Instructor, Land Surveying and Geomatics
The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CoECS) at Arkansas State University (A-State), Jonesboro invites applications for a full-time faculty position of Instructor of Land Surveying and Geomatics (LSG) beginning Fall 2023. This position is a nine-month appointment, and the successful applicant will be responsible for both teaching and service
Service areas may include student advising, committee work, curriculum development, program assessment activities, recruiting, program promotion, industry relations, etc. Industry/consulting work during summers will be encouraged. Arkansas State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate ability and desire to become a licensed professional surveyor in Arkansas
- Demonstrate potential for broad-based teaching and service activities
- Perform undergraduate teaching responsibilities to include but not be limited to plane surveying, route and construction surveying, ethics for surveyors, boundary control and legal principles, survey plat and deed creation, computer-aided drafting, surveying techniques and procedures, and capstone land surveying project supervision.
- Oversee assessment activities for the Land Surveying and Geomatics (LSG) degree programs (Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science)
- Lead effort to accredit the LSG programs with ABET
- Lead efforts to grow enrollment and visibility of the LSG programs
- Lead effort to develop the AAS program as an online program
- Demonstrate willingness to collaborate with diverse groups of faculty
- Maintain normal office hours and availability with regular and reliable attendance and a typical workload of 15 credit hours per semester
- Monday ?? Friday, 8 AM ?? 5 PM
- Additional hours as requested and/or needed
That reminds me. Kansas City Kansas Community College is searching for someone to teach the lab class they offer. This is part of the move to allow those with two years of approved education, including a few specific classes, to apply for the exam if they meet all other cirteria.
Spread the word if you know someone in the KC area.
Full time temporary might make finding someone difficult.
I imagine they intend to keep whoever they decide to hire. Not offering tenure track is pretty common these days. If the program doesn't get enough students and they have to cancel it, then they can let the instructor go rather than trying to fit them in somewhere else. If serious about ABET they really need to give the instructor an additional paid position as lead of the program. One of the ideas behind ABET is to give some autonomy for evaluation/improvement not completely controlled by the college administration. To do it right really is as much time as required by the instructor position and all that goes into that, it's another full time job during the 9 months plus lots of work over the break.
they might be trying to include the program u der an existing major, I was around recent when they had to recertify NMSUs program, and it's not longer survey engineering but now Geomatics.
It's a real challenge to keep them running because no one wants to become a surveyor over an engineer apparently.
It's no simple answer or solution unfortunately.
It's a real challenge to keep them running because no one wants to become a surveyor over an engineer apparently.
I dunno, I'd say that all depends on the school's culture as well as the support (or lack thereof) from the professional sector. Engineers support their local schools because they know that's where they can get solid intro-level employees who can grow into full-fledged engineers.
I think I mentioned this on another thread some months ago, but I went to University of Alaska Anchorage; that program was doing well and has grown even more since I graduated. They've added an online-only option, which is pretty sweet. (I still recommend going in person because you get to, you know, live in Alaska.)
But that's because employers throughout the state recognize the benefit of a fully accredited program and are actively involved in the advisory board as well as hire students over the summer for well-paid internships. I went through the program with several other older students who were all working part- or full-time during school, and both our employers and our professors gave us the flexibility to make a living and get through the program.
We definitely stole some students from the other engineering programs, simply by getting them to come to Geomatics Students Association meetings and showing them what we did. If there's a civil engineer who loves the outdoors, they're easy to poach. They also have to take intro surveying courses, so I would pitch them the geomatics degree when I was a TA.
But that's because there's support from the geomatics community. If everyone turns their nose up at education and refuses to see the value in well-educated employees, then of course these programs are going to die on the vine. It takes a lot of hard work and support up front, but once the ball gets rolling it's easier to keep rolling.
agreed.
I'm doing this the hardest way possible too so I'm really working on not lambasting the process from only my personal perspective.
I'll encourage anyone to focus on the courses and degree path, and the working path needs additional support for those of us who'll never get a chance to get there in person.
If serious about ABET they really need to give the instructor an additional paid position as lead of the program.
Amen.
Just being responsible, as a faculty member, for putting together documentation for your courses takes time. Heading up the accreditation task in addition to the usual responsibilities of teaching, advising, industry outreach, recruiting, etc... is a pretty big ask unless they do intend to extend the offer after the first year proves successful.
Either they will need someone already proficient in accreditation or they will need to keep realistic expectations on what can be accomplished in the first year while settling into all the other duties.
@jon-payne Yes, accreditation is a process that never ends. Needs to be managed and tweeked and improved continuously (part of the written requirements). It requires cooperation from all instructors that teach in the program (including shared courses with engineering, english, science, etc.), and that has to be managed by a lead in the program (or it will not happen). And having a program lead is also a requirement. Sustainable systems have to be created that do not overburden the instructors or students with compliance issues; they are there to learn after all, the accreditation process should help learning not hinder it. And there's still the regional accreditation led by others that needs to be somehow melded together with the ABET so that you accomplish both. So it takes a good dose of political sense as well (show me someone more difficult than an academic). Many great instructors/professors in engineering/surveying are not going to be a great fit (we tend to be difficult as well). On the bright side, there is a lot of training available, but of course that too takes a lot of time. It's a huge expense to the college and they have to weigh whether it's worth it or not. But not something to take on half hearted.
