Term Faculty Specialist I - Professional Specialist

Western Michigan University’s School of Social Work invites applications and nominations for the position of Term Faculty Specialist I – Professional Specialist. This is a full-time, non-tenure-track, fiscal-year appointment based on the main campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The successful candidate will serve as a teaching faculty member in the School of Social Work and contribute to undergraduate and graduate social work education through teaching, advising, student engagement, service, and collaboration with faculty and community partners.

The position may include teaching and professional engagement in areas such as trauma, practice, field education, and related fields within the curriculum.

Major Responsibilities

Essential Roles:

The Term Faculty Specialist I is expected to maintain an active teaching assignment of approximately 15 credit hours per semester. Teaching responsibilities include:

• Teach undergraduate and/or graduate social work courses as assigned in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats, including courses related to trauma, practice, field education, and other areas of the curriculum.
• Design, update, and deliver course content consistent with Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).
• Support student learning, engagement, and academic success through effective instruction and mentoring.
• Participate in curriculum implementation and assessment activities within the School of Social Work.
• Maintain regular office hours and provide timely communication and feedback to students.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, field education personnel, and community partners to support program goals and student success.

Other Duties:

• Contribute to departmental, college, university, and professional committees, supporting institutional development and policy making.
• Participate in accreditation, assessment, recruitment, retention, advising, and other programmatic activities as assigned.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned by the Director of the School of Social Work.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited institution
• Valid Licensed Master of Social Worker (LMSW) issued by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), or eligibility to obtain licensure prior to start date
• Minimum of three (3) years of post-MSW professional experience preferably including experience in trauma-informed practice, field education, or related practice settings.
• Experience with or demonstrated capacity for college-level teaching, curriculum development, or professional training

Preferred:

• Doctorate (PhD, DSW, or related degree) in social work or a closely related field; ABD candidates with a projected completion date will be considered.
• Prior teaching experience in higher education.
• Experience with online or hybrid instructional delivery.
• Experience with CSWE accreditation standards and competency-based education.

The University: Western Michigan University (WMU), located in Southwest Michigan, is a vibrant, nationally recognized student-centered research institution with an enrollment of over 18,000. WMU delivers high-quality undergraduate instruction, has a strong graduate division, and fosters significant research activities. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies WMU as a doctoral university and one of just 185 public universities in the nation conducting research at a high level.

The College: In 1976, pioneering allied health and human services professional programs united in the WMU College of Health and Human Services, carrying on a tradition of excellence and innovation that began in 1922 with the establishment of the occupational therapy program. That tradition continues today. The College of Health and Human Services has high-quality, nationally ranked academic programs; exceptional students and faculty;

unmatched clinical education; many regular opportunities for inter-professional education; state-of-the-art teaching facilities; outreach, service and community engagement; and a strong research record that is helping shape the future of health care.

The college is composed of…