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JOB TITLE
Director, Morgan Teaching and Learning Center

LOCATION
Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME
Provost Office

DIVISION NAME
Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY
The Director of the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center (Morgan Center) collaborates with a diverse range of stakeholders to achieve goals such as enhancing teaching and learning at WPI, fostering continuous professional growth among faculty, generating, and disseminating innovative teaching and learning practices, and cultivating educator communities. Teaching at WPI encompasses project advising, academic mentoring, and course instruction across various modalities. The Morgan Center's role is paramount in supporting WPI's distinctive project-based educational approach, designed to transform lives, apply knowledge to practical solutions, and reshape STEM education.

JOB DESCRIPTION

About WPI and the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private, research-intensive university with around 5,000 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students and a faculty of 470, where approximately 85% hold full-time positions. Established in 1865 with a commitment to "theory and practice," WPI stands as a globally recognized pioneer in project-based learning and global education. Our groundbreaking undergraduate curriculum engages both students and faculty in numerous essential projects: within their major, at the crossroads of technology and society, and in the realms of humanities and arts. Many undergraduates partake in a global project experience through WPI's 50+ project centers across six continents. Our strong faculty governance system has recently introduced mission-aligned, equity-focused faculty policies, including a teaching track for tenure and criteria that warmly welcome various forms of scholarship. Located in central Massachusetts, Worcester provides access to 11 higher education institutions and proximity to Boston, Amherst, Providence RI, southern NH, and Hartford CT. WPI's mission and values are accessible at https://www.wpi.edu/about/mission

The Role of the Director

Reporting directly to the Provost, the Director of the Morgan Center leads a team encompassing senior research and evaluation associates, Faculty Associate Directors for New Faculty Programs, as well as graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants' development, along with a full-time operations manager. The Morgan Center synergizes effectively with instructional designers assuming faculty development roles. The Center's strength lies in its strategic alliances with various offices spanning multiple divisions. Physically co-located with the Center for Project-Based Learning and the STEM Education Center, the Morgan Center benefits from an endowment of $2.1 million and several smaller gift and award funds, in addition to its operating budget. Further information, including the recent impact report, can be found on the Morgan Center's website: https://www.wpi.edu/academics/faculty/morgan-teaching-learning-center.

Principal Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Advocacy
• Collaborate with leaders across Academic Affairs and relevant divisions and units to align faculty development strategies with WPI's strategic directions, which encompass student and employee well-being, equitable educational access, and a culture of inclusion.
• Serve as a resource for other leaders and faculty governance committees concerning policy development, implementation, and initiatives relating to teaching, evaluation of teaching, and student learning. The Director holds an ex-officio position on the Undergraduate Outcomes Assessment Committee.
• Programs and Services
• In partnership with faculty, staff associated with the Morgan Center, and other collaborators, conceptualize, structure, and supervise programs and resources fostering effectiveness, community cohesion, professional growth, and inventive practices in teaching and learning, spanning faculty, graduate, and undergraduate teaching assistants, and other WPI educators.
• Provide oversight for New Faculty Orientation and campus-wide faculty mentoring systems, nurturing professional growth, well-being, and innovative teaching and scholarship paths throughout the span of faculty careers, particularly supporting new and early career faculty transitioning to WPI and Associate rank faculty.
• Lead internal grant programs backed by the Educational Development Council, contributing to the acknowledgment of teaching achievements through awards and public recognition.
• Consult with individual faculty members on their teaching development, as well as departments and groups on pedagogical issues and initiatives.

Knowledge Generation and Outreach

• Direct initiatives to bolster the campus's capacity for the scholarship of teaching and learning, thereby fostering organizational learning centered around the teaching and learning mission.
• Maintain an active presence and currency within the realm of educational development or the scholarship of teaching and learning, broadening the impact and recognition of WPI through scholarly contributions and the external dissemination of educational development initiatives.

Administration

• Exercise fiscal stewardship and oversee the management of the Morgan Center's budget and gift funds. Determine budget priorities and annual funding requests based on strategic considerations.
• Recruit, mentor, and foster team building among the professional staff and affiliated faculty of the Morgan Center.

Additional Expectations

Although primarily an administrative role, the Director is expected to remain actively engaged in scholarly pursuits and contribute to the teaching mission to some extent. This may involve providing limited project advising, academic mentoring, or course instruction. The Director is authorized to make decisions regarding their work activities in consultation with the Provost.

Requirements

• Candidates should hold a WPI faculty appointment or meet the qualifications for such an appointment, which includes a track record of effective teaching and advising, experience with project-based learning, and scholarship related to education.
• Experience and success in educational development within a STEM-intensive environment are preferable, ideally encompassing high-impact practices.
• A strong commitment and capacity to advance initiatives related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• A collaborative disposition and an ability to build and sustain partnerships, leveraging the relevant expertise of both professional staff and faculty members.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in research and evidence-based practices for teaching and learning.
• Experience in utilizing student learning assessments to inform improvements in teaching methods or curricular enhancements.

To Apply

• Applications are encouraged from both internal and external candidates and should include:
• A cover letter addressing your alignment with the position's description, showcasing your experiences, values, and qualifications, and expressing your enthusiasm for the Morgan Center directorship and its role within WPI.
• A diversity statement that highlights your achievements, objectives, and approach to fostering excellence in diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging.
• A comprehensive curriculum vitae detailing your teaching, scholarship, and service activities.
• The names and full contact information of 3-5 professional references. These references will only be contacted during the final stages of the interview process.
• The review of applications will commence on October 10, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries regarding the position or the application process can be directed to the search committee at MorganCenterSearch@wpi.edu. The preferred start date for the role is July 1, 2024, with the possibility of negotiation for an alternative start date.

FLSA STATUS
United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.

To apply, visit: https://wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WPI_External_Career_Site/job/Worcester/Director--Morgan-Teaching-and-Learning-Center_R0002546

About WPI
WPI is a vibrant, active, and diverse community of extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, and state of the art research facilities. At WPI, we have competitive and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, long-term care, retirement, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, work-life balance and much more.

Diversity & Inclusion at WPI
WPI is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected; a place where every student, faculty and staff member can be themselves, so that they can study, live, and work comfortably, to reach their full potential, and make meaningful contributions in order to meet departmental and institutional goals. WPI thrives on innovative practice and welcomes diverse perspectives, insight, and people from diverse lived experiences, to enhance the community environment and propel the institution to the next level in a competitive, global marketplace.









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