Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Posted: 10/20/2024

Education

Heinze & Associates Executive Search is pleased to assist Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in its search for Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

For priority consideration, please apply by December 1, 2024.

The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) provides leadership for Academic Affairs, fostering an engaging, challenging, and inspirational environment for students, faculty, student affairs educators, and professional staff focused on the advancement of holistic student learning and success grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Provost provides instructional leadership ensuring rigorous, high quality educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students through on-campus, online, and multimodal instruction and through state-wide and international partnerships. The Provost supports faculty in scholarly and creative achievements and research, continuing preparation and ongoing professional development, contributions to student learning and development, and service to the university and community.

The Provost is the senior academic affairs officer and the second ranking executive officer at Bemidji State University (BSU). As a member of the President’s executive cabinet, the Provost engages in team leadership with cabinet peers and advances shared governance inclusive of faculty, student affairs educators, professional staff, and students as well as alumni and members of the community.

Working collaboratively with deans, faculty, student affairs educators, and professional staff, the Provost develops and administers academic policies, helps establish academic priorities, oversees the curriculum, encourages faculty and student research, and assures compliance with system, state, regional, and federal educational policies. The Provost participates in university-wide and academic strategic planning and is the primary administrative liaison with the faculty union. The Provost is also the senior liaison for academic matters with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, particularly as connected to instructional aspects of its Equity 2030 goal to eliminate educational equity gaps at every Minnesota State college and university. The Provost also shares responsibility for the internationalization of the BSU campus.

The scope of responsibility includes two academic colleges and nine schools. Responsibility also includes several academic support units including Grants Administration; Center for Professional Development; the A.C. Clark Library; Honors Program; Liberal Education Program; and the McNair Program. The Provost is responsible for oversight of the Academic Affairs budget.

Bemidji State University is aligned with Northwest Technical College (NTC), also located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The Provost works with the President and the Executive Vice President and Senior Academic Officer at NTC to enhance the relationship between the two institutions with particular attention to collaboration in the development of educational programs and offerings that serve the region as well as pathways for students to transition between NTC and BSU. Partnerships between BSU and NTC provide a foundation for broader collaboration with two-year colleges and Tribal Colleges across Northern Minnesota as well as with businesses, industry, organizations, and communities in the region.
This position reports directly to the President and may serve as senior administrator in charge in the President’s absence.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership

Serving as a member of the President’s Executive Cabinet Team; planning and facilitating meetings of the BSU Cabinet and attending NTC Cabinet meetings when appropriate.
Providing thought leadership related to the scope of responsibility in planning and decision-making for BSU and NTC including servicing as a senior advisor and partner to the President in pursuit of the vision and mission of BSU and NTC.
Centering holistic student learning, success, and achievement leading to long-term educational value in all professional practices.
Demonstrating self-awareness of one's own cultural beliefs, perspectives, and privileges as a part of one’s orientation toward leadership.
Acknowledging the specific and particular realities of Indigenous, Black and persons of color, 2SLGBTQIAP+ individuals, first-generation college students, people from low-income families, and other minoritized communities within Northern Minnesota while also connecting communities to local and regional experiences in order to foster a greater sense of belonging among employees and students.
Advancing a campus culture of proactive, transparent, and inclusive engagement with shared governance. Actively and visibly engage with campus, local, and regional communities.
Promoting practices that are environmentally sustainable and consistent with practices advanced by American Indian stewards of the region’s land, water, and air.
Proactively engaging in data-informed practices that lead to continuous improvement.
Committing to the highest level of ethical practice including allocation of time and resources for reflection, rest, mentoring/consultation, etc.
Maintaining currency in areas of leadership responsibility including Senior Academic Officer duties articulated below through engagement with strategically selected and agreed-upon professional organizations.

