Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) invites applications and nominations for the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.

Our Mission

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a State College within the University System of Georgia. ABAC’s mission is to provide excellent education by engaging, teaching, coaching, mentoring, and providing relevant experiences that prepare the graduate for life.

Our Vision

ABAC aspires to an institutional destination of greatness, a college where committed students seek a life-changing experience and are prepared to contribute positively to the communities in which they live and work.

About the College

Since 1908, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) has provided unique, hands-on learning opportunities for students. ABAC values a real-life application to learning in addition to the rigorous classroom work and encourages students to get involved in as many possible ways when it comes to enriching their learning experience. ABAC’s nationally recognized faculty, small class sizes, and interactive learning environments set students up for academic excellence and success in a variety of fields after graduation.

A member of the University System of Georgia, ABAC has a Fall 2022 enrollment of 3,649 students from 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 58 of Florida’s 67 counties, 18 states (90% from Georgia), and 24 countries with campuses in Tifton and Bainbridge.   ABAC’s offerings have grown a great deal since our founding and many years of history as a two-year college. In 2008, ABAC began offering bachelor level degrees and today ABAC has 14 bachelor’s degrees.

An ABAC education is centered upon a family environment with excellent teaching at its core. Faculty and staff across campus work tirelessly to engage ABAC students in life-changing experiences and impact them with one-on-one care and concern. Those foundational principles make their way into everything that happens on campus - including the work of dedicated professors and staff.  Nearly 1,400 students live on campus in ABAC Place and ABAC Lakeside.

ABAC welcomed a new President, on August 1, 2022, who has an extensive track record of effective leadership, innovation and developing the workforce.  Under new leadership, ABAC will be laser-focused on the mission and the need to develop students, through hands-on learning, for careers in which they will experience optimum success.

The Opportunity

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College seeks a dynamic and entrepreneurial leader for the Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.  Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs is responsible for the development, implementation and management of the College’s academic and student affairs operations.  The Provost ensures that the academic curriculum meets the academic standards of the College, the standards of accrediting agencies, and reflects ABAC’s mission and vision.  As Chief Academic Officer, the Provost provides vision and leadership for all matters relating to curriculum and instruction.

The Provost also plays a key leadership role in fostering academic excellence and integrity and prioritizing and allocating budgetary resources.  The Provost works collaboratively with direct reports to develop and recommend the annual academic budget, ensures fiscal responsibility for use of all funds allocated for educational programs and collaborates with other senior administrators to create support systems for academic affairs.  The Provost serves to lead the faculty including responsibilities as an advocate, facilitator of institutional improvement, and as a transformer of the academic components of the College in order to meet the needs of our students in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.  The Provost must be a visionary leader and experienced administrator who can ensure accountability of the Academic and Student Affairs units in a focused drive toward innovation, transformation, and excellence.

Required Qualifications

The next Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs should exhibit a thorough understanding of the diverse objectives and functions of all components of academic and student affairs.  With the ability to facilitate change and a proven track record in the implementation of strategic initiatives, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to contribute to the achievement of institutional goals and objectives.  Evidence of innovative, outside-the-box thinking, and problem-solving skills is a requirement.  With a collaborative, inclusive, and collegial leadership style, the successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to shared governance and a proven ability to communicate and work effectively with faculty, staff, students and community groups of diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.  Along with a strong background of administrative, teaching, and supervisory experience, an earned doctorate and evidence of scholarly/creative activities are required. 

Location

Tifton is a growing leisure destination in the heart of charming South Georgia. Here, the candidate will find the perfect combination of welcoming hometown appeal and exemplified southern hospitality. Strategically located just 2.5 hours south of Atlanta, Tifton can be reached easily by I-75, US 319, US 82, and US 41. Tifton is central to all that is spectacular in Georgia and Florida. The area has something for everyone. Come to Tifton and let us showcase why we are The Friendly City.

Applications and Nomination Process

Applications should consist of a substantive letter of interest that ties the candidates experience specifically to the needs of ABAC and to the needs outlined in the position description, curriculum vitae, and a list of five professional references with contact information and a note indicating the nature of the candidate’s working relationship with each; references will not be contacted without explicit permission of the candidate.  For full consideration, applications and nominations should be submitted by December 1, 2022.  A review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work, and study. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, and University System of Georgia policy, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College prohibits the harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against any person because of race, color, sex, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status by any member of the college community on campus, in connection with a college program or activity, including admissions and employment.

