Associate Dean of Nursing

CLOSING DATE:  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  Initial review of applications will begin on Wednesday, April 14th, so applications should be submitted by that time for guaranteed consideration.

APPOINTMENT DATE:  June 14, 2021 or as soon as possible

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites applicants to join our team as the Associate Dean of Nursing in the College of Individual & Community Health (CICH).  BSU’s vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU’s vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with Indigenous communities to become a destination university.

BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji.  BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture.  The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation.  Major campus facilities are connected by all-season underground passages for safe and warm travel during the cold, winter months. 

Enrolling more than 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU’s Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship.

The Associate Dean of Nursing will serve as Chief Nurse Administrator. The Associate Dean participates in the Deans Council, Provosts Council, strategic enrollment planning, accreditation, and provides day-to-day leadership on and off the BSU campus. The Associate Dean of Nursing works with faculty and staff to ensure excellence in educational opportunities for BSU students. The Associate Dean provides innovative leadership to BSU, helping faculty to prepare students for the 21st century. The Associate Dean is responsible for curricular/instructional quality and fiscal prudence within Nursing, as well as representing the Nursing Program to internal and external constituencies.

Responsibilities of the Associate Dean of Nursing include:

• Demonstrated education and experience to serve the needs of the Nursing
• Work collaboratively with the Dean of CICH in providing overall leadership, direction, and management of faculty, staff, and students within Nursing; plan and monitor overall budgets by contractual requirements as defined in labor/management agreements and University and system policy (learn more: https://www.ifo.org/contract).
• Supervise the Nursing Department working with department chair, faculty, and coordinators as they exercise their responsibilities to plan, to propose/recommend/ monitor budgets, to recruit, employ and assign faculty/staff and to oversee the development, improvement, and retention of these
• Supervise the Nursing department staff- clinical coordinator, lab coordinator, student service coordinator, office administration staff, and others as deemed
• Guide and evaluate nursing faculty and staff professional development; assess and evaluate overall outcomes and performance.
• Utilizes open communication and transparent decision making for effective leadership.
• Improve nursing student recruitment, enrollment, and retention
• Engage in shared planning to realize the nursing department’s contributions to the BSU strategic plan, master academic plan, and priorities of the President, Provost, and University as a
• Lead assessment and outcome measures needed by accrediting and licensing
• Coordinate curriculum and program
• Lead Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation and state Boards of Nursing
• Ensures compliance with policies, state and federal laws and regulations, along with other regulatory requirements as needed.
• Utilize excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills and public speaking skills.
• Provides strong skills in leadership, office management, resource/fiscal management, and affirmative action practices in a collective bargaining
• Provide effective organizational and project management
• Maintains license as a registered nurse (RN) in Minnesota or eligibility for licensure in
• Ensure the integrity of academic nursing programs by upholding professional and accreditation standards and education code requirements; oversee and prepares reports required for periodic program accreditation reviews; completes Minnesota Board of Nursing annual reports; completes substantive change reports as needed; work with department chair and faculty in monitoring student success (i.e. pass rates) and equity outcomes and assessment activities at the program and course
• Provide leadership in establishing and maintaining relationships with clinical, community, business, industry, and high school/college partners; initiate, manage and maintain contractual relationships and obligations with local healthcare agencies; develop grant applications and administer
• Oversees nursing program events such as Induction, Pinning, advisory board, and other.
• A record of contributions to research and scholarly
• Collaborates with other academic and university stakeholders in pursuit of objectives stated in BSU’s Strategic Plan and maintaining Higher Learning Commission
• Supports diversity initiatives within the nursing department in keeping with institutional

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Earned doctorate in Nursing or an earned doctorate in a discipline in a closely related field along with a master’s in Nursing (REQUIRED) will be considered. All degrees must be from accredited
• Professional licensure/certification: Current unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in MN or eligible for MN - RN
• At least 3 years’ experience in accredited allied health professional academic program administration and Must have experience with CCNE accreditation and State Boards of Nursing.
• At least 5 years of demonstrated successful and progressive experience in higher education, the field of nursing, including both administrative (e.g. program director, chief nurse administrator, department chair, associate dean) and full-time
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and demonstrate a style of open communication and transparent decision making.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, verbal, written communication, and public speaking skills.
• Interest, experience, and/or proven ability in working in a culturally diverse setting and promoting cultural competency; a strong commitment to valuing diversity, inclusivity, and equal

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience in fostering quality instruction and optimal functioning of programs; provide support to incorporate and implement ‘best practices’ within fields of
• Experience with shared governance and grievance processes.
• Demonstrated experience working colleagues from diverse backgrounds and using culturally responsive pedagogy and
• Experience with alternative instructional environments (e.g., distance education, experiential education, international collaboration, use of educational technologies).
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships involving interactions and communications personally, by phone and in writing with a variety of individuals and/or groups from diverse backgrounds on a regular, ongoing basis; ability to concentrate on detailed tasks for extended periods and/or intermittently while attending to other responsibilities; ability to work effectively under pressure on multiple tasks concurrently while meeting established deadlines and changing

Apply online:   https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/ 

A complete application will include the following attachments:

• Cover letter, which addresses the required qualifications and your specific interest in working at Bemidji State University
• Proof of Professional Licensure (MN-RN) in Nursing (and other if relevant)
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial transcripts for all coursework

Inquiries:

Dr. Jeanine McDermott, Associate Professor of Nursing

Email: jeanine.mcdermott@bemidjistate.edu

Phone: (218) 755-2524

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, contact Teresa Hanson at teresa.hanson@bemidjistate.edu.

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Beavers. While the city of Bemidji — named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) — is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Located between three American Indian reservations – Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth, students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area — just 12 miles north of campus — offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information, visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0