Architecture-Ethnic Studies Affinity Cluster-Assistant Professor

  • California State Polytechnic University Pomona
  • Pomona, California
  • May 25, 2024
Architecture Education and Training Public Health

Job Description

Tenure Track Faculty Position

Assistant Professor of Architecture

Department of Architecture

College of Environmental Design

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Architecture. Cal Poly Pomona is one of three polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 12 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938, Cal Poly Pomona students participate in an integrative experiential learning education that is inclusive, relevant, and values diverse perspectives and experiences. With a variety of degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, and professional disciplines, the university is well known for its learn- by-doing approach and Teacher Scholar Model.

The university is noted for its scenic and historic 1,400-acre campus, which was once the winter ranch of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. We acknowledge that Cal Poly Pomona resides on the territorial and homelands of the Tongva and Tataavium people who are the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar. The university’s nearly 30,000 students are taught and mentored by the campus’s more than 1,400 faculty as part of 54 baccalaureate and 29 master’s degree programs, 11 credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Highly regarded among its peer institutions, Cal Poly Pomona is No. 2 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top public regional universities in the west and was named the No. 28 best value college in the nation by Money Magazine. Cal Poly Pomona, a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, stands as a national leader in promoting social mobility , and was placed among the 25 top institutions in the country in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minoritized students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education . In 2022, the campus launched the Black Thriving Initiative recognizing that Cal Poly Pomona’s future as a university is linked to the success of its Black community. More information about our campus initiatives and our Principles of Community can be found on the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s website .

The Cal Poly Pomona campus is located less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It is within an hour’s drive of beaches, mountains, and deserts. For additional information about the university, please visit www.cpp.edu, and for more about faculty life, please see YourLife@CPP.

Student Population. Cal Poly Pomona is the number one polytechnic university in the nation for student diversity and economic mobility. Our caring and inclusive campus community is committed to helping anyone who dreams of success achieve it. In Fall 2023, Cal Poly Pomona served more than 24,000 students and close to 2,000 graduate students, mostly residents of California. Over half of Cal Poly Pomona students are first-generation college students, 70% receive financial aid, and 42% are low-income students. The university enrolls 56% percent of historically underrepresented students. Our diverse student body identifies as 53% Hispanic/Latinx, 22% Asian, 13% White, 4% two or more races, 3% unknown, 3% African American/Black, 2% International, less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and less than 1% Native American. Forty-three percent of students enroll in our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) majors and our top five enrolled programs across the university include mechanical engineering, computer science, civil engineering, psychology, as well as finance, real estate, and law.

Inclusive Excellence and Student Success. We aspire to be the model inclusive polytechnic university in the nation. We have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and to educational experiences that leverage the diverse perspectives and experiences needed to succeed and thrive in a diverse society.

*As a part of the application for faculty positions, all candidates must submit a Student Success Statement that demonstrates their commitment and record of contributions to diversity and equity through their teaching, scholarship, or service by speaking to at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria below.

Candidates should explain how they have engaged in the criteria below in their pedagogy, scholarship, and/or service, as well as the level to which these efforts have been consistently incorporated into their work. Inclusive Excellence Criteria:
Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups or other disadvantaged communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions; Adopts teaching strategies that support the learning and success of students from diverse student populations; Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities; Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities; Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline and uses it to inform their work in specific ways; Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education; Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities; Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and Has expertise in or demonstrated commitment to teaching, scholarship and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education.
College of Environmental Design

The mission of the College of Environmental Design (ENV) is to provide an outstanding academic and professional learning experience within a multidisciplinary structure. Established in 1970, ENV's programs have guided creative excellence, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility with award-winning professional degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning; at the undergraduate level in Art History and Visual Communication Design; and at the graduate level in Regenerative Studies. Faculty research, professional, and creative activities support student learning through the Teacher-Scholar Model. Faculty are encouraged to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and promote their rich talent, expertise, and influence. We seek opportunities for engagement with practice in California, nationally and internationally. As we educate future design leaders, we have an obligation to ensure that all constituencies of those professions represent the diversity of California's population. Diversity is our strength.

Department of Architecture

The Department of Architecture (CPPARC) has two accredited degrees: the five-year B.Arch. program and the three-year M. Arch program. These degrees focus on the integration of knowledge-based areas of the curriculum into the design studios. Since its inception in 1968, CPPARC’s mission has been to equip students with the necessary tools that will allow them to become responsible professionals, motivated by a sense of civic duty and engagement. An aspect of that mission speaks to an enduring commitment to supporting career readiness. We consider integrative design practices to be an essential part of preparing students for professional practice and licensure. Recognizing CPP’s unique urban location at the center of the Los Angeles basin, with an incredibly diverse population, which is undergoing a densifying suburban transformation and adding new transit infrastructure, our professional programs operate in a living laboratory where students and faculty can conduct timely research as well as develop innovative design ideas and working methods. The Department is committed to strengthening our focus areas in urban design, technology, professional practice, sustainability and resilience, healthcare and wellness, and historic preservation.

CPPARC supports the University’s teacher-scholar model, where faculty undertake intellectual, creative, and scholarly activities that contribute to both the faculty’s teaching and their creative/scholarly interests. The teacher-scholar model provides a platform for faculty to integrate their teaching, service, and scholarship, within the creative context of the region. The Department also owes its perspectives about the practice of architecture to the multicultural demographics of Southern California and the broad spectrum of creative opportunities found in the region.

