Job Description

How to Apply

You will be asked to provide at least one confidential letter of recommendation. Letters of recommendation need to be received directly from the recommenders and can be sent to Professor Soderstrom at [email protected]

Applicants must include with this application the following materials:

1)  a cover letter that explicitly notes experience and interest in the topic of business and 
    sustainability
2)  a resume or curriculum vita
3)  any available teaching evaluations
4)  copy of the undergraduate and graduate transcript (unofficial is fine)
5)  a list of your financial support history at the University (how many terms of financial support 
    received to date by term/year, department, description, appointment fraction)
6)  teaching history (list course and department)
7) One letter of recommendation
 

Course Description

ORGSTUDY 208.  Business and the Natural Environment (Prof. Sara Soderstrom) 

This course offers a broad introduction to the study of business and the natural environment, integrating insights from sociology, psychology, and economics. We will start with an overview of the triple bottom line framework, in which corporations take into account social and environmental performance in addition to financial performance. Then we will focus on contemporary business activities that address the natural environment. We will discuss the role of the natural environment on business management and strategy, operations, supply chain, product innovation, and marketing. Students will each review numerous cases on business and the natural environment and share their insights with others so that we can all learn about different approaches for business to address concerns with the environment. We will use sustainability reports of a diverse group of corporations to analyze and critique current business practices with respect to the environment. Finally, student teams will complete industry analyses in various geographies to identify future opportunities for business and the natural environment. Throughout this course, my goal is to provide students with an understanding of a variety of activities that corporations take to address challenges with the natural environment and to help them develop the skills to critically analyze these corporate activities and recognize strengths and weaknesses in different corporate strategies. 

Anticipated Class Schedule: Mon/Wed 9:00-10:00am with 10 one-hour discussion sections
Estimated effort for the positions: 4 GSI positions (2 @.50 FTE) (2 @.35 FTE) 
Benefits: Tuition waiver and stipend as provided in UM/GEO Agreement
 

Responsibilities*

GSIs will be expected to attend every lecture and hold regular office hours. GSIs may be asked to deliver one lecture during the course of the semester. GSIs will have primary responsibility for their individual sections, which will include a mix of exercises designed by the instructor and group analyses of corporate sustainability facilitated by the GSI. GSIs will have primary responsibility for grading, in consultation with the faculty, and will meet weekly with the professor during the semester. GSIs will also be responsible for maintaining and updating grade sheets on Canvas and other records. 

Required Qualifications*

In compliance with Appendix A of the 2017-2020 UM/GEO agreement (see pp. 106-109 of the UM/GEO agreement) and as part of the training, the College of LSA also requires that potential GSIs whose undergraduate medium of instruction is not English be evaluated for effective proficiency in classroom English. Effective proficiency includes fluent and intelligible speech, the ability to understand the English spoken by the undergraduate students, the ability to produce organized, coherent explanations, and the ability to contribute to the development of interactions with their students. Graduate students are exempt from ELI 994 and the Graduate Student Instructor Oral English Test (GSI-OET) if they hold an undergraduate degree from a U.S. college or university, or an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the exclusive medium of instruction. The Department Chair can also refer to the course potential GSIs who need additional language instruction and/or introduction and orientation to the American university classroom and community. If referred, attendance and satisfactory completion is required as a condition of employment as a GSI. Students who are exempt may take the training course on a space-permitting basis. As part of the training and testing, graduate students are required to demonstrate their effective proficiency by taking the GSI-OET conducted by independent evaluators from the Testing Division at the ELI and a faculty representative from the department in which the prospective GSI will be teaching. In the event that an examinee does not successfully complete the GSI-OET at the end of a course, it is incumbent on the department that made admission and support offers to identify alternative support resources that are not GSI positions and that do not require direct contact with undergraduate students. It is not required that these "backup" support systems offer conditions of support that are identical or comparable in level to that which would come from a regular GSI position, but they must be sufficient to meet Department of Homeland Security requirements that the international student be able to demonstrate the existence of financial support during the first year of study. Such alternative support is contingent on the student's concurrently fulfilling ELI course requirements identified in the GSI-OET. This Test is provided at no cost to the student, and the ELI courses are available from the College to enrolled students. Although there is no limit to the number of times one can retake the GSI-OET, a student must complete the post-OET requirements to be eligible for a retest. There are two options for the training course during the year. There will be a Winter semester course (ELI 994) and a Summer course (both 2 credits), the latter only for new, first-term prospective GSIs. For LSA graduate students who are not required to attend the ELI 994 course but who would like to, prior written approval from the appointing department is necessary.
 

A first-time LSA GSI is required to attend 20 hours of pedagogical classes offered by CRLT. They must attend the CRLT Winter 2023 GSI Teaching Orientation (GSITO), dates to be announced. Any remaining hours required beyond the CRLT GSI Orientation may be fulfilled by a series of planned pedagogical conversations with your faculty instructor of record and/or additional courses provided by CRLT or other UM units related to teaching. Possibilities include: ENGR 580, GERMAN 531, ROMLING 528, BA 830 & 831, PIBS 505, EEB/MCDB 494, ED 720, ED 7373, ED 834, HIST 812, PSYCH 958, MUICOL 509, or ELI 9941 (only sections focused on college level teaching), ED 790, ELI 994 or SWC/WRITING 993.
 

Desired Qualifications*

Social science (e.g. sociology, political science, psychology, or economics) or related professional school (e.g. business, policy, social work, education) or environmental sciences (environment and sustainability, environmental engineering) graduate student preferred. Applicants with work experience in management, consulting, or environmental sciences and/or as a GSI for courses at UM will be preferred but such experience is not necessary. Selection criteria include strong interest in the subject matter, merit, experience, other training or experience which may be required and explicit to the teaching goals/requirements of a specific course, applicant's previous receipt of financial aid, availability of funding, and relevance to graduate training.  

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Contact Information

Tanya Dietz Executive Assistant, [email protected]

Application Deadline

All applications for this position must be received by October 22, 2024.

Decision Making Process

All applications will be submitted for review to the faculty member teaching the course.  After review of applications and possible interviews, the decisions will be made by the professor of the course. Applicants may request the status of their application from the program at any time.

Selection Process

Work Experience and Education:

Applicants with a background in management, environmental sciences, sociology, psychology, or related social science or professional fields. Applicants with work experience in management, consulting, or environmental sciences and/or as a GSI for courses at UM will be preferred but such experience is not necessary. Selection criteria include strong interest in the subject matter, merit, experience, other training or experience which may be required and explicit to the teaching goals/requirements of a specific course, applicant's previous receipt of financial aid, availability of funding, and relevance to graduate training. 

GEO Contract Information

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/

Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.

This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.

Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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