Vice President of Academics/Chief Academic Officer

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Job description

Position Announcement

The Michigan School of Psychology, a private, non-profit graduate institution dedicated to excellence in clinical psychology education, is seeking a visionary and collaborative Vice President of Academics/Chief Academic Officer. This senior leadership position plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic direction of the institution, ensuring the highest standards of teaching, scholarship, and student success. The ideal candidate will bring a deep understanding of graduate-level clinical psychology education, a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and the strategic insight necessary to advance the school’s mission in a rapidly evolving academic and professional landscape.

As a school that is singularly focused on educating clinical psychologists, the MSP experience is different from any other school in the State of Michigan. All students are committed to becoming licensed psychologists, and all faculty share a passion and a commitment to the profession and the discipline. This makes the MSP environment truly unique.

First and foremost, we are a teaching institution. Typically, faculty teach no more than 2 classes in a term, meaning there is time to engage students as they strive to reach educational goals and plan for their future. With fewer than 180 students on campus, our size offers unparalleled opportunity to involve everyone in the life of the campus. Whether working with students in supervision to address client needs or mentoring students who submit papers to national conferences, the connection between faculty and students is strong.

Being a member of the MSP community also means being a member of the psychology profession. Our faculty are actively involved in state and national organizations, and the institution provides support for every employee to attend conferences and other professional meetings. Students also have access to professional development funds enabling them to attend conferences to present, network, and bolster their careers. Most MSP faculty also participate in clinical practice ensuring that the connection between work in the classroom and work with clients is always strong.

The Vice President of Academics/Chief Academic Officer will join a team of experienced faculty that functions well as a unit and is prepared for continued success in the future. Working with a new President and joining as a new strategic plan is being launched, the opportunity for contribution is substantial. The ideal candidate is someone dedicated to education that wants to invest in our mission “…to educate psychologists today who will transform our world tomorrow.”

Job Title:  Vice President of Academics/Chief Academic Officer

Reports to: President

Employment Classification: Exempt

Supervises:  Academic Program Directors

Director of Clinical Training

All Faculty

Academic Services Coordinator

Writing Tutors

Student Employees (to include Graduate

Assistant for Research and Teaching Assistants)

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Management

  • Supervises and guides the work of the Program Directors and Director of Clinical Training regarding curriculum planning and assessment, resolution of faculty/student concerns, and implementation of policies.
  • Leads initiatives and ongoing activities to recruit, support, develop, and evaluate faculty in the areas of teaching, scholarship/research, and service. Facilitates faculty hiring, appointments and renewal according to institutional procedure.
  • With support from the Director of Human Resources, reviews credentials for faculty and verify faculty are qualified to teach their assigned courses.
  • Supervises all faculty; facilitates faculty orientation and mentoring initiatives. Manages the annual faculty review process; implements professional development plans as needed.
  • Collaborates with Program Directors on creating the annual schedule of program faculty meetings, Faculty Council, Trainings and Professional Development Days. Convenes and facilitates Faculty Council as a non-voting member.
  • Develops and maintains effective channels of communication.
  • Works closely with Program Directors to monitor faculty workload.
  • Works closely with Student Services personnel in creating collaborative operational processes related to the admission and retention of students, course scheduling, monitoring academic standing and review of policies and procedures.
  • Assists in marketing and outreach initiatives to promote the school, student recruitment, and community engagement.
  • Monitors admissions process; collaborates with personnel to ensure the attainment of enrollment and retention goals.
  • Develops and manages Academic budget according to institutional procedures; approves all expenditures to include dissertation payments.
  • Facilitates training for the institution related to academic policies and changes in the academic program.
  • Works with faculty and others to ensure appropriate admission criteria are in place and utilized to build successful cohorts.

Academic Integrity and Scholarship/Research

  • Establishes and promotes a vision for the development of the academic program to include clinical training.
  • Leads curriculum oversight; identifies need for new or revised curriculum according to accreditation standards and emerging trends; ensures development and implementation of curriculum changes.
  • Promotes effective use of instructional technology as appropriate in the learning environment.
  • Provides guidance and oversight for initiatives related to faculty development, academic and instructional quality, integrity, and rigor.
  • Facilitates faculty research, scholarship, teaching excellence, and service to the community and profession.
  • Teaches 1-2 courses per year.
  • Supervises activities of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure compliance with ethical research practices.
  • Leads the faculty in monitoring the quality of the academic programs and their alignment with institutional/program philosophy and goals.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

  • Provides academic DEI leadership; implements and maintains a DEI-informed curriculum, including teaching, relevancy of course materials, ongoing faculty training, and multi-culturally informed research.
  • Promotes diversity in the academic programs, including recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and students.

Academic Policy and Procedure

  • Assists Program Directors and faculty in managing institutional processes established for resolution of student concerns or complaints in a timely manner. Manages student academic issues, grade appeals, grievances and other areas of problem resolution.
  • Coordinates the development, revision and implementation of academic policies and procedures. Ensures compliance with academic and instructional processes to support effective operations and integrity.
  • Establishes effective faculty governance pathways.
  • Develops budget recommendations and manages budget allocations for academic support.
  • Approves dissertation committee payments and final dissertation for submission.
  • Ensures schedules are developed to meet student needs and faculty workload is efficiently distributed.
  • Implements student learning, curriculum and program assessments; analyzes outcomes and implements changes as needed.
  • Guides the academic programs in keeping up-to-date on the latest trends in instructional methods, technology, and effective pedagogies for graduate student learning. Leads instructional areas through planning, development, implementation, and evaluation.
  • On an ongoing basis, identifies areas in need of new or improved processes, documentation, resources, and/or communications and ensures these gaps are filled.
  • Manages Course Scheduling and faculty teaching assignments.
  • Leads the faculty in monitoring the quality of academic programs and uses assessment data to drive improvements.
  • Establishes academic committees as necessary for the operation and improvement of the academic unit.

Accreditation and Licensing

  • Ensures an ongoing culture of academic assessment and continuous improvement. Leads academic program reviews, assessment and program accreditation activities.
  • Provides leadership and direction for all academic program accreditation activities.
  • Ensures collection of data for accreditation purposes.
  • Assists the Director of Human Resources in annual assessments and surveys, reviews outcomes with appropriate faculty and staff for future action.
  • Ensures the quality of the academic environment, including maintaining and achieving accreditation for all programs.

Qualifications:

  • An earned doctorate in Psychology or related field
  • At least 10 years of senior level administrative experience in higher education
  • Demonstrated experience in curriculum development, institutional research and accreditation activities
  • Commitment to support and advance the School’s Mission and Values
  • Demonstrated leadership experience with evidence of a collaborative, respectful leadership style
  • Excellent communication, public speaking, critical thinking and interpersonal skills
  • Demonstrated commitment to the principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Benefits & Compensation:

  • Medical, dental and vision insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Retirement benefits (after one year of service)
  • Flexible spending account
  • Dependent care spending account
  • Life insurance
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Employee assistance program
  • Competitive salary commensurate with education and experience: $160,000

How to apply

Apply now

ADA Statement:

If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact the Human Resources office at (248) 476-1122.

Clery Act:

The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as MSP, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report and provide notice of the availability of the report to all prospective employees. You may view the Annual Security Report by clicking on this link: https://msp.edu/about/consumer-information/annual-safety-and-security-report/. A paper report is available upon request.

Michigan School of Psychology is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Educational Institution and Employer.