Career Center

Oakton Community College, a caring community of educators dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning, seeks to fill two tenure track faculty openings in Paralegal Studies/Business beginning in Fall 2022.

Founded in 1969, Oakton is a comprehensive two-year community college offering associate's degree programs and non-credit courses in northern Cook County, Illinois. Oakton's 147-acre main campus sits in a forest preserve in Des Plaines, Illinois. A second campus in Skokie serves residents on the eastern side of the District and is home to the Art, Science, and Technology Pavilion. The College also offers continuing education classes at off-campus locations throughout the region, and many students pursue studies at home through our distance learning program. The College is undertaking a five year, $68.5 million Master Plan which included the construction of a new Science and Health Careers building on the Des Plaines campus.

Oakton is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The College is recognized by the Illinois Community College Board and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges, as well as numerous professional organizations.

Oakton's 700 full- and part-time faculty members' true passion is teaching. In small classes, our faculty engage students as individuals and guide their learning experience.

Job Description:

Applicants must be strong communicators and effective classroom facilitators who enjoy teaching in a student-centered environment.

Candidates committed to working in a culturally competent environment are especially valued at Oakton. Cultural competence integrates and transforms knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services provided.

Applicants should be current and skilled in their use of evolving technologies, active in promoting critical thinking, and committed to challenging our students to be knowledgeable, ethical, and capable global citizens. Oakton is seeking enthusiastic faculty who are committed to innovation in college-level teaching and learning, and interested in non-traditional delivery of instruction. The College expects full time faculty to be professionally competent, have strong leadership qualities, participate in professional development activities, and to engage in institutional and departmental service. Computer proficiency is required.  The individuals hired will be available to teach in the evening and/or on weekends.

Essential Functions of the Position:

• Construction of a course syllabus, consistent with the generic course syllabus, that stipulates course objectives, content, and grading criteria.
• Preparation of course presentations and instructional materials, for lecture, and laboratory and clinical functions (as appropriate).
• Delivery of instruction, including being prepared for and meeting courses and laboratories (if appropriate) at scheduled times.
• Consultation with and evaluation of students.
• Maintenance of clear records on student performance, as well as any other factors, such as attendance involved with the grading of students.
• Compliance with departmental and institutional policies and procedures including but not limited to submission of midterm and final grades, keeping office hours, and decisions regarding instructional matters such as texts, assignments, grading standards, and adhering to provisions of the OCCFA contract.
• Participation and compliance with departmental decisions regarding instructional matters such as texts, assignments, and grading standards.
• Participation in department and/or institutional assessments of student learning.
• Participation in department and/or institutional surveys.
• Participation on appropriate standing and/or ad hoc committees within the position 's assigned department and division.
• Participation in college-wide activities, such as a college-wide committee or task force, faculty governance, accreditation studies, student activities/clubs/organizations, planning and/or implementation of college-wide professional development activities, college-related external professional meetings and activities, planning and/or implementation of college-related social or fund-raising functions, and other college-related community activities mutually agreed upon by the Dean and the faculty member.
• Compliance with institutional procedures.

Additional Information:

We encourage applications from candidates who reflect the increasing diversity of Oakton's student body and community, who will enhance and promote engagement with other cultures and have a demonstrated commitment to working with and as part of a multicultural faculty and diverse student body and community.

The full time faculty member's workload during the nine month academic year is 30 lecture hour equivalents (LHEs). The average teaching load is 15 LHEs in the Fall and Spring semesters.

The academic calendar consists of 169 working days; instructional days total 153 of the working days within the academic calendar. Four days are used for instruction, final student evaluations, or course culminating activities. Two days are designated for grading, and one day is associated with commencement which is assigned on a three year rotation. The remaining nine days are designated for professional development, course preparation, student orientation, assessment, advising, registration, and/or college or departmental activities.

The faculty member is expected to have a minimum of 10 regular office hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.

The College expects full time faculty to participate in professional development activities and to engage in institutional and departmental service.

Compensation
The hiring range for full time faculty is based on a 9 month, no overload contract.  Additional pay is received for teaching overloads and summer assignments. The minimum salary is $52,627 and the maximum is $64,690.

A comprehensive benefit package is available which includes medical, vision, and dental insurance; flexible spending; term life insurance; tuition waivers and reimbursement; retirement; paid holidays; sick days; sabbatical leave; and a four day summer work week.

Appointment to a faculty position is contingent upon approval by the College's Board of Trustees.

The anticipated start date for this position is Fall 2022.

Oakton Community College requires all employees to adhere to a Vaccination /Testing Mandate and Mask Requirement.

Oakton does not currently have a work from home policy and employees, are required to report to campus.

Application Instructions:

To become an applicant, interested individuals must complete the online application linked from the posting found on the Oakton website.  Electronic copies of a cover letter, resume/cv, list of three (3) references with contact information, two letters of recommendation and transcripts must be submitted by the applicant via uploading to the Oakton employment website.  Please indicate the position code  (PAR-22) on the cover letter. 

TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED:
An UNOFFICIAL copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application by the applicant.

Recommendation letters may either be original documents with signature or e-mailed from the reference to facultysearch@oakton.edu.  Official transcripts or a placement/credential file should be e-mailed to facultysearch@oakton.edu.  Official transcripts or placement/credential files sent by postal mail should be sent to:

Oakton Community College
Paralegal Studies / Business faculty (PAR-22)
c/o Human Resources Department
1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, IL  60016

***Official transcripts for all degrees earned are required prior to appointment.***

Please contact Matthew Robitaille, Recruitment and Retention Specialist at mrobitai@oakton.edu if you encounter any difficulties with electronic submission of these documents.

Once posted positions are removed from the website, no additional applications will be accepted

Interviewees will be reimbursed for expenses associated with travel in excess of 50 miles to the interviews. 

Oakton Community College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution, committed to employing competent, qualified individuals. Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, socioeconomic status, sex or gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation in admission to and participation in its educational programs, college activities and services, or in its employment practices.

Oakton is accessible by public transportation.

Posted positions may be removed from the Oakton website without notice when it is determined that no additional applicants are required.

Applicants must meet the requirements for both PAR & BUS disciplines.

Paralegal Qualifications

Minimum: A Bachelor's degree with three years of experience as a practicing paralegal Preferred: College teaching experience; License to practice law in the state of Illinois AND experience working with paralegals, OR possession of a Juris Doctorate degree AND experience working with paralegals

Business Qualifications

Minimum: MBA and a minimum of 2 years (4000 hours) industry experience OR DBA/PhD Business/Terminal Degree in related field AND a minimum of 2 years (4000 hours) industry experience Preferred: College teaching experience; 5 years professional experience in subject area.
 

Additional Key Job Responsibilities

Oversight of the Paralegal studies department to ensure compliance with the American Bar Association (ABA) guidelines.

• This position requires availability to teach in the evening and/or on the weekends                                     
• This position requires availability to teach on both the Des Plaines and Skokie campuses
• This position requires availability to teach online in whole or part