FULL-TIME, TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT-PROFESSOR POSITION AVAILABLE AUGUST 2020
The Department of Biology at Providence College invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning fall 2020 to support a recently developed Environmental Biology Major. We seek outstanding candidates who hold a Ph.D. (post-doctoral experience preferred) in Environmental Science or a closely related discipline, such as Biology, Ecology, Marine Science, Conservation Biology and Geoscience.
Successful candidates are expected to develop and maintain an active, highly visible, extramurally funded research program with outstanding scholarship and to demonstrate excellence in teaching and mentoring of undergraduate students. We are open to considering candidates in any area of relevant expertise in the environment and who may foster collaborations among the diverse faculty at Providence College. Examples of areas of interest: community response to climate change; conservation; surface and ground water hydrology; effects of contaminants, such as marine and coastal plastics; biological sequestration of carbon; and organismal responses to ocean warming and acidification.
Review of applications will begin by November 2019. Applicants should submit on-line a curriculum vitae, graduate transcripts, statements of teaching philosophy and research interests, and three letters of reference. Complete details on this position are available on the College web site at: https://careers.providence.edu.
For additional information please contact: Dr. Patrick J. Ewanchuk, Assistant Chair, Biology Department, Providence College, Providence, RI 02918-0001 or ewanchuk@providence.edu.
Providence College is a Roman Catholic four-year liberal arts institution conducted under the auspices of the Dominican Friars and seeks candidates who can affirm and contribute to its mission. Providence College is committed to upholding an academic culture and campus community that attracts and supports the development of a stellar and diverse faculty reflecting the global environment in which we live and work. The Biology Department places a high value on hiring individuals who are dedicated to teaching and mentoring students of diverse backgrounds to help promote an equitable and inclusive learning experience. An AA/EOE, the College especially encourages the applications of women and persons of color.
]]>Register at the following link: https://miw.eventbrite.com?discount=BCT
MIW is part of a larger entrepreneurship initiative of the National Society of Black Engineers – Baltimore Metropolitan Area Chapter (NSBE-BMAC).
Register at the following link: https://miw.eventbrite.com?discount=BCT
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When La Jerne Terry Cornish first started classes at UMBC, her son was two years old, she was teaching full-time, and she had to drive 45 minutes to get to campus.
The journey was never easy. But in the seven years it took to finish her Ph.D. in language, literacy, and culture, the discussions hit home and the supportive community around her made all the difference, she says.
“The LLC program allowed me to dream a dream I didn’t dream,” says Cornish, Ph.D. ’05, who now serves as provost and senior vice president of Ithaca College, following a long career in teaching and administration at Goucher College.
“I never thought I would end up where I am, but the preparation I received as a result of that program, and the support of the faculty, staff, and students prepared me for my next steps.”
This week, Cornish will receive the UMBC Outstanding Alumni Award for the Humanities. Fellow LLC alumna Beverly Bickel, M.A. ’94, instructional development systems, Ph.D. ’05, LLC, will also be honored with the Outstanding Faculty Award for her work as clinical associate professor, UMBC, language, literacy, and culture; affiliate associate professor, gender and women’s studies. (Learn more about the winners and the October 2 ceremony.)
Like Cornish, Bickel found a community she loved dearly at UMBC. And since she has pretty much always wanted to be a teacher herself—she frequently taught her younger siblings during their playtime “school”—working as a professor within the LLC program and in other departments at UMBC just makes sense.
After starting her career in early childhood education and earning her master’s at UMBC, Bickel was teaching at the Community College of Baltimore County when a new position opening at UMBC—director of the English Language Center—caught her eye.
Bickel celebrates with student Mary Laurents (third from left) following the successful defense of Laurents’ dissertation. Pictured left to right: Amy Froide (HIST), Dan Ritschel (HIST), Laurents, Bickel, Nicole Cousin-Gossett (SOCY) and Scott Casper (HIST and CAHSS Dean)
Her husband, David Truscello, Ph.D. ’04, was a member of the first cohort of LLC doctoral students with Cornish, and between that connection and the gentle, but persistent, encouragement from LLC founding director and professor emerita Joann “Jodi” Crandall, Bickel soon was pulled into the program as a student herself as she took on the ELC director position.
Now, as a professor, Bickel likes to take the time to understand where her students are in their lives. That means creating a comfortable environment where they can be honest about their needs and providing a support system for those who are figuring things out as they navigate their doctoral pathways.
