Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

About the United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy, located on the Thames River in New London, Connecticut, is a four-year federal service academy that prepares young men and women to lead as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard. It is the only institution of higher learning in the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security. One of the five U.S. service academies, the Coast Guard Academy provides a comprehensive education that blends rigorous academics, character development, physical fitness, and professional training.

The Coast Guard Academy is charged to educate Coast Guard officers academically and professionally. The faculty are a community of scholars and masters of academic disciplines that support the Coast Guard's critical educational, workforce development, research, innovation, and analytic needs. Faculty have the expertise and skills to engage in basic and applied research and professional practice. As a community our purpose is to collaborate with each other, cadets, and the Service to develop and share new knowledge, meeting current and future operational, technical, managerial, fiscal, analytic, and policy challenges.

The Coast Guard Academy features a faculty of 175 civilians and military officers, a Cadet Corps (student body) of 1100, and ten academic majors, housed in three Schools.

In addition to a demanding STEM curriculum, cadets participate in extensive practical experiences, including annual summer training programs on board Coast Guard cutters and at various operational units. The Academy fosters a culture of service, integrity, and teamwork, instilling in its graduates the core values necessary to lead with honor and distinction.

The Position

The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (VPAA) reports directly to the Provost. The VPAA is the institution's expert on student success and maintains currency on nationwide challenges and best practices related to student learning, success, and resilience during the Coast Guard Academy's intensive 200-week program.

Reflecting the highly integrated nature of a small service academy, the VPAA's responsibilities range from strategic institutional leadership and advice to the senior leadership team to direct engagement with individual faculty, staff, and cadets. The VPAA leads the Office of Student Success; provides leadership for academic advising, teaching and learning, and academic support; supervises the Registrar's Office; and works with academic leaders and faculty to strengthen curriculum, academic policy, and educational practice. The VPAA collaborates closely across the Academy to ensure that these functions work together to advance cadet learning, progression, and successful completion of the Academy program.

The selectee will receive an appointment as an academic faculty member at the Coast Guard Academy and assignment as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. The selectee is expected to serve as a Vice Provost for a period of up to five years and may be renewed. At the conclusion of service as Vice Provost, the selectee may move into a faculty position in a department aligned with the individual's qualifications and discipline. A selectee that possesses at hire academic credentials befitting an appointment as tenured Full Professor, or equivalent professional experience is highly desired.

Key Responsibilities of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Institutional academic leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for student learning, academic success, and resilience, using evidence and national best practices to identify needs, evaluate effectiveness, and guide continuous improvement.
• Provide expertise and support to Academic Deans, Program Chairs, Faculty Senate, and faculty on student success, teaching and learning, academic policy, academic review, and curriculum design.
• Provide leadership for teaching and learning initiatives, faculty development related to instructional practice, and the adoption and evaluation of evidence-based approaches that strengthen student learning.
• Work with academic leaders and faculty governance to promote alignment and coherence of the curriculum, including the core curriculum, across Schools, Departments, and programs.
• Coordinate with the Cadet (military training and student affairs), Admissions, and Athletics Divisions to integrate academic policies and student-success practices across the institution.
• Brief the Superintendent, Provost, Board of Trustees, and other senior leaders on academic performance, student-success issues, and significant individual cases.

Student success and educational support

• Lead the Office of Student Success, including learning centers, academic advising, academic integrity, and academic support services.
• Provide leadership for teaching and learning initiatives that strengthen instructional effectiveness and student learning.
• Work directly with cadets facing significant academic challenges and oversee individualized plans for success and resilience in collaboration with faculty and staff across developmental domains.
• Direct summer academic programming, including academic placement and learning activities for incoming 4/c (freshmen) cadets and the academic summer term for rising 3/c (sophomore) cadets.

