Open Call for Animation Faculty Pool

CCA Animation Program

CCA BFA in Animation webpage

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Unranked, Adjunct Faculty, Animation Program

Part-time

College

Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts (CCA) is an independent non-profit art college with undergraduate programs in architecture, design, fine arts, visual studies, and writing and literature.  The college also has graduate programs in architecture, comics, design, interaction design, curatorial practice, design strategy, fine arts, film, visual and critical studies, and writing.  Through these programs, the college has created a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment to fulfill the school’s motto of “Make art that matters.”  Diverse cultural perspectives enrich the CCA community and the college believes that continuing to expand the horizons of the students and faculty is essential to achieving its educational objectives. CCA represents over one hundred years of dedication to its mission, whose character reflects its location in the San Francisco Bay Area, where histories of radical politics and technological innovation inform a culturally rich academic community infused by art schools, research universities, world-renowned museums, galleries, start-ups and community-run institutions. With campuses in Oakland and San Francisco, CCA currently enrolls 1,950 full-time students and is embarking on a major campus planning project that will unify the college in one location and ensure its academic excellence for the next century.

Program Summary

The Animation Program at California College of the Arts educates students in the art of animation. Our students develop a personal voice and practical expertise by exploring a wide range of classes centered on exploration, production, traditional animation, and digital technical skills. The program's course of study focuses on skill building and collaborative animation production that includes: intensive animation exercises, character and performance study, narrative storytelling, experimentation, personal expression, and interactive media. CCA is expanding curriculum in game areas, particularly independent and fine arts related game design. Our program offers an intensive hands-on production experience coupled with a broad exposure to the liberal arts, and prepares our students for a lifetime of creative work.  We nurture individual talents and skills while striving to merge new technologies with traditionally proven methods. Our faculty members bring a diverse teaching style and a broad range of real world experience, which allows them to train and inspire our students to become leaders in the field of animation. More information about the Animation Program can be found at: http://www.cca.edu/fine-arts/animation.

Position Summary

The Fine Arts Division at CCA invites animation and game artists to apply for unranked Adjunct positions (Adjunct I and Adjunct II) in Animation and game arts and development. Candidates should be deeply engaged with the fundamentals of animation, articulate in the classroom, astute during critiques, and interested in animation and/or game as a form of cinematic or interactive storytelling. They should be aware of contemporary studio and artistic practices and be able to effectively teach to a diverse group of students across all levels of the undergraduate experience. Candidates should be dedicated to mentoring animation and/or game’s future creative leaders and preparing them to assume vital roles in studio-based entertainment animation, contemporary cinema art practice, and game arenas.

In keeping with CCA’s commitment to diversity, community engagement, and social justice, we seek candidates who cultivate an equitable scholarly environment and curriculum within an increasingly international student body and a large demographic of first generation college students. In their statements of teaching philosophy, candidates should address their proven track record of teaching and leading in a culturally competent manner with a global perspective, working with diverse groups and fostering an understanding of and respect for diverse cultural practices.

This position may teach as many as three to four classes per year in some combination of one of the following:

• 2D animation, storytelling, 3D animation, 3D digital modeling and rigging, stop-motion, or other animation courses
• Game design, , Game and Play studies, Game engine coding/scripting (C# preferably), game related production, either games themselves, or animation or creation of game assets
• first year program entry level studio tools

Unranked faculty jobs serve the specific instructional needs of the college. Adjunct I and Adjunct II faculty provide students with instruction by ensuring the delivery of designated course content and adherence to stated learning goals for assigned courses.

