Delivering and assessing a comprehensive program of academic support from orientation until graduation.

Minimum Qualifications:

A J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school; and

Ability to articulate a commitment to academic support, including implementing the best models and practices available to encourage student success and utilizing recent developments in pedagogy in U.S. law schools.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not everyone may possess all the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

Successful experience in:

• Academic support, including implementing best models and practices available to encourage student success and utilizing recent developments in pedagogy in U.S. law schools;
• Providing effective academic advising and professional development counseling for students;
• Law teaching, particularly in designing and teaching academic success courses or those related to legal reasoning, critical reading, exam-writing, and/or bar examination preparation in a U.S. law school;
• Compiling and analyzing data for statistical analysis, including familiarity with the most commonly used statistical software programs;
• Mentoring and working with students from diverse backgrounds;
• Demonstrating a commitment to socially and culturally diverse communities.

Recent successful experience in:

• Developing and administering structured intervention and counseling programs for at-risk students;
• Program administration, including delivering and assessing all aspects of a program, especially if the experience relates to academic support;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including effective presentation skills;
• Law school achievements and accomplishments, including high academic achievement, law review, or moot court;
• Effective interpersonal communication skills with various constituencies and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues; and
• Expressed willingness to engage with Catholic and Marianist educational values.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

A complete application consists of a CV and Cover Letter addressing commitment to academic support, including implementing the best models and practices available to encourage student success and utilizing recent developments in pedagogy in U.S. law schools.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Posting closes at 11:55 PM EST, January 6, 2021.

Closing Statement:

The University of Dayton is a top tier, Catholic research university with offerings from the undergraduate to the doctoral levels.  Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, the University is a diverse community committed to advancing the common good through intellectual curiosity, academic rigor, community engagement and local, national and global partnerships. Guided by the Marianist educational philosophy, we educate the whole person and link learning and scholarship with leadership and service.

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity, achieve equitable outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, we will not discriminate against minorities, women, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, or on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The University is also pleased to provide support for spouses of prospective and newly hired faculty through its dual career program. While we cannot guarantee placement, we serve as an effective resource and support system for your spouse. Information can be found at http://www.udayton.edu/hr/employee_resources/dual_career_resources.php

Interested applicants must apply online directly through: https://employment.udayton.edu/cw/en-us/job/498357/assistant-professor-of-academic-success