Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, UT System Division of Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success

Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, UT System Division of Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success

About the UT System

The University of Tennessee System enrolls over 58,000 students and comprises five campuses located in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin, and Memphis. The campuses include a large R1 land grant campus, one urban and two rural regional campuses, and a graduate health science center. The UT System Administration operates out of downtown Knoxville, TN, and is a separate entity from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The UT System has a presence in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Through the combined force of education, research and outreach, the University serves students, business and industry, schools, governments, organizations and citizens statewide.

The University of Tennessee System has been named a certified Great Place to Work® for two consecutive years. The Great Place to Work survey is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at the UT System. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. The University is proud to provide a great work environment for all employees.

About Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success

The team in the division of Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Success (AARSS) works closely with its partners and counterparts on each UT campus and serves as the primary liaison for the University of Tennessee System to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), Tennessee Independent Colleges & Universities Association (TICUA), and the Southern Regional Education Board’s Academic Common Market.

The division oversees several grants and sponsors systemwide convenings as well as academic and professional development programs. Members of the team works closely with each of the University of Tennessee campuses to develop and evaluate policies for faculty and students as well as proposals for new and modified academic programs.

About the Opportunity

The associate vice president for academic affairs (AVPAA) serves as a member of the AARSS leadership team in and reports to the vice president of AARSS. The AVPAA works collaboratively with campus chief academic officers and their staff, as well as numerous other system- and campus-level units including: institutional effectiveness teams (institutional research, assessment, accreditation, planning, and business intelligence); student success; governmental relations and advocacy; general counsel; and communications and marketing, among others, to provide leadership and coordination in the areas of academic policy, programs, reporting, and other academic initiatives. Additionally, the AVPAA provides support to the Education, Research, and Service Committee of the UT Board of Trustees, and regularly interfaces with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), State Board of Education (SBE), and other statewide educational entities and systems such as the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), and Locally Governed Institutions (LGIs).

Specific duties include of the AVPAA include, but are not limited to, the following:

Leadership

• Develops and executes an overall strategy for promoting greater alignment, collaboration, and communication across the UT System campuses in the areas of academic and faculty affairs

• Provides systemwide vision and leadership to coordinate the efforts of units and programs focused on academic and faculty affairs, while also working to integrate academic and student success initiatives

• Organizes and oversees the various initiatives, programs, vendor agreements, and services under the purview of the vice president to leverage resources, services, and programming that best meet system and campus needs

• Evaluates and assesses the effectiveness of current initiatives and services, monitors national best practices pertaining to academic and faculty initiatives, and ensures optimal resource utilization in these areas

• Establishes and monitors goals, objectives and key performance indicators to determine effectiveness of outreach, opportunities for intervention, and potential improvements to practices.

• Supervises three staff members in academic affairs, establishing and monitoring goals and priorities for the internal team while also working to establish strong connections with all areas of the division.

Academic Program and Policy

• Assists in the review and revision of all faculty policies through the faculty handbooks, and reviews tenure and promotion recommendations for approval of the President and the UT Board of Trustees

• Assists in preparing various reports, presentations, and updates to the Board of Trustees, and proposes changes to Board policy when appropriate

• Ensures participation in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which allows institutional members to offer distance education programs in other states

• Oversees the development and approval of all academic programs and program modifications across UT System campuses, ensuring adherence to System and THEC policies

• Coordinates campus collaborations and joint efforts pertaining to academic offerings, including on-line offerings; supports transfer and articulation policies and issues with the TBR institutions and among system campuses, as needed

• Works collaboratively with institutional effectiveness staff to provide data and information for the Board of Trustees, President, system leadership, and campus Chancellors, particularly as they relate to program effectiveness and improving academic systems and services

Academic and Statewide Initiatives

• Leads or co-leads core academic initiatives at the UT System, including but not limited to training and development for academic department heads; alignment of academic calendars; supporting the implementation of a common student information system; and the execution of consortium agreements

• Provides oversight and support for the Tennessee Grow Your Own Center – a statewide effort to grow the K-12 teacher pipeline and expand pathways into the profession through partnerships with the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce development, the state’s Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs), and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), among others key partners.

• Collaborates with UT System Governmental Relations staff to monitor proposed and passed legislation and ensure compliance with legislative acts concerning faculty and/or students

• Ensures participation in the Southern Regional Educational Board Academic Common Market

• Assists in preparing for budget hearings with the governor and state legislature

• Assists with inquiries from the TN State Auditor on issues related to compliance with state laws and provides required reports to the state legislature as required

• Attends and/or participates in statewide academic convenings hosted by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and other partners across Tennessee

Other Responsibilities

• Attend and participate in all meetings of the President’s University Faculty Council (UFC), providing updates on academic affairs and related matters

• Attends and/or participates in campus commencement and other academic ceremonies throughout the year

• Engages in various UT System and campus events, conferences, and initiatives such as the annual Academic Affairs and Student Success Summit, campus student and faculty research colloquia, serving annually as a UT Promise mentor, etc.

• Serves on numerous state- and system-wide committees, task forces, and work groups, as needed

The AVPAA will support a culture of engagement and belonging by treating others with dignity and respect at all times, and is expected to contribute to the system-wide mission and fully embrace the University’s Be One UT Values.

Required Qualifications

A terminal degree in a relevant field and a distinguished record of scholarship and academic achievement is required. A minimum of five years of successful leadership as a head of a complex academic unit, including responsibility for budget, personnel, academic planning, and implementation.

Additional required skills, abilities, and experiences include:

• Holds or previously held tenure at an accredited institution at the level of associate professor or higher

• Proven leadership experience in higher education administration, ideally at the level of dean, vice provost, provost, or equivalent.

• In-depth knowledge of tenure and promotion processes, faculty handbook development, academic governance, and faculty relations.

• A strong understanding of emerging issues in higher education

• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and groups

• Visionary thinking and a commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in academia.

• Commitment to integrity, excellence, and transparency

• Understanding of and appreciation for system and campus governance

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of the workings of a university system with a preference for knowledge of the UT System, its governing board and structure, and five campuses

• Familiarity with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and its role, core functions, and academic policies

• Direct experience working with institutional governing boards

• Demonstrated experience with or knowledge of regional and programmatic accreditation, quality assurance funding, and cross-institutional collaborations

Application Process

For full consideration, applicants must apply electronically with a resume, cover letter, and list of professional references by Monday, May 20, 2024.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation for the position will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits and much more. Additionally, Tennessee residents do not pay a state income tax. For more information on the University of Tennessee’s benefits, visit https://hr.tennessee.edu/benefits/.

East Tennessee and the Knoxville Community

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains along the Tennessee River, Knoxville is a thriving Southern city known for its great outdoors, diverse music scene, and wide variety of eateries. It is nationally known for its Urban Wilderness, located less than three miles from downtown, with more than 50 miles of natural trails. A vibrant downtown, located less than a mile from the heart of the UT campus, offers live entertainment, unique shopping, and outstanding local dining.

With a population of more than 180,000, it is both the oldest and the third-largest city in the state of Tennessee; only Memphis and Nashville are larger, Knoxville is a one-hour drive from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the U.S. National Park Service’s most-visited site. Knoxville also is within a day’s drive or less to many major metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and the Atlantic coast. Among its many accolades, Knoxville was named one of the Top 10 Best Affordable Places to Live by Livability.com and in the top 10 among big cities in Travel Leisure’s “America’s Favorite Cities.”

Tennessee is a state with more than 6.6 million people, four large metropolitan areas, two time zones, and an economy ranked* 13th-largest in the United States.