Biology/Chemistry Faculty Search

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) announces an opportunity to work as a full-time, tenure-track Biology/Chemistry faculty member.

From cell and molecular biology to ecology and anatomy and physiology, LTCC has a robust Biology department that prepares students for their chosen career paths.

The Chemistry department at LTCC offers courses for students interested in pursuing careers in allied health fields or other applied sciences and for those needing to fulfill their physical science general education requirements.

The demand for science courses is consistently growing, and the ability to offer more sections of science courses will benefit students and the college as a whole. The number of students pursuing degrees in the sciences is comparatively and consistently high and is likely to grow even more as LTCC completes the Remodel for Efficiency (RFE) project, which will fully remodel and modernize the science area scheduled to conclude by January 2023.

LTCC students hoping to transfer into the sciences generally pursue a Liberal Arts degree with an emphasis in Math and Science. Currently, 146 students are pursuing this pathway, making it one of the most popular programs at the college. LTCC has also made (and with the RFE, will continue to make) major investments in state-of-the-art science labs to support the growing student demand, and an additional faculty member in this area will further support these investments. A new Biology/Chemistry faculty member will ensure stability in course offerings in the sciences. The successful candidate is expected to teach in both Biology and Chemistry courses and support the expansion of science in alignment with student demand.

This position is based on a 177-day contract for fall, winter, and spring quarters. The work calendar may need to be adjusted as the position and programs grow and change.

 

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The Biology and Chemistry disciplines are part of the Science, Technology, and Environment Meta Major of the Guided Pathways initiative at LTCC. This faculty position will support and expand student experience elements of the District's goals for 2020-2021. This includes improving the student experience through participation in the California Guided Pathways Project Cohort.

• Teach assigned courses in Biology and Chemistry. Courses may vary by modality: online, face-to-face, and enhanced virtual education (EVE). There is a requirement of some course load to be face-to-face teaching.
• Participate in full-time faculty responsibilities including faculty and departmental meetings, departmental planning, community liaison, curriculum development, and committee assignments.
• Develop, maintain, and assess student learning outcomes for appropriate courses; participate in and potentially oversee the use of assessments for ongoing improvement.
• Provide feedback on departmental budget and class schedules.
• Select textbooks and work with lending library and Open Education Resources to address textbook affordability.
• Assist with the selection and coordination of adjunct faculty in the department as needed.
• Consult with appropriate college faculty and participate in college governance and decision-making as appropriate to the faculty role.

QUALIFICATIONS

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Minimum Qualifications

As this position covers two areas of discipline, the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, Title V Regulations, requires that the successful candidate must demonstrate that they satisfy minimum qualifications for both Biology and Chemistry. To view the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges in its entirety, click here.

Possess the degrees in one of the following options:

• Master's (or higher) in molecular biology AND a Bachelor's (or higher) in chemistry or biochemistry;
• Master's (or higher) in any biological science AND a Master's (or higher) in chemistry;
• Master's (or higher) in any biological science AND a Master's (or higher) in biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical physics, physics, or geochemistry AND a Bachelor's in chemistry or biochemistry;
• Master's (or higher) in chemistry AND a Master's (or higher) in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science AND a Bachelor's in any biological science;
• Master's (or higher) in biochemistry AND a Bachelor's in any biological science AND a Bachelor's in chemistry or biochemistry;
• Master's (or higher) in biophysics or marine science AND a Master's (or higher) in chemical engineering, chemical physics, physics, or geochemistry AND a Bachelor's in any biological science AND a Bachelor's in chemistry or biochemistry;
• Or the equivalent.

NOTE: Applicants who claim equivalent qualifications shall provide conclusive evidence that they possess qualifications that are at least equivalent to those required by the minimum qualifications of the area for which they are applying.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply all evidence and documentation for the claim of equivalency at the time of application.

• Demonstrated ability to teach Biology and Chemistry courses at the community college level.
• Demonstrated ability to perform all of the responsibilities listed above.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

Desired Qualifications

• Ability to utilize innovative teaching practices, including participatory and critical thinking methodologies
• Familiarity with characteristics of community college students
• Understanding of small college environment
• Interest in and ability to incorporate technology in the teaching/learning process
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to teach in another discipline

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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COMPENSATION & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

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ABOUT THE COLLEGE

LTCC is an evolving, dynamic California community college located in South Lake Tahoe. The waters and surrounding forests of Lake Tahoe are a national treasure, and LTCC's campus is a microcosm of the region’s natural beauty. Located 6,229 feet above sea level, LTCC is Northern California’s highest altitude college. This enthusiastic college community serves students from the bi-state, multi-jurisdictional Tahoe watershed area, and includes many students from neighboring Nevada communities, other states in the country, and from around the world.

LTCC serves a diverse student community — it’s a key component of our strength. LTCC strives to speak out against racism and violence, and also address the unchecked microaggressions that occur far too often on campus and in the community. More specifically, LTCC is working to capture and weave anti-racism into curriculum, and especially in public safety programs. LTCC continues to work to do a better job of presenting coursework that informs the next generation of public safety providers, helping them understand historic racism and implicit bias, the benefits of diversity and inclusion, and the power of building close relationships with all members of the communities they will one day swear to serve and protect.

