Vice President for Learning and Chief Academic Officer

Vice President for Learning and

Chief Academic Officer

at West Virginia Northern Community College

West Virginia Northern Community College seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking academic administrator to serve the key leadership role of Vice President for Learning and Chief Academic Officer. The lead advocate for ensuring teaching and learning is the central focus of the student experience, this senior officer oversees the College’s Academic Affairs divisions and fosters successful collaboration within the Academic Leadership Team. While the start date is negotiable, the selected candidate must begin duties no later than July 1, 2023.

For complete information, see the Search Profile at https://myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/WVNCC-VPL.pdf

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

In 1972, the West Virginia Board of Regents created West Virginia Northern Community College (Northern) a dual-campus community college, developed from the formerly Hancock County Branch and the Wheeling Campus of West Liberty State College. The College was charged with providing educational programs of two years or less duration for high school graduates and adults. Responding to local community requests, the College began offering courses in New Martinsville in 1973 and established a campus there in 1975. In 1976, Northern began offering classes in Weirton with a campus built in 1985.
     Today, as a comprehensive community college, Northern offers a wide variety of programs and courses in the arts and sciences, career-technical education, developmental studies, and community service. Under an open admissions policy, the College admits all adults desiring postsecondary education. Daniel Mosser, Ph.D., became the College’s eighth president in September 2019. Dr. Mosser brought more than three decades of leadership experience in higher education and workforce training to Northern, including over 18 years as a senior executive in community colleges.
     Northern enrolls 1,250 degree-seeking students plus hundreds of students seeking career training and industry credentials across its three campuses in Wheeling, Weirton, and New Martinsville. Students are primarily from West Virginia, with 12 percent of those attending being from out of state. The College has 87 full- and 17 part-time staff members and 51 full-time and 48 adjunct faculty members. Bringing both knowledge and experience to their classrooms, faculty members have a strong commitment to student success.
     The community college has a robust dual enrollment program with partnerships with all high schools in the Northern Panhandle. High school students recommended by their schools for early entrance also are admitted. This includes the West Virginia EDGE (Earn a Degree-Graduate Early), where career-technical students in selected programs earn college credit for technical courses. Currently, high school students account for 28 percent of the institution’s total enrollment.
     Northern offers 71 programs and courses in applied technologies, business career studies, computer information technology, culinary arts, education, healthcare professions, human services, criminal justice, and liberal arts. Workforce development is a key part of the mission and includes dozens of continuing education offerings.
     Many new programs have been added in recent years, including Substance Abuse Counseling, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), EMT/Paramedic, Engineering and Pre-Engineering, Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and Industrial Technology Management to name a few. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College expanded our online learning capabilities and online course offerings. Northern continues to adapt to the needs of the times by, for example, now offering our Criminal Justice Program 100 percent online. The College also expanded its Petroleum Technology program to include a broader focus on Energy Technologies.
     The College awards the Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Science degree, and Associate in Applied Science degree and offers nearly 20 specialized two-plus-two transfer programs with numerous four-year institutions. The College’s online education courses continue to expand.

