Job: Associate Director of Writing for Seventh College Synthesis Program @ UCSD

[ten grrl]

I wanted to send a reminder that the Seventh College Synthesis Program at UCSD is searching for an Associate Director of Writing. This is a hybrid position between Academic Coordinator and Unit 18 lecturer. The Synthesis Program functions as two interconnected programs in one. The first program is a two-course writing-intensive sequence that asks students to deconstruct the tools of academic and public discourse in order to form strategies for addressing the planet’s intersecting local and global ecological, socioeconomic, and political changes. The second program is a collection of 40-45 unique upper-division project-based courses, each with its own instructor and theme, offered under the umbrella of Synthesis 100 in collaboration with a broad range of campus and community partners.

The Associate Director serves as one of the administrative coordinators for the Synthesis program responsible for the day-to-day oversight and administration of the required writing-intensive courses. A successful candidate will have experience and knowledge of teaching writing and experience in curriculum development, implementation, and assessment. The AD teaches one course per quarter and provides support for a staff of full-time multidisciplinary Unit 18 lecturers. Additional core responsibilities include: 1) Collaborate with Synthesis Program Director and instructional staff on the design/review/assessment for SYN 1 and SYN 2 writing projects, lesson plans and learning outcomes for all Synthesis courses. 2) Coordinates with instructional staff to manage content for Learning Management system (Canvas) and oversees student portfolios. 3) Coordinates with Director to assess program outcomes using appropriate tools and technology. 4) Liaisons with relevant campus academic student services and departments related to undergraduate instruction. 5) Assists Director with observation of lecturer performance in sections, followed by debriefing meeting. 6) Participate in various college and campus-wide events and committees. This position requires working closely with Seventh College Students, Staff, and Faculty to integrate the curricular and co-curricular aspects of College life and to cultivate an inclusive and accessible learning environment.

The core content for the Synthesis Program focuses on the Seventh College's theme of A Changing Planet, with a focus on the climate crisis. The AD does not need to be an expert on the climate crisis; however, we are looking for an individual who sees value in that focus and can bring their expertise in Writing Studies or a related field to their work as the AD. In addition to the climate crisis, the Synthesis curriculum focuses on six themes:

• Anti-racism
• Climate crisis and intersectional issues 
• Critical thinking and reflection 
• Communication and process 
• Problem-solving, creativity and curiosity
• Teamwork and collaboration

Living into the theme of Seventh College, the Synthesis Program works to answer the question of what writing instruction looks like in relation to our changing planet. We take an interdisciplinary approach to how we teach writing, and we utilize collaborative grading throughout the program. 

Here are  more details about the position and how to apply. We will begin to review applications on November 14, 2022. 

Thanks and be well,

Jill

Director of Synthesis Program, Seventh College

Teaching Professor, Seventh College

she/her/hers

writingcensus.ucsd.edu