Associate/Assistant Director of Academic Skills Program
University of California, Irvine
School of Law
The University of California, Irvine School of Law invites applications for the position of Associate/Assistant Director of Academic Skills. The successful candidate will develop, enhance, and implement a program to assist students in the transition to law school, to promote their successful completion of the J.D. program, and to prepare them to sit for the bar exam. Ideally, the successful candidate will be available to begin on August 1, 2016.
UCI School of Law opened its doors to students in August 2009. The Law School’s innovative curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning, interdisciplinary teaching, research, and public service. With faculty recruited from top-tier law schools around the country, the Law School is uniquely positioned to build an institution that is relevant to law practice and legal scholarship in the 21st century and that pushes the frontiers of the profession. For more information, visit www.law.uci.edu.
Job Description
The Associate/Assistant Director will promote the academic success of students at the Law School.
In collaboration with the Director of Academic Skills, the Associate Director of Academic Skills, the Assistant Director of Academic Skills, and faculty members, the Associate/Assistant Director will have the opportunity to:
- Develop curriculum for and teach third-year/post-graduation bar preparation programs;
- Develop curriculum for and teach first-year Academic Skills “Labs” and integrated exercises in doctrinal subjects;
- Develop workshop content and teach workshops for matriculating first-year students;
- Assist in developing curriculum and teaching second-year programs focusing on legal analysis and legal writing skills;
- Provide individual and small-group feedback on student practice exams and exercises;
- Manage department databases (e.g., internal shared drive, TWEN), create and administer student surveys to assess programming, create marketing materials, and coordinate with administrative assistants on logistics for department programs;
- Assist with hiring, training, and supervising student fellows to help administer various first-year student programs;
- Engage in professional development through collaborating with Academic Skills professionals at the local, regional, and national levels to present educational and innovative programs; and
- Assist in planning and managing the budget for first-year programs, student fellows, and books/materials purchases.
The Law School’s inaugural class graduated in the spring of 2011. The School projects total enrollment of approximately 350 students across all three classes in 2016-17. At full size, the School anticipates an annual enrollment of 600 students. With the School still in its growth stage, the Associate/Assistant Director of Academic Skills will have a rare opportunity to contribute to the design, development, and implementation of the Academic Skills Program. It is therefore expected that the successful candidate will examine and add to existing programs with the same spirit of innovation that characterizes the School. The successful candidate will be expected to exercise independence and judgment, drawing on past experience and careful analysis of the Law School’s particular needs.
Requirements
Candidates for the position must have:
- A J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and a record of academic and extracurricular success in law school;
- Admission to a state bar, preferably California;
- A minimum of two years’ experience in law practice and/or law teaching with a focus on legal writing and analysis;
- Familiarity with the subjects tested on and the format of the California Bar Exam;
- Superior written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills;
- The ability to think imaginatively and critically about techniques to improve law students’ academic development, and to design, implement, and manage innovative programs to promote that development;
- The ability to handle confidential information, exhibit good judgment, and exemplify customer service in working with students, faculty, and staff;
- The ability to work collaboratively with a diverse and growing population of students, faculty, and administrators; and
- The ability to juggle multiple competing priorities and meet firm deadlines.
Preferred: Experience in academic support/skills programs at the law-school level.
Nature of Appointment
The Associate/Assistant Director of Academic Skills reports to the Director of Academic Skills and works closely with the Associate Director of Academic Skills, the Assistant Director of Academic Skills, the Assistant Dean of Student Services, and the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The successful candidate will be provided with the standard vacation and benefits package accorded employees of the University of California. This is not a faculty appointment, and residence during the summer is expected. Salary will be commensurate with experience.
Salary and title will be commensurate with experience.
The University of California, Irvine is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.