Academic operations and organizational leadership

• Supervise the Registrar and Registrar's staff and provide strategic oversight of registration, academic records, degree progress, and implementation of academic policies.
• Supervise the Director of the Hewitt Writing and Reading Center and its staff of mentors.
• Direct faculty serving in service positions related to student success, including the Director of Academic Advising, the Academic Honor Officer, Directors of Academic Support Programs, and the Chair of the 4/c (freshman) Course Coordinators' Committee.
• Hire, develop, and manage personnel and resources supporting the Office of Student Success and related programs.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Provost, to include service as a member of the Provost's Executive Team, the Provost's Council, the Academic Review Board, and other committees and working groups as directed.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctorate from an accredited institution in a field relevant to Coast Guard Academy programs and departments, or aligned with the needs of the institution.
• Progressive leadership in higher education focused on student development and success.
• Strong commitment to public service, undergraduate education, and the development of future leaders.
• Evidence of alignment with U.S. Coast Guard Core Values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least five years of professional experience in higher education administration with a focus on academic success and student development, or a record of comparable experience.
• Substantial experience creating plans and programs for student success and resilience, working with individual students and student support networks.
• Substantial experience leading or contributing to undergraduate curriculum, teaching and learning, academic policy, or faculty development initiatives in collaboration with faculty and shared-governance structures.
• Demonstrated executive-level leadership, including the ability to lead collaboratively across organizational boundaries and translate institutional priorities into effective programs and practices.
• A distinguished record of achievement in teaching, research, and service that merits appointment as a tenured Full Professor in one of the Academy's academic departments or programs.
• Experience managing and overseeing a registrar's office.
• A demonstrated ability to adapt to unique educational environments such as exists at a small service academy.
• Demonstrated engagement in relevant professional societies and scholarship/ professional development relevant to VPAA duties.

How to Apply

Applications and inquiries can be sent to CGAViceProvost@uscga.edu. Interested candidates should include, as separate documents, a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest explaining how they meet the qualifications above. Describe in the letter any specific experience developing intervention plans that promote student success and resilience, working with individual students and with support faculty and staff across academics, student life, and athletic domains. Finalists for the position will be required to provide proof of their educational qualifications, such as unofficial transcripts. Applicants may submit this with their application. If tentatively selected for this position, the selectee must submit official transcripts to the Human Resources office prior to receiving a firm offer of employment. Finalists will also be required to provide contact information for five professional references.

Review of applications will begin on October 12th, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.

Other Information

This is a full-time, permanent appointment as an excepted service supervisory faculty member on a 12-month work schedule, the first two years of which may be a trial period. The selectee is expected to work on campus at the Coast Guard Academy. Telework opportunities are very limited. Remote work is not permissible. Anticipated salary is from $169,979 – $209,600, commensurate with experience and qualifications, and set in accordance with federal pay scales.

Active-duty members interested in fulfilling the position should submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating you will be discharged/released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days from the date you submit application. Active-duty members internal to the Coast Guard Academy interested in fulfilling the position may remain in uniformed service if selected.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information.

This position is open to U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Non-citizens must provide evidence that they are eligible for appointment to this position on the date they submitted their application and that they will remain eligible to meet all conditions of the appointment. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy cannot sponsor visas. The Department of Homeland Security uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities at https://www.e-verify.gov/. The Coast Guard Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Department of Homeland Security offers an attractive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Relocation expenses, if permitted, will be paid in accordance with governing regulations. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

If you are selected for this position, a determination of your suitability for Federal employment will be made. All selectees are subject to an investigation as a condition of placement into this position, which may include a credit check. The tentative selectee will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment, OF-306 at the time a tentative job offer is made. At the time of appointment, the selectee will be required to update the OF-306. Certain responses on the form could result in disqualification for appointment based on suitability determinations.

If you need reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please call 860-444-8508. Decisions about accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please visit DHS Program of Reasonable Accommodation.

Veterans and active-duty members may seek veterans' preference. Veterans' preference will not be granted if the appropriate documentation is not submitted with your application. Veterans claiming 5-point veterans' preference must submit legible Member 4 Copy DD214(s) indicating Character of Service.

30% Disabled Veterans must submit their Member 4 Copy DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, a fully completed SF-15, and VA Disability Letter with percentage of disability OR documentation of disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces which reflects a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Other 10-point Preference Eligibles must submit applicable Member 4 Copy DD-214(s), which includes Character of Service, a fully completed SF-15, and all required documentation described on the back of the SF-15 which proves that you are entitled to such preference.

If you are a current active-duty military member who does not have a DD214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification document. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters.

To apply, visit https://uscga.edu/vpaa/