Tenure Track Faculty Position

Assistant Professor of Performance and Education

Department of Theatre & New Dance

College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona invites applications for a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Theatre & New Dance, to begin Fall 2025. 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 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:

1.    Incorporates the contributions and struggles of historic ethnic minority groups or other disadvantaged communities into their teaching, scholarly work, and/or service contributions;

2.    Adopts teaching strategies that support the learning and success of students from diverse student populations;

3.    Mentors and engages diverse student populations in discovery, scholarship, and creative activities;

4.    Engages students in problem-based projects and learning that address the needs of diverse communities;

5.    Possesses knowledge of challenges and barriers for underrepresented students and faculty within the discipline and uses it to inform their work in specific ways;

6.    Mentors and assists diverse student populations interested in pursuing graduate education;

7.    Engages in community-responsive action research or service with diverse student populations and communities;

8.    Has experience in or demonstrates a commitment to adopting experiential learning activities and pedagogy with diverse student populations and communities; and

9.    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 Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences: Cal Poly Pomona's College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS) brings to life a vibrant hands-on experience through disciplines in the humanities, performing arts, and social sciences. As the heart and soul of the campus, the College’s mission is to cultivate one’s intellectual development, ethical reasoning, and aesthetic sensibility to support creative and critical thinking in a dynamic world of competing challenges. We are a community diverse in backgrounds, expertise, and thought, committed to improving the human condition and to bettering the world. Our faculty, students, and staff are devoted to creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive through the College's programs, research activities, creative performances, community outreach, and signature experiences. Learn more about CLASS and our 12 distinct departments at www.cpp.edu/class.

The Department of Theatre & New Dance at Cal Poly Pomona is a vibrant and rapidly growing collegial group of students, faculty, and staff who are working together to nurture the artistic excellence of our students in their pursuits towards a Bachelor of Arts degree. As a diverse and collaborative group, our personalities are large and our energy is high. We are committed to integrating our values of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in our teaching practices and in the creation of six to eight departmental theatrical and dance productions and other varied interdisciplinary artistic endeavors.  Our location in Los Angeles County allows faculty and students the opportunities to explore diverse practices across many fields in art and entertainment. 

The Department of Theatre & New Dance offers a B.A. degree with specializations in Acting, Dance Theatre, Design & Technical Production, General Theatre, and Theatre in Education & Community Engagement. The program centers a learn-by-doing approach aligned with Cal Poly Pomona University values, offering students opportunities to participate in a range of production activities including performance, choreography, design, management, and dramaturgy. Curricular support for this work is designed to strengthen students’ critical thinking and collaboration skills, and their ability to engage with diverse cultural contexts. The Department fosters a lively community of students engaging with professional artists including faculty and guest artists from the robust Los Angeles arts communities. CPP tenure-line faculty engage in teaching, research and/or creative work, student mentorship and advising, and service to the University and greater community.

Position Description: The position of Assistant Professor of Performance and Education is a new faculty position that will support multiple established sub-programs within the Department of Theatre & New Dance. The successful candidate will teach a variety of existing undergraduate courses in Acting and Education & Community Engagement. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an active and ongoing professional practice along with experience working in post-secondary education. With an eye towards California’s Proposition 28, preference will be shown to candidates with experience in preparation of TK-12 educators.

Applicants must demonstrate commitment to serving a highly diverse student body, reflecting the Cal Poly Pomona service area and the educational equity goals of the University, College, Department, and programs. The Cal Poly Pomona campus, designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, is recognized nationally for quality, affordability, and helping diverse and traditionally under-served students achieve economic success.  

Minimum requirements include:

• M.F.A. in Acting or related field, or equivalent terminal degree conferred by the start date of the position
• 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”
• An active and ongoing professional practice
• Demonstrated ability to teach acting  
• Teaching experience at the post-secondary education level

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Ability to mentor students in career readiness and their transition into a variety of careers (including Theatre Education, Stage and Screen Acting, Voice Over work, etc.) upon graduation
• A commitment to anti-racist and decolonial actor training
• A demonstrated knowledge of a variety of contemporary theatre/performance pedagogies especially those of non-western origins
• Experience with Acting and Movement techniques (e.g. Viewpoints, Michael Chekhov, Spolin Method (Improvisation), Suzuki)
• Demonstrated successful directing experience 
• Successful experience in teaching and/or supervising future Theatre educators
• Knowledge of the California State Standards, Frameworks, California Teacher Performance Assessment and/or EdTPA, and the California Teacher Performance Expectations
• Demonstrated experience in TK-12
• Eligibility for membership in professional unions (AEA, SAG-AFTRA, AGMA, AGVA, SDC)

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 in which you describe your interest in the position, relevant experience, and how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications
• 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
• Acting Resume (please exclude headshot)
• Teaching Philosophy statement (2 page max)
• At least two letters of reference, at least one of which must specifically address teaching
• The names and contact information for at least three individuals that can serve as references (separate from those who have provided Letters of Reference)
• Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)

Finalists for the position will:

• Be required to provide official transcripts for highest degree before the on-campus interview
• Provide an additional letter of recommendation dated within the last two years 
• At least one letter of recommendation (of the three total) should specifically address teaching
• Teach a sample class on campus

The position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to completed applications received no later than September 1, 2024.

Please direct inquiries to Search Committee Chair, Brian S. Newman at bsnewman@cpp.edu.

Applications accepted only via PageUp—online application portal—for University hires.

Salary Range for academic year/nine-month appointment: $83,000-$86,500.

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.