Department Of Early Childhood Studies

Our Commitment

Guided by our core values as a university: diversity, sustainability, community engagement, and adaptability, Sonoma State University (SSU) offers an education that fosters intellectual, social, and personal growth. SSU is a public liberal arts and sciences university. As the only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in the state of California, we are committed to preparing students for a life of active citizenship and public service. We have a vibrant campus life characterized by a lively co-curriculum that fosters broad based intellectual and artistic opportunities in which the campus as a whole is actively engaged. Faculty members are committed to facilitating spaces in which all can grow by building on our scholars’ assets as they explore new knowledge. These efforts include fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, experimentation, empathy, and communication. We strive to create a diverse, equity-minded, and inclusive campus environment. Faculty are expected to collaborate thoughtfully with our staff and scholars, which means we value the full range of everyone's assets in terms of languages, abilities, cultures, and ways of knowing. We are fully committed to the rights of scholars, staff, and faculty. We are especially interested in candidates who are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The University

Sonoma State University’s beautiful 274-acre campus is located in Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. The campus offers the ideal setting for teaching and learning and access to a community of rich cultural, environmental, and recreational opportunities. Founded in 1960, SSU is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University System. As members of the largest public higher educational system in the nation, we provide accessible, high-quality education. Sonoma State University is a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, as such we are committed to achieving the goals of equal opportunity and endeavors to employ faculty and staff reflecting the linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the region and state.

The Department

The Department of Early Childhood Studies is one of four departments in the SSU College of Education, Counseling, and Ethnic Studies. The department offers an undergraduate major in Early Childhood Studies, undergraduate minors in Early Childhood Studies and in Education, and a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. The mission of the department is to prepare knowledgeable and caring professionals who are committed to contributing to a just society through high-quality education and social services for all children and families. This commitment to social justice grounds our work and forms the basis of our curriculum

Coursework in the undergraduate major and minor emphasizes socially and environmentally just practices, culturally responsive care and education, inclusive care and education, play as the cornerstone of healthy development, family engagement, assessment of child growth and learning, and leadership and advocacy. Students learn how to use theories and research from anthropology, child development, education, health, psychology, sociology, and critical race studies to promote the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of diverse young children. Undergraduates who complete their BA degrees with an Early Childhood Studies major or minor typically go on to work in the field of early care and education, enroll in a Multiple Subject or Special Education Credential program, or pursue a graduate degree in education or social services.

The Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education is designed for students who wish to pursue advanced study in Child Development and Early Care and Education. Many of our graduate students work as teachers in the early elementary grades or as preschool teachers or administrators, while others are relatively new to the field.

For more information about the Department of Early Childhood Studies, including courses offered, prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the department’s website http://web.sonoma.edu/education/ecs/index.html

Duties of the Position

• Teach courses in the Early Childhood Studies major and minor programs
• Respond to student needs in an equitable, timely, and appropriate manner
• Equitably promote student belonging, engagement, and success
• Participate in program assessment data collection as requested and required
• Participate in periodic department and school-wide meetings and functions
• Utilize SSU's online learning management system and other educational technology as appropriate for teaching and program assessment purposes
• Maintain currency in the Early Childhood field, in educational technology, and in diversity and social justice issues as they relate to Early Childhood Studies and higher education

Professional Qualifications

To be recommended for appointment, the candidate must have:

Required Qualifications:

• Experience working with and understanding of children and families in a diverse context: ethnicity, immigration status, language, socioeconomic status, ability, and family structure.
• Demonstrated currency in child development theory and practice
• Explicit commitment to social justice enactment and educational equity
• At least three years paid direct work (or equivalent experience) with children within the birth to eight age range
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment
• Excellent oral, written and digital communication skills (through application letter and interview)
• Earned Masters or Doctoral degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or Early Elementary Literacy

Additional qualifications that will be considered:

• Experience teaching at the college or university level
• Experience teaching in an online environment
• Knowledge of a second language, either working knowledge or fluency

Rank and Salary

Full-time is 15-unit workload per semester. Actual salary is dependent upon number of units assigned, educational preparation, and availability of funds subject to any CSU system faculty contract salary increases.

• Selection as a candidate in the applicant pool, does not guarantee employment. Temporary Faculty appointments are made on a part-time, temporary basis and contingent upon department needs and funding.
• Temporary Faculty appointments are made on a semester-by-semester basis.
• Relocation expenses will not be provided for temporary faculty appointments.
• Expenses incurred to attend an interview for temporary faculty positions are not reimbursed by the University.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, go to jobs.sonoma.edu and click on the Staff & Faculty Career Opportunities link. Find and select the faculty position you are applying for to view the description and select Apply Now. If you have not previously applied, you will be prompted to create an account. You can use this account to apply to multiple positions. Once you have submitted the application, a confirmation email will be automatically sent to you. Please do not send materials to facultysearch@sonoma.edu. If you encounter difficulties during the application process, please email facultysearch@sonoma.edu.

Please submit:

Required

• Application letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching Philosophy
• Student Evaluations, if available
• Official or unofficial graduate transcript
• Contact Information for 3 References

Official transcripts are required at the time of hire.

Application procedures for temporary faculty already teaching in the department

• Temporary Faculty with three-year contracts do not need to reapply.
• Temporary Faculty who had a paid appointment during the prior academic year with your department (either one or both semesters); this includes Lecturers on the Re-Employment list are not required to apply through the Recruitment Pool unless they would like to be evaluated to teach additional courses, not currently designated as qualified to teach.

Sonoma State University hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All offers of employment are contingent upon presentation of documents demonstrating the appointee’s identity and eligibility to work, in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Sonoma State University does not facilitate the process of applying for an H1B Visa for temporary positions.

CSU Out of State Policy - Sonoma State University, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.

Application Deadline

Questions concerning the application process may be directed to: facultysearch@sonoma.edu

Questions concerning this position may be directed to:

Department Chair Name: Ayumi Nagase

Department Chair Email: nagasea@sonoma.edu

Please refer to the posted requisition number when you have correspondence and inquiries regarding this position.

The ADA Coordinator is also available (hraccomodations@sonoma.edu) to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.

Other Information

The university is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status.

This position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

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