Vice President of Student Services and Athletics

Serving in a senior administration capacity, the Vice President provides vision, leadership and management of Student Services and Athletics and functions as the Director of Athletics. The salary range for this position is $100,265-$125,331. This position reports to President and serves the Ironwood campus and the Copper Country Center in Houghton, MI. The VP serves as an advocate for all students, sustaining a high level of involvement with students and being engaged in their experiences while supporting a welcoming environment. The successful candidate will be approachable and demonstrate energy, passion and innovation while overseeing effective operations in the following areas: Admissions, Marketing, Enrollment Management, Community Relations, Public Relations, Athletics, Campus Suites, Counseling & Placement, Financial Aid, Registration & Registrar, Student Government & Activities, Student Success Center, Transfer Relations, and TRIO Grant Programs. It is important that there is recognition, acceptance, and adherence to the community college mission and philosophy from our candidate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Promotes the importance of a diverse and inclusive institutional culture; assumes responsibility for supporting an environment that inspires teamwork, respect, trust and recognizes initiative and excellence.
• Mentors a highly competent, motivated, and experienced staff, encouraging professional development and evaluating assessments of performance; realigns responsibilities as appropriate; incorporates student services and athletics to the greatest extent practicable.
• Creates positive student relations by maintaining effective lines of communication with student leaders and serving as a strong advocate for co-curricular & extracurricular needs of students; prioritizes improving Campus Suites capacity and the enhancement of campus life.
• Partners with the GCC community to implement strategic planning and academic progress initiatives; analyzes and evaluates enrollment and retention data; and makes recommendations for enhancements to the enrollment management plan ensuring effective and organized student services from course registration through graduation.
• Works effectively with the college’s Accreditation Liaison Officer and the accreditation process to comply with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and quality initiatives.
• Effectively administers the division budget and resource allocations, including developing proposals and maintaining fiscal accountability; ensures feedback and transparency throughout budgetary processes.
• Collaborates closely with the Vice President of Academic Services to review current and best practices in delivering support services such as academic advising; actively seeks opportunities for collaboration, development, and integration among academic, business and student services.
• Serves as a key liaison to preserve, build, and enhance K-12, university and community college partnerships and relationships; provides active leadership and coordination of state level programs and initiatives associated with the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA)
• Collaborates with staff to analyze and refine processes, policies, and procedures; collaborates with staff to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations pertaining to ADA/504, Clery Act, FERPA, the Student Code of Conduct and Title IX.
• Works with others to implement emergent technologies that improve the college experience; persistently seeks opportunities to utilize technology as a lever to enhance efficiencies and promote growth.
• Coordinates effectively with marketing and public relations and other outreach efforts to enhance visibility and awareness of programs, brand awareness, advertising campaigns, social media platforms and other associated activities.
• Serves on local civic and/or community organizations as a college representative and serves as a liaison with professional organizations as appropriate; continually seeks opportunities to partner with and build community relationships.
• Concentrates on delivering a balanced emphasis on performance as demonstrated by regional and national honors, athletic program success, graduation rates, team GPA, and retention rates; collaborates with support areas and faculty to ensure that student-athletes receive intervention and academic assistance.
• Supervises recruitment activities within the athletic programs, complying with conference and national rules; focuses on maximizing student-athlete participation and opportunities to recruit international students.
• In conjunction with the Registrar’s Office and Institutional Research, responsible for student athlete eligibility, and preparing reports for the NJCAA; produce reports for the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA).
• Collaborates with the President, the Foundation Office, coaches, and administrators to increase fund-raising capacity and sponsorship awareness; oversees the athletic scholarship process, to include budgetary parameters, letters of intent, release agreements, transfer tracking forms and transfer waivers.
• Works with Vice President of Business Services to effectively manage the Lindquist Student and Conference Center (LSCC); responsible for the management and coordination of all formal athletic events on campus; work with relevant entities and coaches to develop season schedules.
• Collaborates with marketing and public relations, coaches, and other staff to develop marketing strategies, promotional opportunities, brand standards and makes updates to gogebicsamsons.com.
• Ensures vibrancy, development, and oversight of Esports, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Nordic Skiing, and Softball; seeks opportunities to implement new sports.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of Student Services and Athletics.
• Strategic planning with a record of achieving institutional goals.
• Increasing enrollment strategies and student success initiatives.
• Crisis intervention and conflict resolution.
• The rural community college environment.
• Applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• NJCCA, NCAA, NAIA and club sport rules and regulations.