WVNCC Strategic Plan - https://www.wvncc.edu/docs/u7_BOG_SP-21-25.pdf

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Learning and Chief Academic Officer (Vice President) administers the Academic Affairs divisions through strategic planning, collaborative and collegial leadership, and a work style. In this role, the Vice President oversees more than 70 faculty and staff positions and leads the work in student learning and success in collaboration with the Academic Leadership Team.
    An advocate for inclusion, student success, and degree or program completion, the Vice President ensures that the College provides quality instruction. In addition, the Vice President provides visionary leadership to move the College, faculty, and staff forward with policies and thought-provoking strategies that promote and achieve the College’s strategic priorities. In direct support of the College mission, vision, and values, the Vice President ensures an inclusive and safe campus community and culture for all employees and students.
    The Vice President’s scope includes program review and assessment, accreditation and self-evaluation, assessment of student learning outcomes and advancement of student success, personnel decisions, budget development, enrollment management, fiscal accountability, program and curriculum development, and the encouragement and improvement of teaching and learning—both in-person and online.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Serves as Chief Academic Officer for the College and assumes responsibility for ensuring that all programs, courses, and services support the purpose and mission of the College.
• Serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet and assists the President in administrative leadership.
• Participates in the development of the strategic plan.
• Develops, implements, and administers annual operational plans in support of the strategic plan including unit goals and objectives as well as necessary policies and procedures.
• Oversees instruction of on-campus, off-campus, and distance courses including development of course schedules based on enrollment trend data.
• Oversees development of new instructional programs and discontinuation of outdated ones.
• Oversees faculty-driven processes that assess academic effectiveness, incorporates principles and practices of curriculum development, evaluates student learning outcomes, and improves student learning.
• Requires rigorous adherence to core requirements and standards for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.
• Directs the state-mandated program review process.
• Responsible for the design, delivery, and assessment of co-requisite education models.
• Oversees the design and implementation of academic retention, student success, and completion strategies.
• Oversees services provided by the Registrar, Academic Resource Center, Director of Assessment, Libraries, and tutoring on all campuses.
• Oversees Student Accessibility Services ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Seeks grant opportunities, writes proposals, and manages grants for learning and student success.
• Maintains an accurate program inventory and obtains all required local, state, and federal approvals.
• Guides and supports the teaching and learning process, including use of instructional technologies.
• Administers overall leadership of Student Care & Success area and Academic Resource Center.
• Responds to issues and concerns according to established College policies and procedures, and recommends changes in those policies and procedures as needed over time.
• Works in partnership with Academic Leadership Team to examine new opportunities and in solving problems related to faculty, programs, and students.
• Builds and fosters collaborative programs and initiatives such as articulation agreements, guided pathways, and partnerships.
• Oversees the statewide Board of Governors Degree and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
• Oversees planning, administers the budget, and prepares and submits reports for the Career and Technical Education grant activities.
• Works collaboratively with the VP for Economic and Workforce Development to develop and offer cohesive and articulated, as appropriate, college-wide career and workforce development solutions.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive instructional budget; practices sound stewardship of funds allocated; works collaboratively with the VP of Administrative Services to ensure accurate and sound accounting of budgets relative to the division; takes actions to ensure compliance with budget limitations and fiscal policies; and oversees the training of budget managers.
• Develops collaborative relationships with organizational units of the College as well as with community, business, and government leaders.
• Oversees assigned standing committees and serves on the Continuous Improvement Council, Curriculum Committee, and others.
• Supports and recommends faculty and staff professional development opportunities.
• Supervises hiring of division personnel and oversees faculty evaluation, promotion, and merit processes.
• Ensures that division personnel are knowledgeable of and comply with institutional and West Virginia- Community and Technical College System (WV-CTCS) state policies and procedures.
• Serves as the College representative on state-level committees and councils for WV-HEPC and WV-CTCS.
• Maintains working relationships with Faculty Assembly to support student learning and success.
• Pursues relationships for the purpose of delivering educational and training programs to meet the needs of business, industry, community groups, and other organizations.
• Supports alternative funding opportunities through effective grant development and attainment.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President.
• Represents the College at meetings, conferences, and events, etc., as appropriate.
• Attends state, regional, and national meetings for program updates and professional development.
• Attends Board of Governor meetings and makes presentations as directed.
• Provides appropriate college leadership in the absence of the President.
• Travels regularly to all three WVNCC campuses.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Master’s degree in an academic discipline or higher education—required
• Earned doctorate degree—strongly preferred

Experience

• Ten years minimum of progressively responsible supervisory and management experience in higher education—required
• Three years of direct supervisory experience over academic areas—required; five or more
• years—preferred
• Working experience at a community college—strongly preferred
• College teaching experience—strongly preferred

Licenses

• Valid state-issued driver’s license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• An understanding of the changing landscape of higher education
• Commitment to and appreciation of the community college mission
• Knowledge of continuous quality improvement management principles and practices
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of internal and external constituencies
• Experience with an online learning platform and course delivery
• Superior written and oral communication skills
• Strong decision-making skills
• Understanding of the role of technology in teaching and learning
• A vision for the evolving role of faculty
• Demonstrated skills in academic planning, curriculum development, academic support programs, program management and accountability, specialized program accreditation, personnel management, and budget oversight

Computer Skills

• Knowledge of basic Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with Student Information Systems and Learning Management Systems

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINA

Serving all three campuses, Northern’s administrative offices are in the B&O Building, originally the passenger terminal of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, on the central campus in the City of Wheeling. Known as “the friendly city,” Wheeling and the surrounding area have a rich heritage. The city has a population of 26,430, while the metro area has more than 147,950 residents.
    Whether it’s dining, shopping, or exploring, Wheeling is a treasure of one-of-a-kind experiences. The city combines a wonderful mixture of small-town characteristics and major market quality of life. Along with a low cost of living, Wheeling boasts outstanding cultural attractions, a variety of entertainment venues, and ever-growing employment opportunities. Private and public schools are available.
    The city is located on the Ohio River, between Ohio and Pennsylvania, in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The scenic riverfront location, proximity to mountains, festivals, parks and playgrounds, century-spanning historical sites, and award-winning events solidify the city as a great place to work, live, and play.
    If seeking a more urban outing, Wheeling is less than an hour from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and two hours from Columbus, Ohio.

APPLICATION & NOMINATION PROCESS

Confidential inquiries are welcomed, and nominations are invited.

Applications

1. Application packet must include the following: a) A letter of interest that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, b) Current résumé or curriculum vitae, and c) At least five references with full contact information including e-mails (References will not be contacted without consent from applicant.)
2. Submit application packet (preferably as PDFs) to WVNCC-VPL@myersmcrae.com by February 21, 2023, for best consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Additional information will be requested upon receipt of application.

Nominations

Submit nominations to WVNCC-VPL-nominate@myersmcrae.com with complete contact and e-mail information for the individual being nominated.

Consultant

Kenny Daugherty, President of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, is assisting Northern with this search. Request a confidential conversation at KennyDaugherty@myersmcrae.com.

West Virginia Northern Community College, pursuant to the requirements of Titles IV, VI, VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, does not discriminate against applicants, employees, or students on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, gender, ancestry, marital or parental status, or national origin in its employment policies and/or educational programs or activities, including admissions to such.