Associate Vice Provost for the Institute for Student Success

The University of Connecticut (UConn), one of the nation’s leading public research universities, seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as the Associate Vice Provost for the Institute for Student Success. UConn seeks candidates who can demonstrate exceptional skills and experience that will enable them to provide strong leadership to a research and educational institution. For the past decade, the University has been on a remarkable journey of expansion and growth. By every measure, from student diversity to research grants, UConn has enhanced its national and global standing. UConn is currently ranked among the top 25 public research universities nationwide and is a Carnegie Foundation R1 institution, its highest rank for research activity and the granting of doctoral degrees.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant college and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 14 Schools and Colleges, including the Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students.

Under the new leadership of President Tom Katsouleas, who began his term in August 2019, UConn enters an exciting phase in its history. President Katsouleashas challenged the University’s administration, faculty, and staff to undertake the ambitious goals of doubling research over the next 10 years, broadly expanding meaningful experiential learning, and preserving accessibility to residents of the state of Connecticut.

The Associate Vice Provost (AVP) for the Institute for Student Success (ISS) is responsible for the direct supervision of staff, administrative and fiscal oversight, and strategic leadership for the units within the Institute for Student Success including: the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES), First Year Programs, Learning Communities, and the Academic Achievement Center (FYP, LC & AAC), the Center for Academic Programs (CAP), the Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NELSAMP) and the UConn Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP).  The AVP reports to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and serves as part of a dynamic team of experienced leaders committed to improving the undergraduate student experience of all students at UConn.

The University of Connecticut is seeking a transformational and visionary leader to advocate for and coordinate the efforts of the units and programs within the ISS in order to meet the ever-evolving needs of UConn’s undergraduate student population. The AVP will oversee the development, implementation and administration of innovative programs. The AVP will direct and coordinate existing activities to recruit, retain, support and graduate students from diverse ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.  The successful candidate must be an energetic, dedicated, and innovative team leader with a proven record of success in higher education administration, who is familiar with best practices in promoting academic success with diverse undergraduate populations.

The AVP must possess exceptional communication, interpersonal, and team-building skills to articulate and advocate for the Institute’s various programs and initiatives. The person in this position must be accessible and responsive to faculty, staff, and students. S/he will develop strategic and innovative partnerships with other units both within and beyond the University to champion and lead the advancement of Student Success initiatives at UConn.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific list of responsibilities:

  1. Oversee a comprehensive portfolio of academic support and enrichment programs from secondary school through college graduation.
  2. Build integrated and cohesive programs to support University and State initiatives by collaborating with schools, colleges, and institutes at the University to ensure undergraduate access and participation.
  3. Work collaboratively with Deans and Department Heads to build strong student success programs that span the undergraduate program.
  4. Work collaboratively with the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Services within the Division of Enrollment Planning & Management on recruitment goals and advocate for the development of policies that support current and prospective undergraduate students.
  5. Develop and support strategic initiatives such as diversity and inclusion for underrepresented groups in various academic programs at all campus locations throughout the state.
  6. Develop a vision for strategic initiatives for sub populations of students such as women in STEM, first generation students, and others.
  7. Oversee Curriculum & Development to support institutional mission, such as FYE, LC, supplemental instruction, and other credit and non-credit courses in ISS.
  8. Collaborate with key units at the University to build data driven metrics for programs that support University goals for retention and graduation.
  9. Communicate and advocate for best practices for student academic development across all student populations at UConn.
  10. Develop a comprehensive fundraising plan in collaboration with the UConn Foundation, developing affinity groups across programs, organizing alumni events, and providing oversight for fiscal accounts.
  11. Provide leadership in strategic planning and financial resource planning by evaluating and establishing goals, priorities and programmatic objectives in alignment with University’s academic mission.
  12. Direct and manage studies and analyses of financial information to respond to internal and external queries and provide critical management information and analytical support to senior administration, key stakeholders, and external constituencies.
  13. Serve as Administrative Leader for ISS, reviewing and managing all personnel related issues including employee timesheets, payroll and performance evaluations. Provide direct supervision of academic and administrative managers within ISS.
  14. Direct all fiscal and business operations of ISS including overseeing individual unit budget plans.
  15. Work with the Business Manager and the Office of Sponsored Programs to ensure grants and contracts are administered in accordance with stipulations set forth by funding sources.
  16. Work with Department of Human Resources and Labor Relations on staffing related matters including hiring and termination as well as other confidential employee matters affecting bargaining unit members.
  17. Provide leadership and project management as the lead institution for the Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation including serving as Co-PI of the NSF grant.

 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  1. Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration or related field from an accredited institution
  2. 5 years of experience in Higher Education Administration with increasing responsibilities preferably with a focus on student success initiatives
  3. Experiences serving on various institutional task forces and university-wide committees, and demonstrated ability to support and reconcile competing interests of the units across the institution
  4. Proven success as a strategic leader with a record of excellence implementing best practices and developing innovative programs to support the success of all students, recognizing that subpopulations of students require unique strategies for enhancing student success
  5. Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion; experience working with diverse populations in educational settings
  6. Must have excellent listening, oral and written communication skills, including an ability to influence, build consensus, and promote a community of learning and engagement.
  7. Demonstrated record of collecting and using data to assess the effectiveness of initiatives and to achieve measurable results regarding student progress, curriculum success, and to design support and interventions to assure student degree completion
  8. Successful experience administering and managing a complex unit with responsibility for guiding strategy, managing finances, motivating a diverse staff, and effective coordination of programs and personnel
  9. Demonstrated experience with grant management including budget development and administration process

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  1. 7 or more years of experience in Higher Education Administration preferably with a focus on student success
  2. A Ph.D. in higher education or related field from an accredited institution
  3. Experience serving as PI on federal and state grants
  4. Successful record of collaboration and building alliances with external stakeholders and community partners.
  5. Experience working in a union environment
  6. Bilingual English/Spanish
  7. Experience with state and federally funded programs such as TRIO and NSF STEM Initiatives.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, permanent position. Salary will be commensurate with candidate credentials and experience. A full benefits package, including health insurance and retirement plan is provided.

TO APPLY

Please apply online at www.jobs.uconn.edu, Staff Positions, Search #2020271. Please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and list of names and contact information for three professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Employment of the successful candidate will be contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. (Search # 2020271)

This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on December 2, 2019.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics, which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.