Ability to:

• Be creative “think outside of the box” while understanding the significance of data-based decision making.
• Be an ethical leader that leads by example and has the capacity to display empathy; be an interdepartmental collaborator.
• Maintain a student-centered and student-supported campus climate with an expectation of quality and excellence.
• Meet schedules/timelines and be highly adaptable and responsive to changing conditions.
• Demonstrate exceptional listening skills and strong verbal and writing skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree and five years of experience with increasing responsibilities in an administrative capacity in higher education within a student service setting.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s in education, leadership, student development, counseling, social sciences, or related field of study. Community college experience within a student services/athletics setting.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to use a computer; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds frequently. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in indoor conditions and regularly works near video display. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The noise level will be louder while in the LSCC. This position will require flexibility in scheduling to attend events, meetings, and other professional responsibilities outside of regular business hours. This position requires day travel and occasional overnight travel, and monthly travel to the Houghton location.

Don’t just work here... Live here.

About Our College:

Gogebic Community College is more than a place to work. It’s a place to be. As an Aspen Award finalist and the premier provider of quality two-year education in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Gogebic employs a community college approach in delivering university-level quality.

Gogebic supports more than 1,000 students with small class sizes and an outcome-focused philosophy.

Gogebic Community College’s “Go BOLD” motto prescribes a dynamic environment in which students and employees alike are supported as they do great work, live adventurous lives, and build extraordinary futures.

About Our Region:

A few miles north of ordinary lies the Upper Peninsula’s Gogebic region. Amid nearly a million acres of natural beauty in the Ottawa National Forest, Gogebic is a wonderland for work and a paradise for play. Our dazzling region, known for world-class fishing, hiking, skiing, biking, snowmobiling and outdoor adventuring, represents one of Michigan’s last unspoiled gems.

A Bold Place to Work…

Gogebic is more than a community college… It’s a college community—known for supportive leadership and dynamic, down-to-earth employees. A community institution at the heart of our region’s workforce, the College and its graduates uplift not only local economies, but those throughout Michigan, and beyond. Combining high standards with a “serving the top 100%” approach, Gogebic Community College is a place to make a stand for your career…and make a difference in the lives of students.

A Bold Place to Ski…

Gogebic Community College is the only college in the United States hosting an on-campus ski resort. Home to GCC’s nationally renowned Ski Area Management program, the Mt. Zion Recreational Complex is a professionally managed and maintained public ski facility featuring a state-of-the-art lift and 300 feet of vertical.

A Bold Place to Be…

The Gogebic region provides a stunning, million-acre backdrop on which to explore adventure, connect with nature, and discover yourself. Located four hours from the Twin Cities and six hours from Chicago, Gogebic residents get the best of both worlds: small-town connectedness, with access to big-city culture. Local hiking, biking, skiing, and snowboarding trails include the North Country Trail and the famed 1,200-mile Iron Belle Trail, as well as routes traversing Black River Harbor, the Porcupine Mountains, Sylvania wilderness, and the Ottawa National Forest. With a persistent economy driven by a mix of construction, manufacturing, tourism, transportation, and retail, the region boasts a stable workforce, with skilled positions paying living wages.

Gogebic’s Mission

Gogebic Community College is a learning community that contributes to academic, cultural, economic, and social success for our students and region.

Application Process

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until 9:00 am (Central Time) on Monday, January 3, 2022. Interested individuals should submit a PDF or Word documents with all 5 (five) of the following emailed to: Ashley Paquette, Director of Human Resources, Gogebic Community College ashleyp@gogebic.edu

1. Letter of interest
2. Detailed resume
3. Three references with current contact information
4. GCC Application for Employment
5. Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts are required before employment)

Official transcriptions will be required from all finalists.

Start date: The start date is no later than July 1, 2022. The ideal start date is a mutually agreed upon start date prior to July 1, 2022.

For Confidental inquiries or additional information, please contact: 

Julie Golder, J.D.

Vice President of Search Services, Association of Community College Trustees

(202) 775-4466 (o); jgolder@acct.org

Gogebic Community College is an equal opportunity educator and employer.