Chair, Indigenous Studies

Department of Indigenous Studies

University of Winnipeg

Start Date: January 1, 2021

Department: Indigenous Studies

Location: Winnipeg, MB

Job Type: Tenure Track

Close Date: November 02, 2020

Professional Areas: Faculty

The Department of Indigenous Studies at The University of Winnipeg invites outstanding candidates to apply for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Associate Professor. The successful candidate will serve as Chair for a three or five year term, starting January 1, 2021 (negotiable), subject to budgetary approval; the length of the term will be mutually agreed upon by the candidate and the Search Committee. Reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Chair of Indigenous Studies provides academic leadership, represents the Department of Indigenous Studies, and works to achieve progress and development in all matters concerning the academic and research lives of the Department of Indigenous Studies.

The Chair is a member of the University of Winnipeg Faculty Association (Regular Academic Staff) and party to the current collective agreement, which can be found at: https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/hr/docs/uwfa/Web-Final-UWFA-RAS-2016-20201.pdf.

The University of Winnipeg provides an extensive pension and benefits package, described at: https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/hr/benefits/index.html

The successful candidate will possess a PhD in Indigenous Studies or an equivalent field of Indigenous scholarship and will have an understanding of the vision and role of Indigenous Studies within Canadian universities. Specialization is open, however the successful candidate will have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, scholarly research and publication as well as strong academic leadership, department governance and administrative skills. The candidate will be expected to participate in the university’s Indigenous achievement initiatives and build local, national and international linkages and partnerships. Demonstrated effective team building, communication and interpersonal skills are essential. The preferred candidate will have a sense of their own Indigenous identity, personal and academic integrity, and demonstrated working relationships with Indigenous communities.

The Department of Indigenous Studies at the University of Winnipeg is located in the heart of Treaty One Territory and the traditional homelands of the Métis Nation. The Department offers undergraduate major, minor and Honours degrees, along with its Masters in Indigenous Governance Program. There are six permanent faculty appointments, and a number of contract instructors working in the Department, offering approximately 50 undergraduate courses (several cross-listed with other Departments within the University). The Indigenous Studies Department serves approximately 900 enrolled students annually. In-class and land-based courses range in topics and include Indigenous governance and politics, economics, ecology, health, food studies, religious studies, conflict resolution, Indigenous knowledge systems, and Ojibwe and Cree languages. The Department is a vitally important part of the University campus and community’s Indigenization efforts and provides substantial curriculum for the Indigenous Course Requirement. For more information regarding Indigenous Course Requirement, please visit: https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/indigenous/indigenous-course-requirement/index.html

The University of Winnipeg has a diverse, multicultural downtown campus and is committed to academic excellence, community engagement, and social and environmental sustainability. With 1000 faculty and staff, and 14,000 students, the University of Winnipeg combines a strong tradition of outstanding scholarship in teaching, research, and creative work, with a unique sense of engagement with its community partners. Indigenous scholarly life at the University is exceptional, with Indigenous students representing approximately 12% of the student body. Indigenous education at the University of Winnipeg is sustained by deep-rooted Métis, First Nations, and Inuit communities and institutions in the city of Winnipeg and surrounding area.

Application Information:

The application process will be conducted in two phases. In Phase One, applicants are requested to submit a cover letter (applicants who self-identify as Indigenous, please describe your academic, administrative and community experience as an Indigenous scholar), a curriculum vitae and a four-page document composed of the following: two pages describing your leadership and experience in academic administration, and your vision for the Department of Indigenous Studies; one-page describing your research programs; and one-page describing the suitability of your teaching experience to the Department of Indigenous Studies, University of Winnipeg.

Applicants must submit the above materials through The University of Winnipeg’s online recruitment system at https://www.northstarats.com/University-of-Winnipeg.

Review of applications will begin in November 2, 2020 and consideration will continue until such time as the position is filled.

Those screened for advancement to Phase Two will be contacted and asked to provide additional documents. We appreciate all applicants’ interest and advise only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

For email enquiries about this position, please contact Tabitha Wood, Chair of the Departmental Personnel Committee, at te.wood@uwinnipeg.ca.