“As my instructor, Bev listened carefully to my interests and ideas, affirmed some of my most adventurous instincts, and shared resources that could help me find my path,” wrote David Hoffman, Ph.D. ’13, LLC, and director of UMBC’s Center for Democracy and Civic Life, in nominating Bickel for this award.
“She was unfailingly patient and creative, and above all, responsive to me: truly hearing my hopes, amplifying my curiosity, and helping me to believe in myself as a researcher.”
At home, Bickel and her husband, now retired, have what they call a “lifelong study group.” Her ongoing desire to connect with her students on a personal basis keeps her energized with every semester, where she often starts her classes with a conversation about their days, their lives. Sometimes they listen to a song or read an essay. Many drink tea while they chat.
“We’ve got to connect as humans before we try to think about whatever texts we’ve read,” she says. “I love that about teaching. It might be four- and five-year-olds, or it might be adults, but everybody is coming in with themselves first before engaging in this work we call teaching and learning.”
Founded in 1998, UMBC’s language, literacy, and culture Ph.D. program was the first of its kind to bring an interdisciplinary approach to a type of research that crosses the humanities, social sciences, and education. Since then, many universities have copied the model, Crandall says. But, breaking new ground at the time meant the first cohorts of students played an important role in making the program what it is today.
Because the program attracted such a variety of students—many of whom taught, had families, and were well along in their careers—it became a true experiment in balance and community.
Cornish remembers her first class with Crandall. The discussion was so interesting, intense, and fun, she says, it went at least 15 minutes over.
“I was so taken by that first class,” said Cornish, who laughs as she recalls having to remind Crandall that “‘We have to teach in the morning!’ But, the material was so rich. She challenged us, she made us think. It was wonderful.”
Following graduation, Cornish spent nearly 20 years helping to build the education department at Goucher, where she had previously earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Having spent the last few months settling into her new position at Ithaca, she says she looks forward to re-connecting with LLC faculty on her return visit to campus.
Kimberly Moffitt, chair of the LLC Ph.D., said Cornish represents the best of what their alumni have to offer. “In a program designed to enhance critical thinking skills in areas of culture across disciplinary and methodological boundaries, Dr. Cornish was not only a member of the first cohort of graduates, but she also lent her educational expertise to shape and co-facilitate the curriculum,” she writes.
As Crandall recalls the first years of the program, she emphasizes that Bickel and Cornish were both instrumental in building the LCC into the standard bearer it is today.
“These are two wonderful women who had all the right leadership skills and just such a strong sense of themselves…and a strong sense of social justice,” she says. “I am just so thrilled for them both.”
]]>My name is Makayla Gleeson, I am a Career Peer Advisor for the Career Center and I will be running the Career Center blog. I’m currently a graduate student in the Public Policy department studying Public Management. This blog will be updated every two weeks on Mondays, so be sure to check back!
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, diversity in the workforce is an issue I think about a lot. Frequently, a workplace “culture” can involve the same types of people together, and it can be intimidating if one doesn’t fit in. But diversity in the workforce is a huge advantage to an employer and a huge advantage to the employees. While employees may feel more comfortable to be themselves in a diverse environment, they’re also more likely to collaborate creatively in an environment that fosters diverse thought. This is great for an employee but even better for employers who appreciate creative solutions to problems they look to solve.
Employer partners will come to UMBC to mingle with students and recruit students from diverse backgrounds; however, this event is open to all students. Our keynote speaker for this event is Karl W. Reid, the Executive Director of the National Society of Black Engineers. Have freedinner and win great prizes. Meet employers who are interested in diversifying their workforce. Top organizations will be on hand to discuss career opportunities within their organizations/agencies. Dress professionally and bring several copies of your resume. A list of organizations will be available on the Career Center's website. Limited seating will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. This event is co-hosted by the Career Center and the UMBC Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.You can find more information on the Career Center MyUMBC page here.
If you’re interested in working for the government and have a disability, the Career Center also offers the Workforce Recruitment Program. The WRP is a recruitment and referral program for students and recent graduates to connect with employers looking to hire. More information can be found here. If you’re interested in registering, contact Caroline Bodnar at carolc@umbc.edu.
There are plenty more resources the Career Center offers for specific populations! For students of all backgrounds, there are resources linked on the Career Center website for the common barriers students run into when they are looking for a diverse work environment. Whether you are LGBTQ+, a student with special needs, an international student, or a student with military experience, there are resources available to you through the Career Center that can help you find the right work environment for you.
