Director of Academic Affairs
| Work Unit: | Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses |
| Department: | |
| Job Number: | 34943 |
Penn State Wilkes-Barre invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of Academic Affairs (DAA) to begin July 2012.
The Director of Academic Affairs is the chief academic officer of the campus and reports to the Chancellor. The DAA is responsible to the Chancellor for providing leadership for all academic and faculty matters. The DAA acts on behalf of the Chancellor in his or her absence or as delegated by the Chancellor.
As a member of the campus senior management team, the DAA works with faculty and other staff in an environment of shared governance and cross-functional relationships. The DAA also works with colleagues from other Penn State campuses as well as colleges and departments at the University Park campus to ensure that Penn State operates as one university geographically dispersed across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Specific campus responsibilities of the DAA include faculty recruitment, evaluation, and development; academic planning, program development, assessment, administration, and evaluation; promoting faculty and student scholarship and research; supporting innovation and excellence in teaching; enhancing a program for student recruitment, development, and retention; supporting academic enhancement activities for students, such as study-abroad, internships, undergraduate research, and service-learning opportunities; leading efforts in grant writing and funding solicitations to support research and academic programs; and leading the faculty in outreach service to the community.
In addition, the DAA is responsible for administering budgets for academic programs and faculty development, coordinating the campus academic management team in developing an academic plan for the campus consistent with its strategic plan, tracking and analyzing key performance indicators, collaborating with the campus Director of Continuing Education to create and deliver appropriate credit and non-credit regional programming, supervising various academic units, and supporting and fostering diversity.
QUALIFICATIONS: A successful candidate will have an earned doctorate, academic administrative experience, and a minimum of five years of experience working in higher education in activities related to teaching, research and scholarship, and service. Candidates should possess strong writing and interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster teamwork and promote collaborative activities in a multidisciplinary environment. Also, candidates should possess the academic qualifications for a tenured, senior rank faculty appointment at Penn State. Essential qualifications include experience with academic planning, assessment of learning, faculty recruitment and development, faculty governance, academic budgeting, and knowledge of various approaches to active and collaborative learning. Highly desirable experience includes grant writing and familiarity with or expertise in the effective use of instructional technologies. This 48-week academic administrative appointment includes an excellent benefits package.
CAMPUS INFORMATION: Penn State Wilkes-Barre is one of twenty primarily undergraduate campuses throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that fulfills the University’s land grant mission. The campus is situated on 56 acres in northeastern Pennsylvania. It is ten miles from downtown Wilkes-Barre, two hours north of Philadelphia, two hours west of New York City, and adjacent to the Pocono Mountains.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre began offering classes in 1916. Since that time, thousands of degree-seeking individuals have received a world-class education delivered in a friendly, small campus setting. The campus takes great pride in the high quality of instruction provided in academic programs by its Faculty, which has received numerous teaching and service awards. Also, the campus is a leader in providing a strong continuing education program for regional workforce needs, and operates a Northern Tier Center for continuing education in Towanda, PA.
The campus offers the first two years of study for most of Penn State’s more than 160 bachelor’s degree programs, and 8 baccalaureate and 4 associate degree programs. It provides the only bachelor’s degree in Survey Engineering in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All Penn State engineering baccalaureate and associate degrees are fully accredited by ABET. Approximately 800 students are enrolled (about 29% female and 12% underrepresented populations).
Students and faculty have all of the resources of a major research university at their disposal, but in a small college atmosphere. Class sizes are small and the student/faculty ratio is low, so students can receive much individual attention. Our faculty members are committed to providing a high-quality educational experience to their students and are actively engaged in research. Our students receive a world-class education delivered in a small campus setting.
As it approaches its 100th birthday, Penn State Wilkes-Barre continues to prepare leaders for the twenty-first century through a continuing tradition of cutting-edge technology, faculty expertise, and dedication to excellence. Additional information about the campus is available at http://www.wb.psu.edu. For additional information about Penn State, visit http://www.psu.edu. APPLICATION: Applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of four references. All applications must be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word or PDF file to wb-daa-search@lists.psu.edu. Review of applications will begin October 15, 2011 and continue until an appointment is made.