"Vice President of Academic Affairs"

SUNY Ulster was founded in 1961 in response to two major external factors—the cost of attending a university was placing higher education out of reach for many Ulster County families, and the educational requirements for “good jobs” were increasing. A community college was needed for Ulster County to thrive. The College has stayed true to its commitment to serve the county and its residents by focusing on providing affordable pathways to a career through transfer programs to universities or career programs at the College. An emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), located in the beautiful Hudson Valley, the College’s main campus is in Stone Ridge, NY with additional locations in Kingston and Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, NY.

The college is embarking on the implementation of its next strategic plan which rests on four pillars: serve the regional needs, improve student success and completion, support and enrich the academic portfolio, and improve institutional effectiveness. The community has recommitted to supporting each student to the successful completion of their goals. In achieving that, SUNY Ulster will expand economic mobility in a way that meets the needs of Ulster County residents.

The College’s next Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) will lead collaboratively and build an academic vision that advances College goals. The successful candidate will strengthen trust through transparent communication and promote a strong, student-centered community. With a demonstrated commitment to values of shared governance and inclusion and enthusiasm for the community college mission, the VPAA will lead academic assessment and continuous improvement efforts to support the realization of the strategic plan.

Serving as the College’s Chief Academic Officer (CAO), the Vice President of Academic Affair (VPAA) provides strategic and day-to-day operational leadership for program development and assessment, teaching and learning, student success, faculty appointments, development and administration of academic policy and procedures. The VPAA leads the development and implementation of data-informed strategies to strengthen college access, retention, and graduation, and demonstrates best practices of shared governance to engage faculty and staff in the strategic vision, goal setting, and decision-making processes to provide students with clear pathways to graduation. The VPAA leads innovation throughout the division, actively supports professional development and provides visible and effective leadership. Reporting to President and serving on the Cabinet, the VPAA will oversee the Library and Academic Support functions in addition to Faculty.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the Academic Affairs team to review, uphold, formulate, and propose policies, subject to presidential and trustee approval, as needed, concerning all facets of academic affairs.
• Respond to regional needs by leading the faculty in the development and launch of new programs.
• Review program offerings ensure they meet regional needs and remain relevant to workforce and transfer needs.
• Ensure support and resources for academic programs to maintain the high quality of existing programs.
• Embrace a commitment to continuous improvement and lead academic assessment to improve overall institutional effectiveness.
• Effectively communicate and collaborate with other areas of the College to achieve institutional priorities.
• Ensure efficient use of resources by assessing department needs, development of budget recommendations, and management of the division within the budgetary constraints of the College.
• Ensure compliance with academic policies, procedures, regulatory bodies, accrediting agencies, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintain a high standard of faculty performance and ability by celebrating the art and science of teaching.
• Foster faculty engagement strategies that lead to innovative programs and pedagogy.
• Make promotion and tenure recommendations to the President and Board of Trustees.
• Lead effective services that support student success including library services and tutoring services.
• Oversee the College’s Ptech and dual enrollment offerings in a manner that advances student success and post-secondary completion.
• Work collaboratively with other divisions and the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs to ensure the successful implementation of the College’s Strategic Enrollment Management Plan and ensure the growth of the individual student in a supportive environment.
• Ensure that academic policies and practices (e.g. course scheduling, academic calendar) support enrollment goals.
• Ensure an effective advising program.
• Embody the College’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through leadership and action, and creating a welcoming learning and working environment that values, respects, and cares for its members.
• Represent the College with the State University of New York (SUNY), New York State Education Department, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Serve as the College representative to the SUNY Chief Academic Officers.
• Serve on the President’s cabinet and other committees (internal and external).
• Represent the President as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the community college mission and the ability to implement student success reforms.
• Ability to effectively convey information verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrate effective listening skills with respect for and openness to other people’s thoughts and ideas.
• Effective organizational skills with the ability to implement systems and follow-up processes.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work collaboratively and independently with purpose and accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of relevant assessment and continuous improvement frameworks and the ability to set and achieve results with clear, measurable goals.
• Ability to hire, develop, and retain individuals with diverse skills and perspectives resulting in cohesive and high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated record of strong working relationships with students, faculty, and staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Terminal degree strongly preferred.
• Higher education teaching experience, preferably at the community college level.
• Successful record of progressive experience in positions of increasing responsibility and leadership in higher education.
• Experience with regional and programmatic accrediting agencies, preferably Middle States Commission for higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation experience.
• Experience working effectively within academic shared governance and collective bargaining.
• Experience in strategic and operational planning, budgeting, and supervision of managers and their staff.
• And
• Commitment to community college goals and objectives of providing quality programs and services for culturally, socio-economically, ethnically, and academically diverse students and students with disabilities; personal qualities to work effectively and with sensitivity in a multicultural environment; awareness of and commitment to the needs of non-traditional and/or re-entry students with diverse abilities and interests.