Senior Academic Officer

Serving as senior academic officer for the University administering academic operations and strategies for the University across all colleges; leading development and implementation of the University’s academic master plan; developing University-level policies, procedures, and business practices; ensuring the University’s compliance with international, federal, and state regulations and other requirements; cultivating and hosting delegations as appropriate; and traveling nationally and internationally to represent and promote the University.
Representing the University to a wide range of international, federal, state, system, and regional, partners and stakeholders (includes liaison to national/international delegations, higher education institutions, and government officials; federal and state government agencies; international and national professional associations; statewide boards; system task forces and committees; regional economic development groups and civic leaders; and corporate partners).
In addition to participating as a senior member of the President’s Executive Cabinet and facilitating the BSU Cabinet as described above, providing leadership for the Dean’s Council and Provost’s Council, Academic Planning, and other task forces, and committees.
Providing leadership for Academic Affairs:
- Supervising deans and academic program directors, empowering them to recruit, employ, and assign faculty and staff; planning, preparing and monitoring budgets and overseeing the development, improvement, modification, and retention of programs.
- Participating in Minnesota State College and University system-wide planning and operations in cooperation with the Chancellor's Office, Vice Chancellors, and employee bargaining units.
- Overseeing faculty evaluation and all aspects of faculty appointments, advancement, retention, scholarly/creative/research endeavors, and community service activities in accordance with the Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Implementing and monitoring locally the provisions of the IFO agreement and responding to grievances.
Working closely with the Faculty Senate to develop and revise academic policies and to meaningfully consult with faculty in the shared governance process.
Collaborating with and supporting the work of the athletic director in matters related to the IFO contract and athletic coaches represented by the IFO.
Providing leadership for undergraduate and graduate academic planning, evaluation, and assessment of instruction, programs, student academic support, and student learning, especially as tied to accreditation.
Serving as a primary spokesperson to external bodies including legislative and other governmental bodies on matters related to Academic Affairs.
Creating and supporting outreach and service through partnerships and alliances with: PK-12 and postsecondary educational institutions; MinnState staff and MinnState institutions; distance learning and life-long learning; for-profit and not-for-profit sectors; University-related regional, state, national and international organizations; and granting agencies, federal/state relationships, and foundations.
Modeling community and professional involvement through: MinnState and other relevant committees; community engagement; personal research and scholarship.
Supporting alumni engagement and fundraising work of the BSU Alumni and Foundation Board and BSU Foundation employees.
Working with the President and with the senior academic officer of our aligned institution, NTC, to enhance the relationship between the two institutions and our faculty, staff, and students.
Advising the President on all academic matters.
Serving from time to time as the Senior Executive Officer in the President’s absence.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications

Earned doctorate or other terminal degree from accredited institution.
A record of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education including administration of budgets, supervision of academic personnel, and effective management of professional staff and/or student affairs educators in collaboration with faculty.
Demonstrated achievement and outcomes in advancing a diverse, inclusive, and equity-minded environment for students, faculty, student affairs educators, professional staff, and the broader university community.
A disposition for team leadership with executive peers and a proven capacity to lead cross-divisional and/or cross-functional teams to attain strategic outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

Progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education at level of dean or of similar responsibility to that of BSU’s deans at a larger higher education institution.
Documented research and/or scholarship activities commensurate with the standards for tenure in a related academic discipline at BSU.
Demonstrated ability to develop effective relationships across the university, both within Academic Affairs and with other divisions (e.g., Finance & Administration, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Information Technology, Student Success, Advancement, and Athletics) to achieve strategic priorities.
Demonstrated ability to strategically plan and manage resources (e.g., financial, personnel, facility, technology, etc.).
Knowledge of emerging trends, challenges and opportunities, current standards, and effective practices in higher education and university operations, at the international, national, and state/system levels.
Demonstrated ability to achieve compliance with international, federal, and state regulations and other requirements related to diversity, inclusion, and equity endeavors in a comprehensive university (e.g., Title IX, Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.).
Strong understanding and knowledge of academic affairs issues and strategies; instructional strategies to include online learning; the curriculum development process; and technology and how it impacts teaching and learning.
Experience working in a public state college and university system, and demonstrated ability to effectively lead in a collective bargaining, shared governance environment.
Demonstrated ability to communicate articulately and inspirationally.
Demonstrated ability to lead, support, and achieve results in external fund-raising, including grants, contracts, gifts, and other sources of revenue generation.
Ability to engage in professional leadership and service, as a senior academic administrator, at the state, regional, national, and international levels to advance strategic directions.
Demonstrated ability to promote and facilitate faculty and staff professional development and achievements.
Demonstrated commitment to community service and civic engagement for the entire campus community and regional constituencies while serving as a civically engaged ambassador who is a leader in promotion of the University and its shared fundamental values.

Other Considerations

Must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.
Official transcript(s) must be provided to Human Resources upon hire.
In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (Minn State) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to Minn State’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.
BSU and NTC are tobacco free workplaces (see policy).

It’s more than a job. It’s an opportunity for the extraordinary.

On the idyllic shores of Lake Bemidji, cradled among the limitless natural beauty of the North Woods and neighbored by Minnesota’s three largest Indigenous nations, Bemidji State University offers opportunities for the extraordinary.

Bemidji State University has been ranked as one of the top 30 public institutions in the Midwest region by U.S. News & World Report each year since 2019. BSU offers its diverse student body a comprehensive spectrum of opportunities with nearly 120 undergraduate degrees and emphasis areas in more than 50 areas of study, 14 pre-professional programs, and 14 graduate programs and certificates.

As Bemidji State continues its second century of service, our vision is simple: we educate people to lead inspired lives. To achieve this, BSU centers diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value and strives to create a campus culture in which all members are free to be their authentic selves. BSU also proactively engages with Indigenous communities in northern Minnesota and nationwide toward its goal of becoming a destination university.

BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, the third-largest system of higher education institutions in the United States. It shares a unique alignment with Northwest Technical College, with administration and student services generally having dual responsibilities to serve both campuses. Through this alignment, NTC students can take advantage of services, support, activities, and opportunities at BSU that expand and enhance their college experience — such as full access to BSU’s library and the ability to live in BSU’s on-campus resident housing.

