JOB TITLE: Core Full-time Faculty/Admissions Coordinator, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program

LOCATION: Phoenix, Arizona

DEPARTMENT: Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program (OTD) – AZ

STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Program Director, OTD - AZ

SUMMARY:

Southern California University of Health Sciences is seeking a full-time core faculty member/ admissions coordinator for an Accelerated Hybrid Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program for remote teaching with periodic on-site, lab immersions in Phoenix, Arizona. This is a faculty position under the direct supervision of the Program Director for the OTD Program.

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is a regionally accredited, nonprofit institution specializing in health care education. SCU is dedicated to its core values of integrative health, evidence- based practice, health equity, and inclusivity.

The University holds institutional accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as well as multiple programmatic accreditations. For more information:

https://www.scuhs.edu/

SCU’s mission is to educate students as competent, caring, and successful integrative healthcare practitioners. Faculty, staff, and students enjoy a collaborative and engaged community that includes an active student association, staff senate, and faculty senate. SCU has been educating practitioners for over 100 years.

The university is proud of the SCU Health Center, a unique educational health and wellness facility residing in the heart of Whittier, California. Skilled and qualified students provide care under the close guidance of expert, licensed SCU Health System practitioners. The SCU Health Center provides chiropractic, acupuncture, Ayurveda, and urgent care services to address a variety of ailments and medical conditions. Each patient, based on their needs and condition, receives a customized plan that is right for their health and lifestyle.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The admissions coordinator holds a faculty appointment with teaching, service, and scholarship responsibilities consistent with the mission and philosophy of the OTD program. This individual serves as the chair of the admissions committee and is responsible for all student recruitment, application, and admissions processes for the program. The Admissions Coordinator oversees and recommends updates to recruitment materials and admissions policies and procedures. The Admissions Committee is responsible for overseeing faculty involvement in a transparent admissions process that guarantees nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all applicants.

1. Coordinator Responsibilities

• Directs all day-to-day operations regarding student recruitment and admissions processes.

• Serves as program liaison with the SCUHS Admissions department.

• Serves as program liaison with the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) and other outside agencies involved in the admissions process (e.g., Educational Testing Service for GRE score reporting).

• Serves as the primary faculty contact for all student inquiries requiring more specific program information.

• Plans and oversees program recruitment efforts, to include monthly informational webinars.

• Assures nondiscrimination and equal opportunity during the admissions process for all prospective students.

• Educates all faculty regarding the admissions process, including specific emphasis on their role in applicant screening, interviewing, and selection.

• Directs staff support personnel who assist with assembling and disseminating admissions information, receiving applications, entering data, and preparing files for interviews.

• Annually reviews the admissions process and criteria and makes recommendations to the faculty regarding changes.

• Coordinates an update of the program website, handbooks, and informational brochures relative to student recruitment and admissions to ensure current and relevant information is provided to all prospective students.

• Reports all recruitment and admissions activities as an agenda item in each faculty meeting.

• Coordinate activities of the Admissions Committee.

• Plan and conduct Admissions Committee meetings.

• In conjunction with the Administration Committee, provide Committee oversight to the Admissions Policies and Procedures component of the Program Assessment Plan and ACOTE Self Study Report.

• Ensure all program policies, procedures and practices under the responsibility of the Admissions Coordinator provide for compliance with accreditation policies and procedures.

B. Teaching and Education Responsibilities: Teach courses as agreed upon with the Program Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

3. • Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree (OTD) with specialization in a discipline appropriate for teaching responsibilities.
   • Earned terminal academic doctorate in a discipline appropriate for teaching responsibilities is highly recommended.
   • Understanding of higher education and contemporary clinical practice appropriate for leadership in occupational therapy clinical education.
   • Knowledge of legislative, regulatory, legal, and practice issues affecting didactic and clinical education, students, and the profession of occupational therapy.
   • Occupational therapist with an active, unrestricted license and eligible in Arizona.

4. • Active in professional activities at local, state, and/or national levels.
   • Experience consistent with SCUHS System for Faculty Rank.
   • Must have a minimum of 2 years of documented experience in the field of Occupational Therapy that includes clinical, administrative, and scholarship experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

5. • Must have working knowledge of the current ACOTE Standards and Interpretive Guide.
   • Must have effective communication, organization, interpersonal, problem-solving, and advising skills.
   • Experience in educational theory and methodology, instructional design, student evaluation and outcome assessment.
   • Computer skills in a Windows OS environment; proficiency with Microsoft TEAMS, Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
   • Occupational therapist with an earned doctoral degree (OTD, PhD, EdD, or equivalent).
   • Licensed (or eligible for licensure) as an occupational therapist in the United States.
   • A minimum of 1 year academic experience in occupational therapy.
   • Demonstrated expertise in mental health, pediatrics, or both.
   • Previous experience in higher education admissions, student services, or academic advising strongly preferred.
   • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in health professions education.
   • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
   • Ability to work independently in a remote environment while engaging with a collaborative team.
   • Experience teaching in or coordinating hybrid/online academic programs.
   • Familiarity with ACOTE accreditation standards and the OT admissions landscape.
   • Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Slate), online learning platforms, and student information systems.

SCU CORE VALUES:

1. Integrative Health: We teach, learn, collaborate, and lead by creating an open environment for multiple disciplines and professionals to bring their shared and unique skills together for the benefit of patients and students.
2. Evidence-based Practice: We value a culture of inquiry, assessment, research, scholarship, and judicious use of current best evidence to inform our decisions and work.
3. Health Equity: We value people equally. We strive to educate graduates that are prepared to improve individual and community health.
4. We welcome everyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, class, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other similar or protected status. We believe inclusivity leads to more diversity in our reasoning, better representativeness in our conclusions, more ingenuity in our problem solving, and greater equity in our care.

WHY CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY: