Director of First-Year Seminar (FYS)

PCN 2060

Position Overview

Merrimack College seeks an mission-driven administrator and educator to serve as the Director of First Year Seminar (FYS). Housed within the Office of Mission and Ministry, this 12-month administrative role oversees the operational implementation of Merrimack's foundational core requirement, FYS1947: Who Am I?. The Director ensures operational efficiency and a unified vision across dozens of course sections each semester. Additionally, this position bridges administrative leadership with classroom instruction, carrying a teaching load of 4 courses per academic year distributed evenly across semesters (2/2 course load), primarily focusing on the FYS curriculum and the humanities.  

Key Responsibilities:

Program Operations & Administrative Leadership 

● Direct logistical and operational functions of the FYS program (including, e.g., section scheduling, coordinating teaching teams, classroom resource allocations). 

● Supervise the Associate Director of FYS, Graduate Fellows, and student workers. 

● Lead programmatic assessment efforts, collecting data on student learning outcomes, program efficacy, and first-to-second year retention metrics to drive continuous improvement. 

● Manage the operational budget for the FYS program, authorizing expenditures and strategically allocating resources. 

● Partner with campus units to support large-scale first-year programmatic milestones, including Orientation, Conversations with Warriors, Wellness Week, and the Campus Passport. 

● Represent FYS on multi-departmental campus retention committees and student success task forces. 

● Support the Associate Vice President of Mission & Ministry to recruit, onboard, and support faculty and staff instructional teams across all sections of FYS1947, and to assess and update the FYS curriculum.

Teaching & Instructional Excellence 

● Teach four (4) undergraduate courses per academic year under a 2/2 fall/spring distribution. 

● Incorporate high-impact educational practices within the classroom, serving as a model instructor for other FYS faculty. 

● Facilitate student self-exploration, critical thinking, and engagement. 

● Maintain regular office hours to support enrolled students academically and personally.

Qualifications:

● Terminal degree preferred (master’s degree considered) in an academic discipline aligned with the liberal arts and core curriculum fields. 

● Experience in administrative roles, preferably in higher education leadership, core curriculum administration, student success units, or mission-driven student programming. 

● Demonstrated record of excellent undergraduate classroom teaching experience. 

● Proven capacity for high-level administrative logistics, schedule coordination, and budget management. 

● Deep understanding of first-year student development theory, high-impact practices, and university retention strategies. 

● Strong alignment with Merrimack’s Augustinian identity and community-oriented educational values.

Application Materials Should Include:

• Cover Letter 

• Resume

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.  

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to Merri