For the first time, a joint strategic planning process will guide the future directions for both institutions. The schools are pursuing four shared strategic priorities: student success, the Nisidotaading initiative, northern distinction, and telling our story. These priorities will serve as the foundations for master planning processes for facilities, academic programs, fundraising, information technology, intercollegiate athletics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, among others.

The Nisidotaading initiative — named for an Ojibwe phrase meaning “building mutual understanding” — is creating a statewide center of excellence. It will develop communities of practice meant to help Minnesota State colleges and universities better educate their campus communities on historical trauma and lived experiences of their Indigenous populations, and how to most effectively guide Indigenous students toward their educational goals. In addition, BSU is the first university in the United States to expose all of its students to a course on Indigenous people before graduation.

Bemidji State University acknowledges that it is located on land and water that is the current and ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe and Dakota. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced assimilation, and efforts to alienate the Indigenous inhabitants from their territory here. We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land, retained tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and cultural resilience. Indigenous people are spiritual and physical caretakers of this land to which we all belong. Bemidji State University respects these sacred lands, stands with the community members from these Nations, and will fight injustice in all its forms.

At Minnesota State, the work we do is more than just a job. In their pursuit of purpose, connection, and growth, our employees play a critical role on our campuses. They develop policies, provide essential services, and work to improve the well-being and quality of life for our students and for all Minnesotans. Minnesota State is committed to equity and inclusion, and we invest in our employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities. Unlock your potential through possibility.

The City of Bemidji

Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College lie amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. Bemidji State occupies a wooded campus along the western shore of Lake Bemidji while Northwest Technical College lies just three miles east, near Bemidji’s robust industrial district.?

The city sits between Minnesota’s three largest American Indian tribal nations: the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Red Lake Nation and the White Earth Nation. When settling the Bemidji area in 1750, the Ojibwe people named the lake Bemidjigamaag, which means “a lake with crossing waters” as the Mississippi River flows in from the south and exits on the east. Today, a city proper with a population of around 15,000 serves as a regional economic and cultural hub for about 100,000 Minnesotans.

Located just minutes away from a thriving downtown Bemidji, both the BSU and NTC campus communities have convenient access to affordable restaurants, fine-dining experiences, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores — including a natural foods co-op — city parks, and nearly unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. Small, locally-owned shops and art sculptures line Bemidji's downtown streets, while national chains are also found in and around the area.?The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows, restaurants offer weekly live music performances, the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits, and annual festivals bring the community together throughout the year.?

Additionally, the North Woods setting means students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities available at their fingertips year-round. With more than 400 lakes — and a 240-acre research forest owned by BSU — within 25 miles of the city, there is easy access to kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, hunting, hiking, biking, foraging, fishing, and more. An expansive network of?multi-use trail systems is available for running, cross-country skiing, single-track or fat-tire biking, and skijoring. Further, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing lie just north of Bemidji at the Buena Vista Ski Area.

Bemidji is also near two of Minnesota’s 66 state parks:?Lake Bemidji State Park, which sits along Lake Bemidji’s northern shore, and Itasca State Park, home to the majestic Mississippi River Headwaters. Both parks are popular recreational and camping destinations where locals and tourists gather for sailing, swimming, and fishing during the summer months, and?skating, hockey, curling, and—yes—more fishing in the winter.?

Of course, no tour of Bemidji is complete without a visit to — and a selfie with — its two most famous residents: the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and his trusty companion, Babe the Blue Ox. The famed duo, which has greeted visitors to Bemidji since 1937, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once ranked by Kodak as the second most-photographed statue in America.

For further information about BSU visit http://www.bemidjistate.edu.

To Apply

For best consideration, please apply by December 1, 2024.

External Applicants: Apply for Vacancy Posting JR0000000639, on our career site: https://minnstate.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Minnesota_State_Careers or at https://minnstate.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/Minnesota_State_Careers/job/Bemidji/Provost-and-Vice-President-for-Academic-Affairs_JR0000000639.

Internal Applicants: All current employees will need to log in to the career site in Workday to apply for a position. Employees will search for “Browse Jobs – Employees” in Workday via the search bar at the top to view open positions.

A complete application shall include the following:

A cover letter specifically addressing your qualifications, the core values of student success and DEI at BSU and NTC, and the focus on enhancing value for graduates at BSU and NTC.
Resume / Curriculum Vitae.
Unofficial transcript(s) of all undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Please do not email applications.

If you have questions about the position, or would like to make a nomination or referral, please contact:
Kris Hnastchenko, President
Heinze & Associates Executive Search
763-242-9926
kris.heinzeandassociates@gmail.com

If you have questions about submitting an application, contact:
Mary Miller
218-755-2084
mary.miller@bemidjistate.edu