The primary responsibility of this position is teaching, with a focus on delivering high quality undergraduate Physics courses. This includes implementing effective teaching strategies, fostering student engagement, and promoting both academic and professional growth. Faculty members are also expected to participate in scholarly and professional activities, contribute to university and community service, and collaborate to support departmental goals. Additional responsibilities include academic advising, student support, and maintaining the observatory. A commitment to Seventh-day Adventist values and worldview is essential.

Responsibilities:

• Teaching Faculty are in direct charge of the educational process in their courses. They are expected to: 
• Teach a schedule of classes agreed upon by the teacher and department chair and coordinated with the Registrar.
• Engage students in rigorous academic learning to prepare for MCAT and professional careers. 
• Offer effective advising and mentoring to students.
• Distribute a current syllabus and calendar of assignments for each class.
• Use the Canvas Learning management system to maintain academic records for all students enrolled in their classes and retain the records for at least one year.
• Submit midterm and final grades promptly as requested by the Registrar.
• Maintain their classrooms, laboratories, and equipment in a safe and orderly manner. 
• Be available and responsive to students in addition to posting and maintaining office hours for a minimum of eight hours weekly. 
• Administer student evaluations of teaching according to policy.
• Administer final examinations according to school-published schedules.
• Make appropriate arrangements for any class absences with the department chair. 
• Make appropriate accommodations for students with documented needs.
• Comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to protect student educational records (which include any record directly related to a student and maintained by the institution). These guidelines include but are not limited to the following: 
• Not circulating or posting documents linking student names with their university or social security numbers.
• Not discussing the progress of any student with anyone (including parents) without the student's written consent. 
• Not posting grades publicly.
• Not returning work using a self-service method. 

• (For further information on FERPA guidelines, see www2.ed.gov)

  Discipline of Physics:

  As the subject matter expert and professional in Physics, the full-time faculty member is expected to: 

• Engage students in a dynamic exploration of knowledge § Engage students in modern, cutting-edge lab experiences. 
• Keep the observatory up to date.
• Supervise and maintain the observatory and use it as a tool to engage students in exploring astronomy. 

Professional:

•  Faculty members are a vital part of their respective professions and the University. They are expected to:
• Remain current in their respective disciplines.
• Attend scheduled meetings, such as departmental, faculty, All-University, Fall Colloquium, and workshops.
• Furnish and update data for their personnel files in the office of the Vice President for Academic Administration.
• Submit reports of expenses for official duties to department chairs.
• Participate in a variety of professional development activities. 
• Maintain a portfolio of professional activities as part of institutional assessment. 
• Comply with published University policies. 
• Submit departmentally-approved travel requests for professional activities to the Vice President for Academic Administration before departure.
• Work with the chair to carry out a successful annual department assessment. 

• Extend professional courtesy to faculty colleagues, staff, administration, and students.

  Service:

  Faculty members are valuable resources to the University community. They are expected to participate in service in the following areas:

  Service to the Department:

  Examples of service to the department include:

• Serving on department committees
• Performing duties and activities for the department
• Participating in department functions, such as department assemblies, and departmental vespers.

Service to the University:

Examples of service to the University include:

• Participating in the recruitment and/or retention of students.
• Serving on University committees:
• Representing the University in the community-at-large 
• Serving as a sponsor for a student organization 
• Participating in Christian service, such as teaching Sabbath school, preaching, helping with pathfinders, etc.

Student Support:

Faculty are valuable resources in support of students beyond classroom teaching. They have opportunities to provide service to students in the following ways:

• Provide academic advising to assigned advisees
• Assist students in acquiring internships, practica, and student teaching experiences.
• Supervise students participating in internships, practica, research projects, and student teaching placements according to prearranged criteria. 
• Furnish recommendations for students who request references for employment or graduate school.

Primary Requirements:

In order to hold the rank of Assistant Professor, an individual must have a doctoral degree in an appropriate field or a master's degree and at least three years of successful college or university teaching experience in an appropriate field. Additional graduate study or professional experience may be considered instead of teaching experience.

Other Requirements:

• Passionate about teaching and inspiring students.
• Collaborative and supportive team player
• Proven leadership and supervisory skills
• Professional role model with a commitment to excellence

Job Conditions: Occasional: Fast-paced work, speaking, reading, and understanding English. 

Lifting/Moving: Occasional pushing, Pulling, Lifting, and Carrying 30-40 pounds.  

Physical: frequent: Stooping, kneeling, crouching, Walking, Moving from one location to another, Sitting, Talking and/or hearing, and Seeing/vision. Occasional: Standing, Climbing or balancing, Reaching, handling, and/or feeling, and Using feet/legs to control equipment.

Environment: mostly indoors, occasional visits to observatory.

This job description is not intended to be complete or limiting.

 Southwestern Adventist University complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.