Search for the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Search for the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Alverno College Mission Statement Alverno College prepares women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world. Alverno extends this mission by offering graduate and adult programs to women and men. Inspired by its Catholic, Franciscan and liberal arts heritage, the College intentionally creates an inclusive community that engages students in active and collaborative learning and fosters academic excellence.

Alverno College, a Catholic college for women of national significance, seeks a vice president for Academic Affairs to lead the advancement of its faculty and evolution of its academic programs at an exciting time in the College s 130-year history. The successful candidate will oversee all areas connected to the academic life of the College, including active collaboration with, and oversight of, the deans of four schools: School of Arts and Sciences School of Professional Studies (Business and Education) JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions School of Adult Learning and New Initiatives Proud of its 40-year legacy in offering an abilities-based curriculum and assessment model that attracts the active attention of educators worldwide, Alverno College seeks a visionary academic leader to promote excellence and innovation within a collaborative academic environment. The new vice president will report directly to the president and assume office as soon as possible at the successful conclusion of the search. The successful candidate will be a scholar-administrator, with a strong background of teaching and an established record in managing an academic enterprise of considerable complexity. She/he will also reflect demonstrable dedication to the Catholic mission of the College, to the education of women, and to the philosophy and practice of an abilities-based curriculum for undergraduate students. More about Alverno Founded in 1887, Alverno College is a four-year, liberal arts, Catholic college sponsored by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The student s learning and personal and professional development are the central focus of the College community. Internationally renowned for its assessment-as-feedback model, Alverno integrates into its curriculum eight core abilities that every student must master: Communication, Analysis, Problem Solving, Valuing in Decision-Making, Social Interaction, Developing a Global Perspective, Effective Citizenship and Aesthetic Engagement. The College was ranked among the top four Midwest Regional Universities in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report Strong Commitment to Teaching category and highest in the state for the seventh consecutive year. In addition, Alverno is ranked among the top Regional Universities in the Midwest in the Most Innovative Schools category. In fall 2016, Alverno College enrolled 2,000 students in its undergraduate programs for women and its graduate and degree completion programs for women and men.

LEADERSHIP AGENDA for the VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS The vice president for academic affairs is the chief academic officer of Alverno College. Reporting directly to President Andrea Lee, IHM, the vice president serves on the president s Administrative Council and as a member of several Alverno College committees, including as chair of several. She/he also serves as liaison to the Board of Trustees committee on Educational and Student Affairs and oversees an array of academic services. Direct reports include the four academic deans and directors of the Center for Academic Excellence, Assessment Center and the Career and Professional Development Center. The vice president fosters and inspires academic excellence, innovation and diversity by enabling faculty effectiveness, student success, and active collaboration, both internally and with external partners. She/he collaborates actively with the Advancement division to secure resources that support excellence and the development of new academic programs. This is a full-time administrative appointment reporting to the president. The position carries faculty status in an appropriate department, and successful candidates should present credentials that merit rank at the level of professor. The vice president serves on the president s leadership team, assumes the responsibilities of the chief executive officer in the president s absence, and serves in a collegial relationship with the academic deans and other members of the Administrative Council. She/he seeks and maintains an effective and collegial working relationship with the Alverno faculty. The vice president provides leadership for the deans in imagining, designing, implementing and assessing programs and projects that align with the Alverno College mission and strategic plan, and leads a team of deans who serve as colleagues and partners with the faculty in building a strong and relevant curriculum.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Strategic Leadership and Planning Provides visionary leadership for the Alverno faculty and facilitates the development, enhancement, quality and growth of Alverno s academic programs; Inspires and leads a culture of growth and innovation among Alverno faculty and deans; Assumes the key leadership role in enabling academic innovation based on emerging higher education trends, market demand for programs and the evolution of existing Alverno programs; Builds a culture of innovation and next horizon thinking by developing a dynamic list of initiatives for Alverno College through ongoing engagement with in the field and on Campus partners; Assumes the lead academic role in developing and implementing Alverno College s strategic plan, including offering vision, support and oversight for dean and faculty engagement in planning for Alverno s future; Oversees implementation of strategic academic initiatives. Academic Leadership Initiates and leads in the planning, development and implemention of high-quality academic programs for Alverno College; Leads a team of deans in enabling the best work of faculty in Alverno s four schools; Serves as senior academic officer in managing faculty governance and personnel matters; Oversees annual faculty evaluations and promotions in collaboration with the deans; Provides clear and effective leadership in managing key decisions in all aspects of faculty employment; Serves as primary liaison to regional accreditation associations and state licensure bodies and oversees all matters related to institutional and/or program accreditation; Oversees planning for academic convocations, conferences and speakers; Coordinates faculty searches with the deans and interviews final candidates; Plans and executes periodic comprehensive program review of academic programs and majors, employing relevant data in assessing outcomes and making key decisions; Serves as primary liaison and reporting officer for the Career and Professional Development Center in setting goals, establishing priorities and assessing outcomes; Prepares and accepts responsibility for the academic budget, working with the deans to propose a coherent, balanced academic budget thoughtfully tied to Alverno s strategic agenda; Serves as a member of the president s Administrative Council and actively facilitates collegial relationships among her/his peers; Provides time, expertise and support to the president in addressing ad hoc requests; Performs other duties as requested by the president. Develops an agenda for academic grants and fundraising projects in collaboration with the Advancement office;

External Leadership Serves as a key public face for Alverno College by collaborating with the president and vice president for advancement to engage external entities in advancing Alverno graduates and academic programs; Serves as a key collaborator with the vice president for advancement in securing external support for academic programs and faculty; Enables the work of the deans in establishing, maintaining and effectively engaging the College s Advisory Councils; Serves as primary staff liaison to the Board Committee on Educational and Student Affairs; Collaborates with the Marketing and Communications department to advance Alverno s programs and priorities; Serves on external boards and committees as possible, especially those connected to the strategic agenda of Alverno College. Minimum Qualifications Understanding (or willingness to attain it) of Alverno s contemporary life as a Catholic, Franciscan institution and as a college for women; Evidence of strong and confident leadership and broad knowledge of key trends in higher education; Three-five years of administrative experience at the dean level or higher, preferably at a liberal arts college with professional and graduate programs; Ability to set goals, enable others to reach them and be accountable for outcomes; Ability to engage successfully and collaborate with colleagues at the senior level and with deans and faculty in advancing the academic enterprise; Ability to apply broad, institutional thinking to challenges and opportunities that present themselves; Ability to engage the active trust and collaboration of Alverno faculty in pursuing common work and goals. Education and Desired Experience A doctoral degree in an academic discipline offered at Alverno College and experience in academic administration at the dean or vice president level is required; Experience in building and sustaining external relationships. How to Apply To apply for this position, please submit a substantive cover letter addressing the qualifications and attributes listed above; a Curriculum Vitae; and a list of three professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. References will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Candidates who reach the campus interview stage of this search may be asked to prepare a further written document in response to the Alverno College mission, plans and priorities, and/or to engage in substantive conversation during the final interview stage with faculty leaders, administrative colleagues, trustees and others. Applications, nominations and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to mary.casey@alverno.edu. The position is open until filled, but applications received by August 4, 2017 can be assured full and prompt consideration.