Finding the right employer doesn’t have to be an arduous task. The Career Center helps all UMBC students, no matter their background. You can get specialized career help by scheduling an appointment with a Career Specialist through the “schedule an appointment” button on UMBCWorks, or you can utilize the online resources available on the Career Center website.
Hello everyone!
As we begin the budgeting process for the Spring semester, I want to take a moment to provide some background on the recent Finance Board reforms, their implementation, and some next steps going forward.
Prior to the reforms, Finance Board operated on a first-come, first-serve basis, where organizations requested money a set amount of time before their events, and Finance Board voted on that funding without considering how much money they had left. Last spring, when the Board depleted their funds for the year with several events still in the request queue, they knew that there had to be a better and more equitable way to allocate funds. They also heard from student organization leaders that their relationship with Finance Board was purely transactional and often uncomfortable, and as representatives of undergraduate students that are paid entirely by the student dollar, this was unacceptable.
When the new Budgetary Statutes were drafted, the impact on both student organizations and Finance Board were carefully considered. The writers knew that Finance Board must be able to divide the Club Budgets line item equitably between the Fall and Spring semesters, between on and off-campus events, and between established and new student organizations. They acknowledged the lack of transparency and consistency in funding precedents, and the lack of support from Finance Board before and after the request process.
However, in any systemic overhaul, it is impossible to anticipate all bumps in the road. What was meant to be one summer meeting for Finance Board turned into six, and over 40 hours of deliberation went into the Fall budget allocation process. Finance Board Representatives, who are not paid by SGA over the summer, had to take time off from jobs and internships. The Board received $360,375.72 in requests for the Fall semester, with only $164,835 available to allocate for the Fall and a total of $333,000 available to allocate for the entire year (a $58,000 increase in available Club Budgets funds from last year).
Due to the delay in the Student Activities Fee Review Board approving the overall SGA budget, the promised completion date for Fall budgets was postponed by several months. There was a scramble to send out notifications and liaison assignments as soon as possible so organizations could begin purchasing, and with that came confusion on who organizations could come to for help and what their allocated funds were. Some organizations did not get funded and were unclear on the reasoning.
So, keeping in mind both that communication from the Finance Board about the funding process has been spotty and confusing, and that the Finance Board is working night and day to remedy the mistakes made in the current allocation cycle, there are several next steps SGA is taking to ensure that the Spring allocation process goes more smoothly.
First, event planning, space reservations, and notifications about carryover accounts being in debt are all outside of the scope of the Finance Board, and require communication with Campus Life staff. As elected officers, we are advocating for ways to clarify those processes.
Second, the intention of the liaison system is to provide each of your organizations with a Finance Board Representative who will advocate for and support you through the budgeting and allocation process. All liaison assignments are listed here. In case you are not able to contact your liaison, you can stop in during the office hours for any Finance Board Representative, which are outlined on the SGA website. Please direct any comments or concerns about your liaison to SGA’s Vice Chair of the Finance Board, Justin Conner.
Third, remedying the unpredictability of the new system is an ongoing process. The Finance Board has been amending the Budgetary Statutes to better accommodate the new system to the needs of organizations. You can find a list of all Finance Board legislation, some of which are the mentioned amendments, here.
Fourth, the introduction of our new request platform, Survey Monkey, will allow all budget notification emails to be sent out at the same time and from a single source, and will ensure the detailed documentation of every funding decision the Finance Board makes. The system is currently in use for the Secondary Ad-Hoc Allocation System funds, and will be live for Spring budget requests. You can find all documentation about using Survey Monkey and other treasurer resources on the SGA website.
Fifth, as announced last year, SGA will be launching the Student Organization Resource Center (SORC) with equipment and materials that student organizations can use for free, in order to free up your allocated funding to buy things that are not in SORC. SORC will be open beginning October 1st, 2019. Additionally, we plan to host alternative funding programs throughout the year to brainstorm funding options outside of SGA. All questions about either SORC or programming can be directed to SGA’s Vice President for Student Organizations, Zane Poffenberger.
We appreciate your patience and adaptability as we move forward with a system that we believe, when done correctly, is an enormous improvement on the previous funding structure. We ask of you continued patience and empathy as we work through some of the knots in the system, and to continue providing us with feedback and comments, either through your liaison, the leadership of Finance Board, or at financeboard@umbc.edu.
Thank you, as always, for your dedication to making our campus a better place.
Best,
Vrinda Deshpande
UMBC Student Government Association President 2019-2020
