AY 2026-2027 - Higher Education in Prison Adjunct Faculty Pool

About the role

The Higher Education in Prison (HEP) program collects new applications throughout the academic year to fill vacancies. Review of applications occurs as new sections or instructors are needed.

University Studies and HEP faculty model intellectual passion and curiosity because they believe in the fundamental aspiration of higher education to prepare people to improve the world. Our faculty are inclusive, interdisciplinary, and practice inquiry-based pedagogy that: provokes students to build self-efficacy through relational learning across difference, encourages a community of educators to practice engaged teaching for transformative learning, advances civic engagement, reflective practice, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Learn more about HEP at https://www.pdx.edu/liberal-arts-sciences/higher-education-prison or University Studies at: https://www.pdx.edu/university-studies/about-unst

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply your commitment to create a classroom environment that is welcoming, inclusive and responsive to diverse points of view and learning styles.
• Select a preferred location from Wilsonville (Coffee Creek Correctional Facility) or Salem (Area prisons in coordination with Oregon State Penitentiary), or indicate no preference.
• List up to three (3) courses and/or subjects you are interested in teaching, along with your qualifications for these subjects.
• Indicate if you have facilitated an online or hybrid course, and provide a brief description if applicable.
• Describe your experience teaching writing across the curriculum.
• List any special studies, honors, offices held, special abilities, or other relevant information.
• Select the terms you prefer to teach and provide the days and times you are available to teach during those terms.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree or equivalent.
• Eligibility to receive volunteer credentials with the Oregon Department of Corrections.
• Strong commitment to student confidentiality and privacy.
• Strong communication, writing, organizational, technology and interpersonal skills.
• When applicable, reliable transportation to the correctional facilities (Coffee Creek Correctional and/or Oregon State Penitentiary).
• All adjunct candidates are required to be living in either Oregon or Washington for the academic year 2026-2027.

Qualifications

• Terminal Degree
• Experience working in a culturally diverse environment
• Experience with prison education programs
• Experience working with marginalized populations

Cultural Competencies

• Creates an environment that acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences.
• Functions and communicates effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds.
• Sets opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
• Adheres to all PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Professional Standards of Conduct

At Portland State University, all employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner which maintains a safe, respectful, and productive environment for faculty, students, administrators, and staff. It is the responsibility of every member of the Portland State University community to conduct themselves in accordance with our PSU Professional Standards of Conduct which are available at https://www.pdx.edu/human-resources/professional-standards-conduct-policy.

Compensation

Adjuncts are paid per credit hour, and are hired on either a per term or an academic year basis, per the PSUFA Collective Bargaining Agreement.