Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, System Office
Application
Details
Posted: 22-Oct-24
Location: United States - Nationwide
Salary: Open
Internal Number: JOB_POSTING-3-2456
Job Description
Heinze & Associates Executive Search is pleased to assist Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in its search for Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
For priority consideration, please apply by December 1, 2024.
The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) provides leadership for Academic Affairs, fostering an engaging, challenging, and inspirational environment for students, faculty, student affairs educators, and professional staff focused on the advancement of holistic student learning and success grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Provost provides instructional leadership ensuring rigorous, high quality educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students through on-campus, online, and multimodal instruction and through state-wide and international partnerships. The Provost supports faculty in scholarly and creative achievements and research, continuing preparation and ongoing professional development, contributions to student learning and development, and service to the university and community.
The Provost is the senior academic affairs officer and the second ranking executive officer at Bemidji State University (BSU). As a member of the Presidentâ™s executive cabinet, the Provost engages in team leadership with cabinet peers and advances shared governance inclusive of faculty, student affairs educators, professional staff, and students as well as alumni and members of the community.
Working collaboratively with deans, faculty, student affairs educators, and professional staff, the Provost develops and administers academic policies, helps establish academic priorities, oversees the curriculum, encourages faculty and student research, and assures compliance with system, state, regional, and federal educational policies. The Provost participates in university-wide and academic strategic planning and is the primary administrative liaison with the faculty union. The Provost is also the senior liaison for academic matters with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, particularly as connected to instructional aspects of its Equity 2030 goal to eliminate educational equity gaps at every Minnesota State college and university. The Provost also shares responsibility for the internationalization of the BSU campus.
The scope of responsibility includes two academic colleges and nine schools. Responsibility also includes several academic support units including Grants Administration; Center for Professional Development; the A.C. Clark Library; Honors Program; Liberal Education Program; and the McNair Program. The Provost is responsible for oversight of the Academic Affairs budget.
Bemidji State University is aligned with Northwest Technical College (NTC), also located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The Provost works with the President and the Executive Vice President and Senior Academic Officer at NTC to enhance the relationship between the two institutions with particular attention to collaboration in the development of educational programs and offerings that serve the region as well as pathways for students to transition between NTC and BSU. Partnerships between BSU and NTC provide a foundation for broader collaboration with two-year colleges and Tribal Colleges across Northern Minnesota as well as with businesses, industry, organizations, and communities in the region.
This position reports directly to the President and may serve as senior administrator in charge in the Presidentâ™s absence.
CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership
Serving as a member of the Presidentâ™s Executive Cabinet Team; planning and facilitating meetings of the BSU Cabinet and attending NTC Cabinet meetings when appropriate.Â
Providing thought leadership related to the scope of responsibility in planning and decision-making for BSU and NTC including servicing as a senior advisor and partner to the President in pursuit of the vision and mission of BSU and NTC.Â
Centering holistic student learning, success, and achievement leading to long-term educational value in all professional practices.
Demonstrating self-awareness of one's own cultural beliefs, perspectives, and privileges as a part of oneâ™s orientation toward leadership.Â
Acknowledging the specific and particular realities of Indigenous, Black and persons of color, 2SLGBTQIAP+ individuals, first-generation college students, people from low-income families, and other minoritized communities within Northern Minnesota while also connecting communities to local and regional experiences in order to foster a greater sense of belonging among employees and students.Â
Advancing a campus culture of proactive, transparent, and inclusive engagement with shared governance. Actively and visibly engage with campus, local, and regional communities.
Promoting practices that are environmentally sustainable and consistent with practices advanced by American Indian stewards of the regionâ™s land, water, and air.Â
Proactively engaging in data-informed practices that lead to continuous improvement.Â
Committing to the highest level of ethical practice including allocation of time and resources for reflection, rest, mentoring/consultation, etc.
Maintaining currency in areas of leadership responsibility including Senior Academic Officer duties articulated below through engagement with strategically selected and agreed-upon professional organizations.Â
Senior Academic Officer
Serving as senior academic officer for the University administering academic operations and strategies for the University across all colleges; leading development and implementation of the Universityâ™s academic master plan; developing University-level policies, procedures, and business practices; ensuring the Universityâ™s compliance with international, federal, and state regulations and other requirements; cultivating and hosting delegations as appropriate; and traveling nationally and internationally to represent and promote the University.
Representing the University to a wide range of international, federal, state, system, and regional, partners and stakeholders (includes liaison to national/international delegations, higher education institutions, and government officials; federal and state government agencies; international and national professional associations; statewide boards; system task forces and committees; regional economic development groups and civic leaders; and corporate partners).
In addition to participating as a senior member of the Presidentâ™s Executive Cabinet and facilitating the BSU Cabinet as described above, providing leadership for the Deanâ™s Council and Provostâ™s Council, Academic Planning, and other task forces, and committees.