The Position: Assistant Professor of Architecture - Ethnic Studies Affinity Cluster

Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Architecture (CPPARC) is seeking a new Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Architecture to join the faculty in Fall 2025. We are especially interested in candidates who are committed to advancing the discipline and profession of architecture and who demonstrate an ability or potential to actively engage in and support Inclusive Excellence within our diverse academic community. The successful candidate, through their scholarly research, creative and/or professional practice, will foster awareness of communities of color, their contributions, histories, and/or processes of marginalization as they relate to the discipline of architecture.

Faculty members are expected to perform three academic roles: teaching, creative/scholarly research, and service. Teaching is to relate to the faculty member’s creative/scholarly activities, while service will contribute to the operations of the department, college, and university.

The new faculty member’s primary area of expertise will be in architectural design with a focus on communities of color (i.e., African American, Native American, Latina/o, and/or Asian and Pacific Islander American). The new faculty member will teach and coordinate architecture core studios and lectures (1st, 2 nd , or 3rd year), as well as elective seminars and/or upper-level elective design studios within the B. Arch and M. Arch programs. The candidates should also demonstrate the ability to integrate topics related to ethnic studies into the curriculum, using methods such as action-oriented or participatory design practices, community-based design, and other inclusive approaches.

The new faculty will be a member of the Department of Architecture with an opportunity to engage the Office of Ethnic Studies Affinity Teaching and Scholarship. This position will offer unique access to collaboration across disciplines and methodological vantage points, mentorship, and professional development. The Ethnic Studies Affinity Faculty, and the resources to support them, are a key element of CPP’s ongoing efforts to ensure the flourishing of our diverse students and faculty as a leading inclusive polytechnic university.

Students are the strength of Cal Poly Pomona Architecture. Many of our students come from diverse backgrounds and are the first in their family to attend college, who transfer from a community college to fulfill their dream of becoming an architect. The department fosters a collegial environment and is committed to the values of equity and inclusion in teaching and mentoring diverse student populations. The ideal candidate will build upon the unique strengths of our CPPARC students and community, and the university’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence.

Minimum requirements include:
  • Possess a B. Arch professional degree and a terminal post-professional degree in architecture; or a terminal professional degree in architecture, M. Arch or D. Arch (including the foreign equivalent of a master's level degree in architecture); or a Ph.D. degree in architecture or in a related field. The candidate must have earned the M. Arch. degree or Ph.D. by the start of the appointment.
  • Have experience teaching architecture design studios at the post-secondary education level.
  • Demonstrated commitment to inclusivity and equity. Evidence should be provided in a Student Success Statement that responds to the prompt above - “Inclusive Excellence and Student Success” The candidate must address at least two of the “Inclusive Excellence Criteria.”
  • Demonstrated ability to bring an ethnic studies lens to the study of architecture using methods such as action-oriented or participatory design practices, community-based design, and other inclusive approaches. For an overview of ethnic studies see General Education Area F at this link .

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

Preferred candidates will demonstrate a capacity in a majority of the following:
  • Record of experience in the coordination of students and faculty in a design studio and/or student advising, student research or student club activities.
  • Evidence of advancing academic knowledge and/or practice of architecture through research, scholarship, and/or creative activities as described in the position.
  • Licensed to practice architecture or on the path to licensure in the United States.
  • Record of service on university committees, and/or service to the discipline of architecture and/or professional organizations, and/or community organizations.

Conditions of Employment:

The person offered this position is required to pass a background check.

Application Process:

A completed application will consist of
  • Cover letter that describes the candidate’s experience and interest in teaching, research and/or creative activities, and service (1 page maximum).
  • Statement of Qualifications that describes how the candidate meets the minimum and preferred qualifications. The statement should address each qualification separately and in the same order as listed in the description of the position above (2 pages maximum).
  • A Student Success Statement (up to 2 pages, single-spaced) that responds to the prompt above - “Inclusive Excellence and Student Success” and addresses at least two of the inclusive excellence criteria listed (please indicate the criteria numbers in your Statement).
  • Curriculum Vitae indicating the candidate’s relevant experiences such as presentations, publications, grants, awards, professional experience, community and academic service and credentials.
  • Portfolio (PDF format - no links please) with research, creative and/or scholarly works, teaching examples, and any other achievements relevant to the position (25 MB max)
  • Contact information (telephone and email) of three individuals who can speak to the candidate’s potential for success in this position.
  • An unofficial transcript confirming the highest degree earned (official transcripts will be required of finalists)

Finalists for the position will be required to
  • Provide official transcripts for the highest degree before the on-campus interview.
  • Provide three letters of reference (dated within the last 12 months).
  • Participate in an on-campus visit which will include interviews, a presentation to faculty and students on the candidate’s research, scholarly, professional, and teaching interests and achievements, and a teaching demonstration.

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than September 3, 2024 (11.59pm PST).

Please direct inquiries to

Department of Architecture, arcsearch23-24@cpp.edu

Associate Professor Katrin Terstegen, Search Committee Chair

Associate Professor Victor Jones, Search Committee Chair

Applications accepted only via PageUp -online application portal-for university hires.

Salary range for academic year, nine-month position $86,000 - $88,700.

Equal Opportunity Employer

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The university seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing. Cal Poly Pomona subscribes to all state and federal regulations and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and covered veteran status. The university hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. As required by the Clery Disclosure Act, the university prepares a public annual security report.

Advertised: May 24 2024 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close:

Closing Date/Time:

Job Address

Pomona, California 91768 United States View Map