Adjunct Faculty Dissertation Committee

Job Description:
Saybrook University seeks part-time adjunct faculty members to serve on doctoral dissertation research committees in the College of Social Sciences (CSS) and the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences (CIMHS). Our colleges offer graduate degrees in discipline-specific programs, including applied psychophysiology, humanistic clinical psychology, humanistic psychology, integrative functional nutrition, integrative social work, mind-body medicine, and transformative social change.
 
Under the direction of a program-specific department chair and the chair of the research department, the Adjunct Dissertation Faculty Members are responsible for supporting students in their committee roles as determined by university policies.
 
Position Responsibilities
Participate in all requisite Saybrook employee training

Respond to Saybrook communication in a timely manner

Serve in the capacity of dissertation chairperson, research methodologist, in alignment with college and department policy

Collaborate and communicate with dissertation committee members to review and report on student progress

Complete provided rubrics, provide relevant written feedback on student work using Track Changes

Attend student proposal orals and dissertation orals

Maintain technical skills related to Saybrook systems and procedures, including Canvas LMS, research administration (Mentor IRB), and petitions to form dissertation committee (Mentor Petitions)

Facilitate ongoing communication with units within the Office of Research, Innovation, and Sponsored Projects (ORISP), including but not limited to the academic Department of Research and Dissertation Services
 

Dissertation Chair Responsibilities 
Serve as advisors and mentors to students as they research and write proposals and dissertations. Chairs ensure students follow all program, department, college, and university procedures

Contribute to the assessment of the student’s subject-matter knowledge

Use Canvas LMS to communicate with students and evaluate their progress, materials, and drafts

Oversee the student’s proposal writing process, IRB application, proposal orals, and defense schedules

Use the provided dissertation rubrics

Inform students and committee members as to milestone requirements in Mentor IRB and Mentor Petitions

Facilitate committee discussions regarding student progress and readiness

Ensure that the student conducts their research and writes their dissertation in compliance with Saybrook’s ethical guidelines and academic best practices, including those set forth in the university’s policies and procedures
 

Dissertation Methodologist Responsibilities 
Assess the student’s readiness to successfully complete their dissertation research.

Collaborate with the dissertation chair to support the student through the construction of the proposal and dissertation, and the execution of the applied research

Provide written feedback regarding the application of the method in all parts of the proposal and dissertation

Use the provided dissertation rubrics
 

Adjunct Dissertation Faculty Position Requirements
Primary U.S. residency

Doctoral or terminal degree

Minimum of two years of record of successful dissertation service as a dissertation chair or dissertation methodologist, as evidenced in the CV

Mastery of the Office 365 suite and APA publication style

Mastery of the Canvas learning management system (LMS)
 

Requirements to Serve as a Dissertation Chair
Minimum of two years of online doctoral-level experience serving as a dissertation chairperson.

Established record of completed (published) dissertations serving as Chair
 

Requirements to Serve as a Dissertation Methodologist

Minimum of two years of online doctoral-level experience serving as dissertation methodologist

As evidenced in CV, a record of peer-reviewed publications or doctoral course instruction in one or more of the following research methods:
Action Research

Autoethnographic Research

Case Study (qualitative)

Correlational Research

Descriptive Phenomenology

Experimental and Comparative Research

Grounded Theory (Classic, Straussian, or Constructivist)

Hermeneutic Phenomenology

Heuristic Inquiry

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)

Narrative Inquiry Research

Compensation
Compensation is based on the part-time adjunct faculty pay scale for dissertation service. Compensation varies depending on the committee role and follows this compensation structure:

Committee Chair: $1,800
Initial Payment (Signed petition) $450

Mid-Payment (Passed proposed orals) $450

Final Payment (Passed dissertation defense) $900

Committee Methodologist: $1,350
Initial Payment (Signed petition) $337.50

Mid-Payment (Passed proposed orals) $337.50

Final Payment (Passed dissertation defense) $675

Payment for Dissertation Committee work is processed only after a milestone has been reached and successfully submitted through the Mentor system. The complete milestone payment will be processed by Human Resources and disbursed to the adjunct faculty member on the next corresponding pay date.
 
Required Application Documents
To be considered for the position, applications must include the following documents:
Cover Letter (include your interest in serving as a dissertation chair and/or methodologist, and what qualifies you to serve in those capacities)

Curriculum Vitae (include three references related to service as a dissertation chair or dissertation methodologist)

About Saybrook University
Saybrook University was founded over 50 years ago by some of the greatest minds of the 20th century and continues to inspire a new generation of innovators. A non-profit, regionally accredited university known for its commitment to humanistic studies and rigorous research, Saybrook University’s academic model centers the student in everything we do to provide a unique, transformational learning experience. Saybrook offers advanced degrees in organizational systems, psychology, mind-body medicine, and counseling through flexible learning formats, helping students remain active contributors in their fields as they advance their education.

Saybrook University is proud to be a diverse, inclusive community of creative, compassionate innovators dedicated to pursuing new ways of thinking and doing for our professions, organizations, and communities.
 
Saybrook University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit www.saybrook.edu.

Compensation & Benefits
Three credit courses are budgeted at $2,000-4,000 per course, dependent upon student enrollment. Two credit courses are budgeted at $1,334-2,668 per course, dependent upon student enrollment. Under-enrolled courses may fall below these ranges. Additional compensation factors may impact total compensation. To learn more about our competitive benefits and additional rewards, including generous paid time-off, medical and dental insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, click the link below.

https://www.saybrook.edu/about/careers/

Saybrook University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.