Assistant Professor of Social Work (Clinical Track) - MSW

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found here .

Position Purpose:

The George Williams School of Social Work proudly offers CSWE accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs at Aurora University. The Master of Social Work program is a clinical social work program with the following mission: The Master of Social Work Program in the George Williams School of Social Work empowers students through holistic and transformative education. Our inclusive learning community works to prepare social workers to competently build justice and systematic change to implement and evaluate evidence-based clinical practice for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities while guiding students toward professional engagement.

Position Purpose:

Assistant Professor supports learning by utilizing expertise in clinical social work practice while teaching graduate level social work courses. This position encompasses synchronous, campus-based classroom teaching, and asynchronous, online course teaching.

Core Competencies:

• Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
• Upholds the Mission Statement: At Aurora University, our singular goal is to empower students to achieve lasting personal and professional success. We do this by being an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and purposeful lives.
• Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
• Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned, including voluntary participation in university committees, activities and events.
  
  

Essential Job Functions:

• Develops and facilitates innovative social work curriculum designed to promote student competency in anti-oppressive clinical social work practice with individuals, groups, couples, and families.
• Consistently creates a classroom learning environment cognizant of individual student learning needs while supporting student critical thinking and professional
• development.
• Provides meaningful formative and summative feedback to students in each assigned course
• Provides needed support to students who require it and schedule consultation times where questions and concerns can be voiced.
• Manages all attendance and grading responsibilities for each course assigned by meeting stated deadlines for data submission
• Actively engages in service to the school, college, university, and community in alignment to Aurora University mission and values.
• Routinely engages in professional activity that supports continuous learning in the profession of social work.
• Performs effectively all duties detailed in the annual performance evaluation processes for department/program faculty and staff.
• Participates actively in the faculty development process.
• Teaches 24 semester hours in the School of Social Work each academic year.
• Recruits and mentors students in the Master of Social Work Program.
• Assists with licensure preparation for social work students.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Essential Job Requirements:

Education:

Master of Social Work degree from a CSWE accredited MSW program with clinical licensure required. DSW, PhD, or doctorate degree preferred

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of full or part-time teaching experience in higher education, minimum of 5 years post-MSW clinical social work experience.

Skills:

• Expertise in the field of social work: Extensive knowledge and skills in the field of social work, specific knowledge in anti-oppressive social work practice and social justice within clinical social work practice is expected. Candidate must be able to professional model ethical social work practice to students.
• Teaching excellence: Teaching skills appropriate for graduate level learners utilized to promote competency achievement in clinical social work practice. Student engagement and instruction that promotes active learning in person or in online learning environments is required. Readiness to assess student learning outcomes.
• Scholarship and Professional Activity: Capability and readiness to continually engage in scholarship or professional activity to maintain understanding of contemporary changes in the field of social work and in higher education.
• Collaborative service: The ability to effectively work within a team environment in service to the school, college, university, or community is an essential skill area. Using effective communication, time management, and interpersonal skills to participate actively in service is required.
• Commitment to the implicit curriculum within the MSW program: Readiness to improve the ways in which students experience the culture and climate of the MSW program outside of classroom settings.
• Solid understanding of Microsoft and Apple operating systems.
• Sound judgment and prioritization skills.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation communication skills.
• Quick learner with great prioritization skills.
• Ability to work independently and be dependable.
• Ability to accept divergent views while maintaining a constructive working relationship with other team members.
  
  

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move about campus.
• Ability to communicate via telephone, virtual/electronic media, and in-person
  
  

Work Hours: Expected equivalent of 40 hours per week, but days/hours may vary as needed. Hybrid or work from home employment will be considered if candidate can demonstrate ability to fulfill this role effectively off-site.

Special Requirements:

• A valid driver's license and driving record which meets institutional requirements is required.
• Requires travel between campus locations or to attend off-site meetings.
  
  

The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.

Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.