Core Duties:

• Maintain competence in the field of instruction (inclusive of staying informed of current developments in that field) and successfully bring this expertise to bear on instruction and the achievement of student learning for all students in the course.
• Attend new faculty orientation, if applicable.
• Develop and/or revise the course section description, syllabus, assignments, activities, curricula, and policies in accordance with all program policies and directives.
• Adhere to the course description as communicated to students by the College.
• Adhere to the course-specific learning outcomes as designated and provided by the Program, and participate in course, program, and college assessment and accreditation activities.
• Prepare for class; plan, coordinate, and lead all classroom activities; and assist students with course materials.
• Regularly monitor student progress, provide feedback and grades to students, and discuss performance with students.
• Exclusively use CCA email addresses and servers for all CCA communications; and during the period of the course obligations, substantively respond to all CCA-related communications within 48 hours.
• Submit a course syllabus adhering to all program and college requirements and input the required textbook information by the deadlines established by the College.
• Submit grades for all students by the deadline established by Student Records.
• Attend meetings related to course teaching obligations when required.
• Apprise the program chair, designated coordinator, program expert, advising staff, and/or administrative staff of any concerns regarding students as needed.

Adjunct I and Adjunct II faculty are expected to attend all scheduled course meeting sessions. Additional guidelines regarding faculty absences are outlined in the Faculty Handbook and Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Adjunct I and Adjunct II faculty may perform committee, governance, or other college-wide service with the permission of the provost as described in Articles 20 and 27 of the CBA. These non-instructional assignments have separate position descriptions or outlines of responsibilities, and are evaluated separately from an Adjunct I/II’s faculty position.

Adjunct I and Adjunct II faculty will be evaluated according to the college-wide faculty evaluation process as a method of demonstrating teaching effectiveness.

Adjunct I faculty must apply for promotion review after 6 semesters of teaching at CCA and be awarded promotion by the Provost in order to be eligible to continue teaching at the College. Adjunct II faculty must apply for promotion review after 12 semesters of teaching at CCA and be awarded promotion by the Provost in order to be eligible to continue teaching at the College. The promotion review process and outcomes are defined in Article 14 of the CBA.

Adjunct I and Adjunct II faculty members are expected to abide by all operational policies of the College; however, it is the responsibility of the College to give appropriate advance notice of policy and operational changes, and to include information concerning changes in faculty orientation and training sessions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADJUNCT I

● A terminal degree in a field relevant to teaching assignment(s) is preferred;

● Evidence of successful teaching for fewer than four academic years in the area of the course assignment(s) at an accredited higher educational institution is required; and/or

● Equivalent non-teaching professional experience in the area of the course assignment(s), as judged by the College is required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADJUNCT II

● A terminal degree in a field relevant to teaching assignment(s) is preferred;

● Evidence of successful teaching for at least four academic years in the area of the course assignment(s) at an accredited institution of higher education is required; and/or

● Equivalent non-teaching professional experience in the area of the course assignment(s), as determined by the College is required.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR ANIMATION PROGRAM

• Familiarity with either:
  • Contemporary Animation modes, including studio, festival, or contemporary animated cinema, and a record of professional excellence

OR

• Contemporary Game development, including game design and play for commercial, independent, or fine arts applications
• Specific skills and knowledge are needed in one or more of the following areas:
  • Traditional Animation, Digital 2D Animation, 3D Character Modeling, 3D Character Animation, Character Rigging, Storytelling, Storyboarding, the Production Pipeline, Character Design, and Cinema Language

OR

• Game Design, Game Play/Theory, Asset Creation for Game, Animation for Game

Salary

Current pay rates are available here. 

Application Deadline

This is a rolling application process, there is no deadline.

The review of applications will be ongoing and materials will be kept for future possibilities unless applicants indicate otherwise.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates may apply via an online application available at this address:

Qualified applicants must complete the online application by uploading the following materials:

• Curriculum vitae
• Letter of interest
• Statement of teaching philosophy highlighting areas of pedagogic concentration
• Artist statement/Statement addressing professional practice
• Portfolio/Reel - 15-20 images and/or 10 mins of video
• Contact information for three professional references

Samples of student work, course descriptions and/or syllabi may be requested by the search committee at a later date.

EEO Statement

As an educational and cultural institution, California College of the Arts has a responsibility to provide access and opportunities for all people, with special attention to supporting groups historically underrepresented in higher education. We believe that a culturally diverse campus is integral to academic excellence, and our student, faculty, staff, and trustee bodies should reflect the diverse world in which we live, with attention to race, ethnicity, religious creed, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and ability. California College of the Arts is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals who will contribute to its diversity.