Disability Studies – Assistant Professor

Ryerson University

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the  territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, the School of Disability Studies in the Faculty of Community Services [FCS] at Ryerson University invites applications for a one-year Limited Term Faculty (LTF) position at the rank of Assistant Professor, effective July  1, 2022, subject to final budgetary approval.

The successful candidate will engage only in the teaching and service duties of faculty members in the School, while maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across such activities. The successful candidate will teach a 3/3 load of required courses in the Disability Studies program in the Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 semesters, including teaching and redeveloping a two-semester research methods/philosophy of knowledge course. In addition, working from course outlines that are already established for on-line/hybrid delivery, possible courses could include critical disability studies theories; transnational disability studies; race, necropolitics and disability; and/or mad studies. The position also requires that the candidate take part in all faculty meetings and may participate in service activities related to the function of the School. This can include research project collaboration, activating the Disability Studies research and teaching lab, student mentorship, preparation of internal grants, and organization of public events.

Candidates must hold a doctorate degree or a completed doctoral dissertation with a defense date. Candidates with a master’s degree and significant relevant experience may also be considered. In addition, candidates  must present evidence of the following:

• knowledge of disability, mad and/or Deaf studies as an expansive, intersectional field of critical inquiry;
• expertise from lived experience/relationships with madness, Deafhood, and/or disability/debility;
• experience teaching and engaging social research using a range of traditions;
• established scholarly work using the critical theoretical frameworks of Disability Studies, Mad Studies, Deaf studies, Black disability studies, transnational feminist theories, Indigenous studies, and decolonizing methodologies, and their application to practice in a range of sites;
• skilled in and enthusiastic about teaching undergraduate students in interdisciplinary/liberal arts online (distinct from emergency remote) and in-person learning and teaching spaces, engaging in critical pedagogy;
• University-level teaching experience using multiple modalities including accessibility practices in small, medium and large online courses; oriented to D2L or equivalent as an online teaching environment;
• commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to teaching and service activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse student population; and
• an ability to contribute to the life of the School, Faculty and the University through collegial service.

Note: Limited Term Faculty appointments at Ryerson University may not exceed a combined total of four years. Applicants with prior Ryerson LTF appointments need to consider this limitation, as it may render them ineligible to apply.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Ryerson Faculty Association (RFA) (www.rfanet.ca). The RFA collective agreement can be viewed here and a summary of RFA benefits can be found here.

Ryerson University
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, Ryerson is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture. 

School of Disability Studies
Established in 1999, Ryerson University’s School of Disability Studies offers an undergraduate curriculum that brings disability and mad studies to the wider university and within its online degree-completion program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Disability Studies. The School’s award-winning curriculum is infused with social justice, critical analysis, and links to local and international arts and activism. 

The candidate will join a core team of faculty, postdoctoral fellows and research staff, contributing to the School’s strong tradition of high quality academic and public pedagogy. The School is at an exciting moment in its trajectory. The year will bring engagement with program renewal, intersectional curriculum development and the emergence of a disability studies research and teaching lab..

Working at Ryerson
At the intersection of mind and action, Ryerson is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At Ryerson and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do. 

Dedicated to a people first culture, Ryerson is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their families, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on Twitter:  @RyersonU, @RyersonHR, @RyersonVPFA and @RyersonECI and our LinkedIn company page.

Ryerson is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Ryerson University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. 

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.ryerson.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Applications, consisting of the following, must be received by April 6, 2022:

• a letter of application describing your teaching experience that includes an articulation of how you situate yourself with respect to Disability Studies.
• a current curriculum vitae [OCGS or CCV preferred];
• a teaching dossier and results of teaching evaluations; and
• names of three individuals who may be contacted for references.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to Dr. Esther Ignagni [eignagni@ryerson.ca], Director and Associate Professor, School of Disability Studies.

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Ryerson University are welcome to contact Tracey King, Indigenous Human Resources Lead at t26king@ryerson.ca

Black identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at Ryerson University are welcome to contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at shurla.charlesforbes@ryerson.ca

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact Michelle Gomes [michelle.gomes@ryerson.ca], HR Advisor.