Providing leadership for Academic Affairs:
Supervising deans and academic program directors, empowering them to recruit, employ, and assign faculty and staff; planning, preparing and monitoring budgets and overseeing the development, improvement, modification, and retention of programs.
Participating in Minnesota State College and University system-wide planning and operations in cooperation with the Chancellor's Office, Vice Chancellors, and employee bargaining units.
Overseeing faculty evaluation and all aspects of faculty appointments, advancement, retention, scholarly/creative/research endeavors, and community service activities in accordance with the Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Implementing and monitoring locally the provisions of the IFO agreement and responding to grievances.
Working closely with the Faculty Senate to develop and revise academic policies and to meaningfully consult with faculty in the shared governance process.
Collaborating with and supporting the work of the athletic director in matters related to the IFO contract and athletic coaches represented by the IFO.
Providing leadership for undergraduate and graduate academic planning, evaluation, and assessment of instruction, programs, student academic support, and student learning, especially as tied to accreditation.
Serving as a primary spokesperson to external bodies including legislative and other governmental bodies on matters related to Academic Affairs.
Creating and supporting outreach and service through partnerships and alliances with: PK-12 and postsecondary educational institutions; MinnState staff and MinnState institutions; distance learning and life-long learning; for-profit and not-for-profit sectors; University-related regional, state, national and international organizations; and granting agencies, federal/state relationships, and foundations.
Modeling community and professional involvement through: MinnState and other relevant committees; community engagement; personal research and scholarship.
Supporting alumni engagement and fundraising work of the BSU Alumni and Foundation Board and BSU Foundation employees.
Working with the President and with the senior academic officer of our aligned institution, NTC, to enhance the relationship between the two institutions and our faculty, staff, and students.
Advising the President on all academic matters.
Serving from time to time as the Senior Executive Officer in the Presidentâ™s absence.
Minimum Qualifications
Earned doctorate or other terminal degree from accredited institution.
A record of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education including administration of budgets, supervision of academic personnel, and effective management of professional staff and/or student affairs educators in collaboration with faculty.
Demonstrated achievement and outcomes in advancing a diverse, inclusive, and equity-minded environment for students, faculty, student affairs educators, professional staff, and the broader university community.
A disposition for team leadership with executive peers and a proven capacity to lead cross-divisional and/or cross-functional teams to attain strategic outcomes.
Preferred QualificationÂ
Progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education at level of dean or of similar responsibility to that of BSUâ™s deans at a larger higher education institution.
Documented research and/or scholarship activities commensurate with the standards for tenure in a related academic discipline at BSU.
Demonstrated ability to develop effective relationships across the university, both within Academic Affairs and with other divisions (e.g., Finance & Administration, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Information Technology, Student Success, Advancement, and Athletics) to achieve strategic priorities.
Demonstrated ability to strategically plan and manage resources (e.g., financial, personnel, facility, technology, etc.).
Knowledge of emerging trends, challenges and opportunities, current standards, and effective practices in higher education and university operations, at the international, national, and state/system levels.
Demonstrated ability to achieve compliance with international, federal, and state regulations and other requirements related to diversity, inclusion, and equity endeavors in a comprehensive university (e.g., Title IX, Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.).
Strong understanding and knowledge of academic affairs issues and strategies; instructional strategies to include online learning; the curriculum development process; and technology and how it impacts teaching and learning.
Experience working in a public state college and university system, and demonstrated ability to effectively lead in a collective bargaining, shared governance environment.
Demonstrated ability to communicate articulately and inspirationally.
Demonstrated ability to lead, support, and achieve results in external fund-raising, including grants, contracts, gifts, and other sources of revenue generation.
Ability to engage in professional leadership and service, as a senior academic administrator, at the state, regional, national, and international levels to advance strategic directions.
Demonstrated ability to promote and facilitate faculty and staff professional development and achievements.
Demonstrated commitment to community service and civic engagement for the entire campus community and regional constituencies while serving as a civically engaged ambassador who is a leader in promotion of the University and its shared fundamental values.
Other Considerations
Must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.
Official transcript(s) must be provided to Human Resources upon hire.
In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (Minn State) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to Minn Stateâ™s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.
About Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, System Office
With its 31 institutions, including 24 two-year colleges and seven state universities, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is the largest single provider of higher education in the state of Minnesota. The colleges and universities operate 54 campuses in 47 Minnesota communities and serve about 250,000 students in credit-based courses. Overall, the system produces about 33,500 graduates each year. In addition to credit-based courses, the system offers customized training programs that serve about 153,200 employees from 6,000 Minnesota businesses each year. The law creating the system was passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 1991 and went into effect July 1, 1995. The law merged the state's community colleges, technical colleges and state universities into one system. The system is separate from the University of Minnesota.