JOB SUMMARY

This position has broad responsibility for all matters of academic and student affairs, serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet, and reports directly to the President of the College. The Provost & VPAA/VPSA is responsible for providing faculty leadership, for planning and implementing academic and student affairs policies, for providing guidance in the development of the curriculum, for promoting core educational values and integrity, for fostering academic excellence, and for overseeing the overall academic and student affairs budgets. The Provost and VPPA/VPSA serves as the chief executive officer of the College in the absence of the President. While the Provost and VPPA/VPSA holds faculty rank and privilege, the position is administrative.

MAJOR DUTIES

• Fosters curricula and programs that contribute to the mission of the College in its role locally, regionally, and nationally
• Provides leadership in long-range planning, budgeting, curriculum and program development, assessment, accreditation, and compliance
• Effectively communicates education values with vision for future growth
• Provides leadership and support to the deans to meet and exceed enrollment targets, retention rates, and graduation rates and to ensure mission-driven academic objectives are achieved
• Oversees faculty recruitment, retention, placement, promotion, salary allocation, tenure and utilization of academic personnel
• Serves as advisor to and ex-officio member of the Faculty Senate
• Actively participates as a member of the President’s Cabinet and assists the President and other senior leadership in achieving priority institutional objectives identified in the College’s Strategic Plan
• Coordinates faculty and administration hiring in the areas under Academic Affairs and Student Affairs
• Fosters a campus culture that embraces diversity
• Communicates successfully and works collaboratively across a diverse shared-governance system
• Communicates successfully and works collaboratively with a diverse array of campus, community and professional individuals and organizations
• Resolves conflicts and advises other academic administrators on personnel issues
• Provides leadership to the faculty and makes final recommendations to the President on curriculum matters
• Administers the academic policies and requirement of the College
• Coordinates with Schools and academic departments to manage class schedules, class enrollments and course loads of teaching faculty with fiscal responsibility
• Promotes excellence in teaching and scholarship and encourages use of technology in teaching
• Helps develop budgets and monitors expenditures for the academic and student affairs offices under direct supervision
• Promotes and advances the College by actively participating in appropriate state, regional and national organizations
• Promotes and advances the College by active participation in charitable and civic organizations
• Provides oversight of academic services, including advising, tutoring and engagement units
• Provides leadership for the planning, organization, coordination, and evaluation of student affairs units while achieving institutional goals and objectives
• Ensures that the activities of Academic and Student Affairs meet the requirements of the College’s accrediting and licensing agencies

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED BY THE POSITION

• Knowledge of Board of Regents policies and procedures
• Knowledge of state and national issues related to higher education
• Knowledge of budget development and management principles
• Knowledge of supervisory principles and practices
• Skills in the delegation of responsibility and authority
• Skills in the operation of computers and job-related software programs
• Skills in decision making and problem solving
• Skills in interpersonal relations and in dealing with the public
• Skills in oral and written communication

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS 

This position reports directly to the College President.

GUIDELINES 

Adheres to University System of Georgia’s policies and procedures, ABAC’s Strategic Plan, Catalog, Student Handbook, FERPA regulations, Title IX regulations, and federal and state guidelines. These guidelines require judgment, selection, and interpretation in application.

COMPLEXITY/SCOPE OF WORK

• Provides leadership and supervision to the four school deans, numerous departments, and personnel
• Assigns work in terms of goals and objectives
• Requires extreme professionalism
• Exhibits effective leadership skills
• Possesses strong work ethic
• Serves a Chief Officer for all Academic and Student Affairs of the College
• Serves as Officer in Charge in the absence of the President

CONTACTS

Works with other College Administrators, Board of Regents and the University System of Georgia’s personnel, School Deans, as well as College faculty, staff, students and both private and public sectors and constituents

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work primarily performed in a college campus environment and requires a flexible schedule including evening and weekend work
• Travel for administrative work is expected

SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

Provides leadership, direction and supervision to the following departments, offices, and personnel:

• School Deans (4)
• Assistant Vice Presidents
  • Center for Teaching and Learning
  • Student Affairs
  • Registrar
• Directors
  • Academic Support
  • Athletics
  • Honors Program
  • Library
  • Multicultural Education
  • Sponsored Programs
• Institutional Effectiveness  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required: The candidate must hold an earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution and must be both an accomplished college-level instructor and active scholar.

Desired: The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five years of progressive leadership experience in academic affairs. Experience in fundraising and grant contract activities are desirable.

• Terminal degree in an academic discipline, preferably related to college offerings
• Record of successful leadership in higher education
• Excellent written, presentation, interpersonal skills
• Ability to work within a culturally diverse organization
• Must have a high level of professional appearance and demeanor
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality