Author: Dustin Grabsch

Engage Dallas is seeking to hire one faculty grader to assume responsibility for managing weekly grading of the Engage Dallas Canvas Courses. Grading is estimated to take 2-3 hours weekly.

About Engage Dallas

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. There is equal emphasis on campus and community impact stemming from the initiative.

Engage Dallas learning modules are facilitated via Canvas Learning Management System. All students are automatically enrolled in the Engage Dallas Canvas Course in order to complete the required modules for participating in service events. Students who intend to use Engage Dallas to earn the Community Engagement and/or the Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiency & Experience for the Common Curriculum will be enrolled in a 2^nd Canvas Course to track their progress. Grading occurs in both courses.

The following strategic goals guide the work of the Engage Dallas initiative:

1. Build capacity for social change in our local community
2. Engage SMU students, staff, and faculty to serve, learn, and lead through the Residential Commons
3. Advance the field of community engagement in higher education

Position Description

Engage Dallas grading centers the “4 Cs” learning outcomes originally developed by Mesa Community College. The four Cs include (1) communication, (2) civic engagement, (3) critical thinking, and (4) cultural and global engagement. Engage Dallas student reflections should address one of the four Cs.

• Communication: Purposeful development, expression, or reception of a message through oral, written, or non-verbal means.
• Civic Engagement: Encompasses actions to promote the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.
• Critical Thinking: The mental process of effectively identifying, determining, gathering, evaluating, and utilizing resources to innovate and/or to accomplish a specific task.
• Cultural and Global Engagement: Encompasses the awareness of cultural systems, events, and creations and an ability to apply this cultural and global awareness to human interaction and expression.

Modules that prompt student reflection include, but are not limited to:

• Engage Dallas Groundworks pre-reflection
• Engage Dallas post reflection
• Systems of Oppression
• Community Building & Community Impact
• Active Listening & Active Citizenship

Note, some reflections are submitted in essay style, while others may be submitted in a creative format such as art reflections, interviews, or letters.

Major Position Responsibilities

• Evaluate student learning by creating and applying course competencies and accurately evaluating student progress
• Maintain accurate records of students’ academic standing; promptly input grades, attendance, and other information as required by administration
• Respect the confidentiality of student information; refrain from discussing or releasing such information except within recognized limits
• Evaluate students based solely on their academic performance and to respond promptly to student grade questions and/or appeals
• Review and approve students CEPE requirements including but not limited to individual tracking forms and final reflection submissions
• Suggest feedback periodically to co-initiative managers on opportunities to improve student learning
• Highlight substantial student reflection to co-initiative managers
• Send communication to students of final reflection submission dates for grading prior to end of the semester

Grading Schedule

• 2-3 hours/weekly
• A consistent day for grading should be selected—open to grader’s discretion

Position Requirements

• Experience with student learning in the co-curricular (study abroad, internships, etc.)
• Ability to grade online coursework 2-3 hours/week
• Serve as the faculty grader from August 2025 – July 2026

Compensation Structure

Graders for Engage Dallas are paid a stipend of $3,500 divided into installments. The Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Success will not request or require a time sheet to document actual hours worked, but instead will take the weekly gradebook export as an indication of the work agreement.

It is the responsibility of the grader to notify the Co-Initiative Manager and Assistant Provost if the job responsibilities cannot be completed.

To apply, please send a letter of interest and your CV to Dr. Dustin Grabsch (dgrabsch@smu.edu) by 5pm on Monday, June 30, 2025. Interviews and selection will be completed by July 31, 2025, with a start date of August 1.