LTCC's Lake Tahoe College Promise program is one of the most comprehensive in the state, and provides free tuition to first-time, full-time students for up to three years. It also includes a wealth of support services and specialized events just for Promise students. The program is available to all California residents and Dreamers, and Nevada residents and Dreamers living within the Tahoe Basin. LTCC's is the only bi-state Promise program in the country.

As the college promise program took shape on campus, it ensured that funding would be available to make the promise of free tuition and the hope of a debt-free degree available to DREAMers to. LTCC serves a bi-state community, and ensuring that DREAMers living in the Tahoe Basin in either state could be eligible for free tuition and extensive educational support along with documented citizens was a cornerstone of our Lake Tahoe College Promise program from its beginning.

LTCC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, a regional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education and the U.S. Department of Education. In January 2018, LTCC had its accreditation reaffirmed for a seven-year period as the result of a comprehensive evaluation.

LTCC was originally granted accreditation in January 1979. Accreditation status has successfully been maintained ever since through a regular process of self-evaluation and review. The University of California, the California State Universities, and other accredited colleges and universities give full credit for equivalent and transferable courses satisfactorily completed at LTCC.

LTCC’s progress and stability rooted in an institutional commitment to student success and constant efforts to realize opportunities related to the region’s unique geography, environment, and history. LTCC currently offers 29 associate degrees, including 15 AA transfer degrees that provide seamless matriculation to four-year institutions. Additionally, LTCC currently offers 31 certificates. Students planning to transfer to a four-year university have a wide variety of options, as LTCC offers the equivalent of the first two years of a four-year university program. LTCC’s campus is also home to the Lisa Maloff University Center, which provides access to a variety of advanced degree programs through our university partners.

In addition to quality programs for traditional students, LTCC has expanded its career and technical education offerings and innovative summer programs. The Intensive Spanish Summer Institute (ISSI) draws approximately 500 students from across the United States for a one-week immersion experience in Spanish language and culture. LTCC’s regionally accredited Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy prepares students for Firefighter I certification in California.

LTCC's campus is also home to the Child Development Center (CDC), a fully licensed child care facility providing care and education to children aged 6 weeks through 6 years. The CDC provides a hands-on, developmentally appropriate curriculum. Open year round, the CDC serves the child care needs of students, staff, faculty and community members. Childcare is available in full or half-day blocks, and meals are provided.

LTCC, a single-college district, is widely recognized as the hub of culture and education for the surrounding community and is working toward its vision of becoming “California’s premier destination community college.”

LTCC currently serves just over 8,000 students annually, helping them to earn terminal degrees, preparing them for transfer to four-year institutions, instructing them in basic skills, and readying them for successful careers through the college's career and technical education offerings.

As an open-door institution, LTCC strives to minimize barriers to college participation for those within and outside of its service area. Ensuring access to higher education is central to the core mission of LTCC:

Thanks to our community’s support, LTCC has the funding to revitalize and modernize the campus. A $55 million General Obligation Bond (Measure F) was passed in November 2014. The bond is supporting LTCC renovation (classrooms, laboratories, and technology), leveraging state capital outlay and scheduled maintenance funding. 

On July 17, 2019, LTCC received approval from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to proceed with the Remodel for Efficiency and Science Modernization (RFE) project. The RFE project will renovate and modernize laboratory, office, and other space totaling 23,014 square feet of LTCC’s Main Building, the Fine Arts Building, and the G Buildings. The modernization of this space will replace outdated classroom and lab spaces and address safety and security deficiencies. The project will also provide accessibility improvements inside the Main Building and at the campus main entrance. Construction on this project is set to begin on July 1, 2021.

In addition, our community's support of the Measure F bond inspired a generous donation from a longtime Tahoe resident, providing for the construction and opening of the Lisa Maloff University Center (LMUC) in 2018. With this center in place, access to upper-division level educational opportunities and academic support services are made possible through partnerships with Sierra Nevada University, Brandman University, and Washington State University Global Campus. These partners offer competitively priced degree options in global business management, psychology, liberal studies, applied studies, hospitality business management, a master’s in education, and multi-discipline teaching credentials that can be earned right on LTCC's South Shore campus. LTCC offers multiple scholarships to help students transition to an advanced degree program in the LMUC.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY

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Outdoor recreation is central to the culture and economy of South Lake Tahoe, home to a year-round, residential population of about 24,000. World-class winter skiing and boarding, summer mountain biking, hiking, camping, water sports and fishing as well as concerts, sporting events, and entertainment draw state, national, and international tourists/visitors. Students are only minutes away from three of the 14 ski resorts located around Lake Tahoe. The sun shines an average of 249 days each year, giving students plenty of opportunity to get out and explore the Sierras.

The Lake Tahoe Basin is a one-of-a-kind geographic, political, and economic region comprised of two states, five counties, and multiple cities and municipalities. Known as the “jewel” of the Sierras, Lake Tahoe is a congressionally designated Regional Planning Area for land use and planning. The Regional Plan, last updated in December 2012, focuses on a unified commitment to Lake Tahoe and sustainable communities.

CONTACTS

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