Associate Vice President for Academic Excellence

California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) is seeking a dynamic, collaborative and analytic leader who is passionate about quality to join the campus community as its associate vice president for academic excellence.

As California’s capital university, Sacramento State transforms lives by preparing students for leadership, service and success. Sacramento State is located on a beautiful 300-acre, tree-lined campus adjacent to the American River, about five miles east of the State Capitol. Established in 1947, it is the seventh-largest of the 23 campuses in the California State University system. With faculty, students and staff working at the confluence of knowledge, passion, innovation and real-world learning, Sacramento State offers a truly transformative educational experience to its over 30,000 students—an experience enriched at every turn by the arts, culture, altruism, diversity, natural campus beauty and a community committed to educational excellence. As a top regional four-year comprehensive public university offering programs in business, education, engineering, health, the humanities, public policy and science, Sacramento State is the place to “Redefine the Possible,” the university’s tagline. Sacramento State alumni—one out of every 22 area residents—make up the heart of the region’s workforce and some of its finest leaders who are driven to make a difference in their communities.

Academic Affairs at Sacramento State is the largest administrative unit in the university. It encompasses the seven Academic Colleges, the University Library, and the College of Continuing Education. The program centers include:  The Office of Graduate Studies; The Office of Undergraduate Studies; Offices for Academic Excellence; Research, Innovation, and Economic Development; International Affairs; and Faculty Advancement; the Community Engagement Center; the Center for Teaching and Learning; Academic Technology & Creative Services; and the Center for College & Career Readiness. Collectively, the academic affairs unit ensures quality academic programs for all students and supports well qualified faculty to provide excellent teaching and learning for Sacramento State’s students. It does this by building a dynamic learning environment dedicated to student success; recruiting, retaining and supporting faculty and staff in a culture of excellence and innovation; and promoting leadership, integrity, social equity, global understanding and civic engagement among other core imperatives for a vibrant university.

The primary responsibility of the associate vice president (AVP) for academic excellence is to assist the provost and vice provost in providing leadership in promoting and safeguarding quality assurance and quality improvement policies and processes for all degree and non-degree programs of the university. Under the general direction of the provost, the AVP for academic excellence will manage the university’s academic program review processes and schedules, as well as organize and manage university accreditation processes and procedures including serving as the Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This position will oversee the Office of Academic Program Assessment, and will act as the liaison with college deans and the faculty senate to monitor new academic program development and curricular updates.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Candidates should provide a CV, a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the leadership profile and the names and contact information of five references. Candidate confidentiality will be respected and references will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. Inquiries and application materials should be sent via email to the search consultants, Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer and Veena Abraham of Witt/Kieffer, at SacStateAVPAcademic@wittkieffer.com. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by December 1, 2017.

Sacramento State is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, genetic information, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status.