Texas State University has opened two new job openings for math education professors, with the caveat that they have to demonstrate a commitment to social justice.
According to a Campus Reform report Tuesday, the university is seeking—for at least one of the two math professorship positions—not only a commitment to social justice, but “evidence of research” on the subject.
Professors hired for the positions will be expected to teach graduate courses to aspiring math teachers, publish research, and assist in the recruitment efforts of new students into Texas State University’s Mathematics Education degree programs.
The job postings, which are listed on Inside Higher Ed, are both tenure-tracked positions at the “ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor,” with requirements for different levels of social justice expertise.
The recommended qualifications for the Assistant Professor rank call for a “demonstrated knowledge and engagement” on the issues of “social justice, equity, access, and multilingual learning.” Meanwhile, the senior ranks require “evidence of research and practices” of the subject.
“We are especially interested in applicants whose scholarly interests and work include attention to the concerns of race, ethnicity, multilingualism, immigrant, social class, gender, and diversity, broadly defined,” the notice states.
The job preference encourages prospective professors to hail from “historically underrepresented groups.”
As Campus Reform notes, the job application defines TSU as a “Hispanic Serving Institution,” but does not currently offer any classes in social justice or related subjects. It’s unclear how experience in the subject will benefit professors in their roles.
The position will begin in Fall 2018.
Ian Miles Cheong is a journalist and outspoken media critic. You can reach him through social media at @stillgray on Twitter and on Facebook.