Assistant Director of Accreditation and Assessment

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  Initial review of applications will begin on Wednesday, May 26th, so applications should be submitted by that time for guaranteed consideration.

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites applicants to join our team as the Assistant Director of Accreditation and Assessment in the Professional Education Department.  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.

Since 1919, Bemidji State University has focused on preparing thoughtful, competent and compassionate teachers. Over the years, we’ve developed numerous partnerships with local public schools to ensure that our programs remain relevant, rigorous and replete with opportunities for hands-on learning. We offer undergraduate, graduate, licensure and certificate programs, as well as a variety of endorsements and electives. The Department is fully committed to equity and diversity in our faculty and students.

The Assistant Director of Accreditation and Assessment serves as the assistant to the faculty Director of Accreditation and Assessment in all aspects of ensuring that all professional education licensing programs (currently 48 different programs, with varied delivery modalities, field experience and student teaching expectations, and licensing standards) at BSU are maintained and adapted as Minnesota rule expectations change.  This position also serves as a BSU Licensing Certification Officer for licensure recommendation and assures student program completion. This position updates and manages communication with all Professional Education faculty and content coordinators at BSU with and between other stakeholders such as: upper administration, Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) Rule and Licensure Requirements, MN Statute, Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) Accreditation Requirements, and the Office of Clinical Experiences.

Responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Accreditation and Assessment include:

• Assisting the faculty Director of Accreditation and Assessment in all aspects of accreditation, assessment and licensing of the Professional Education programs offered at BSU. Key aspects of this role include:
• Maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of current unit rules and ensuring the Professional Education Department’s compliance with PELSB and AAQEP requirements, communicating rule understanding to stakeholders such as departmental faculty, content coordinators (faculty), and other staff. Assisting the Director in creating presentation materials for ED program stakeholders.
• Remaining informed on PELSB proposed rules and state legislature bills, related to education and licensing requirements. Communicating with Professional Education faculty and content coordinators on proposed changes and collaborating with faculty to adapt to the changes and report meaningfully on BSU’s meeting of those standards. Managing multiple high complexity and high-risk accreditation and assessment projects at any given time.
• Understanding current PELSB teacher educator qualification requirements and answer BSU upper administrative questions related to these qualifications. Overseeing accurate collection and maintenance of BSU teacher educator qualifications each year and prepare materials to PELSB Board in relation to faculty approval, if needed.
• Assisting the Director of Accreditation and Assessment in maintaining and strengthening collaborations with stakeholders and Content Coordinators and ensuring all are providing common assessment data as required by PELSB and AAQEP. Identifying work priorities, project goals and objectives in relation to the creation and implementation of assessment measures and modify these measures as MN rule and accreditation expectations change.
• Assisting the Director of Accreditation and Assessment in preparing and writing PELSB and AAQEP Site Visit Reports and additional materials. Assisting in communicating and explicating program specific materials to the PELSB Board or PELSB Committees, as needed. Assisting in writing additional reports, such as Interim Reports and Unit Compliance Reports, according to PELSB requirements, and work with Content Coordinators in writing those reports, if needed. Verify data for these reports with the Research Analyst.
• Attending Professional Education department meetings and additional committee meetings, as assigned. Overseeing maintenance of minutes for Content Coordinator and Assessment Committee meetings, keeping records for the committees and assisting with agenda writing. Managing other duties as assigned by the Director of Accreditation and Assessment.
• Serving as one of two BSU Certification Officers for licensure recommendations and assuring program completion. Serving as final signatory for licensure recommendations (Minnesota and other states, as needed). Verifying all requirements are met for each student for the completion of his/her degree. Providing students with instructions and assistance in applying for teaching licenses. Remaining informed on state licensure requirements and processes. Participating as a guest speaker in education classes to further orient students regarding licensure requirements.
• Working with the Director of Accreditation and Assessment, to act as a liaison between the Professional Education Department, PELSB and AAQEP. Attending monthly PELSB Board and AAQEP Cohort meetings. Attending monthly PELSB Teacher Preparation Committee meetings and other meetings with PELSB or AAQEP staff, as needed. Attending MACTE meetings, the AAQEP Quality Symposium Conference and other trainings or workshops, as able.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Master’s Degree and/or Bachelor’s degree plus four years of advanced professional experience in professional education or a combination of post-secondary training, education and/or advanced professional related experience.
• Experience serving as a liaison between multiple types and levels of audiences.
• Advanced knowledge of complex policies, principles, practices and data applicable to managing multiple governing agencies rule, statute, policies, and guidance.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Knowledge of PELSB Rule.
• Knowledge of AAQEP standards.
• Knowledge of Minnesota tiered licensing.
• Knowledge of Northern Minnesota K-12 schools.
• Data entry, word processing, spreadsheet, and database management skills to enter, manage and retrieve data in a variety of formats, documents, and reports.
• Demonstrated experience working with and/or interest working with students and colleagues from multi-cultural and diverse backgrounds.

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

Inquiries about the position:

Dr. Margaret Lubke

Phone: (218) 755-4613

Email: margaret.lubke@bemidjistate.edu

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 Bemidji State 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