Associate Dean, Graduate Academic & Faculty Affairs College of Professional Studies Boston, MA Executive Summary The College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University seeks a seasoned and innovative academic leader to serve as Associate Dean of Graduate Academic and Faculty Affairs. The Associate Dean will lead all existing and developing graduate professional programs (excluding those within the education discipline) for the dynamic and entrepreneurial College of Professional Studies. The College of Professional Studies (CPS) provides career-focused educational programs that are designed to accommodate the complex lives of motivated learners and offers them an educational experience founded on proven scholarship, strengthened with practical application, and sustained by academic excellence. Northeastern University is an established global leader in experiential education, urban engagement and interdisciplinary research. The first university to create an online educational model that is driven by cognitive science, informed by employers, and powered by experiential learning, Northeastern s approach is grounded in the University s signature cooperative education program which integrates the academic experience with real world professional experience. Northeastern is at the cutting edge of how education is changing at both undergraduate and graduate levels and currently offers students opportunities for professional work, research, service, and global learning on seven continents and through multiple platforms. The College of Professional Studies plays a critical role in this mission by fostering a learning environment where programs are grounded in theory and applied in practice. Specifically CPS s mission is to advance careers for working adults, to extend global education that applies a multifaceted approach to learning through strategic partnerships with industry, to establish educational delivery methods which are considered to be best-in-class while providing outstanding access to individual students, and to leverage innovative educational models serving urban students obtaining graduate degrees and certifications at scale. The College of Professional Studies is one of the five largest schools of its kind in the country, whose programs are designed and delivered to achieve enrollment levels to meet market demands. The faculty at CPS includes a range of extraordinary talent from respected scholars pursuing the latest research in their fields to Scholar Practitioners whose real-world, industry experiences are put into practice in the classroom. CPS nurtures a rich academic interdisciplinary curriculum that reflects not only its current students needs but also remains sensitive to meet the demands of changing industry and the global competitive workforce. Central to CPS s ability to remain nimble and academically rigorous is Northeastern s online experiential learning methods which bring together high quality, rigorous courses; deep engagement with professors and fellow students; flexibility; and learning with and from people all over the world. The Associate Dean of Graduate Academic and Faculty Affairs will play a key role in the College s day-to-day academic leadership and management for all graduate, doctoral and professional development programs. As a key member of the academic administrative team and reporting to the Dean, the new Associate Dean
will further establish the College as a leader in providing innovative and accessible graduate programs across a domestic and global platform. S/he will support marketing, promotional strategies, public relations as well as external relationships and partnerships. The ideal candidate will be an experienced and entrepreneurial academic administrator with a broad understanding of professional studies and adult education. S/he will have a minimum of ten years experience in academic leadership; broad knowledge and expertise in instructional and course delivery technologies; a willingness to take strategic risks to broaden the goals of the College; and an exceptional talent for working collaboratively with others and for implementing and managing change within an academic environment. Moreover, s/he will share the college s commitment to a multicultural student population and to increasing access to higher education for underserved populations. A doctoral degree is strongly desired, commensurate with a faculty appointment and the equivalent of five years of exemplary college-level teaching. BACKGROUND About Northeastern University Founded in 1898 with a main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, Northeastern University has grown into one of the country s most prominent global experiential, private research universities. Through nearly 100 undergraduate and 167 graduate programs in 9 schools and colleges, Northeastern brings over a century of experience and leadership to deliver transformative opportunities for our students and inspire them to delve deeper, sharpen their focus, and pursue greater academic challenges. Northeastern s worldwide network extends to 160 cities and 85 nations and more than 3,000 employers are actively seeking Northeastern students for co-op and full-time positions each year. Northeastern s curriculum integrates classroom learning with real-world professional experience and is both grounded in the University s signature cooperative education program (co-op) and inspired by a rapidly growing interdisciplinary research enterprise and expanding global profile. This approach creates a unique environment a living laboratory, in which Northeastern faculty, administrators, students, alumni, and coop partners are afforded unprecedented opportunities to experiment with 21st century learning approaches, interdisciplinary collaboration, an immersive curriculum, and opportunities to network across discipline, affinity and geography. As a market leader and pioneer, Northeastern piloted distance learning delivery modes in the 1970s and launched its first online degrees in 2003, long before other prominent educational institutions began their online programs. Today, the University enjoys an enrollment of more than 13,000 online and hybrid students and a portfolio of 100+ online degrees and certificates making Northeastern s offering the most comprehensive online degree portfolio and the largest scale student enrollment of any private research university in the country. Northeastern remains one of only three institutions of this type among the 40 largest providers of online education. Northeastern s vision is to translate its current national market leadership in the U.S. to become the global leader in professional experiential graduate education by creating a research university that leverages the competitive advantage of presence and exists across a network of global sites. This goal and strategic focus is guided by Northeastern University s mission, vision, and academic plan, which call for expanding the meaning and impact of the university s engagement with the world and being a positive force for change in local communities and global society. The University s network of nearly 3,000 employers provide students with rich opportunities for real-world understanding through collaboratively developed curricular,
cooperative education placements, corporate residencies and case studies, among a range of well-designed experiences. Northeastern has made substantial investments in and established a policy framework that informs program development in all areas of the institution. This uniquely Northeastern model is referred to as Online Experiential Learning. Since 2006, Northeastern has established a national leadership position in professional graduate and online education an important and growing higher education domain. Today, the University has one of the largest and most diversified online degree portfolios of any private research university in the U.S. and also stands a leader in terms of the most significant enrollment and revenue base in this area. Most significantly, Northeastern s growth in professional master s degree programming has led all private research universities in recent years with over 10,000 online and hybrid students. On the strength of this growth, Northeastern has reached levels of demand and enrollment commensurate with prestigious peers who are also leaders in this professional graduate education domain. Northeastern s market leadership growth in these areas have been driven by international strategy and investments. The University s growth from 2006-2010 was fueled by a combination of new program development, the availability of online and hybrid delivery models, and a focus on offering full academic degree programs in the College of Professional Studies, and the launch of the online M.B.A. in the D Amore-McKim School of Business. In 2009, recognizing the growing level of competition in online learning, and seeking to extend the University s lead and innovate while peer institutions retrenched, Northeastern began to review its graduate professional education strategy to secure and advance its leadership in this area. The result of this review has been a commitment to produce best-in-class online and hybrid degree programs that are informed by key tenets of the institutional brand, mission and values. The College of Professional Studies Northeastern University is on an exciting trajectory of growth and innovation. The University is wellpositioned to set the precedent for what a modern university looks like and to influence the national conversation regarding higher education that centers on value proposition, affordability, relevance, and evaluation. Expanding upon its market attuned posture and applied learning approach, Northeastern continues to diversify and grow its graduate and continuing education offerings as seen through significant investments in its research initiatives, online learning, professional certifications, and the opening of new graduate-focused campuses in Charlotte, NC, Seattle, WA and Silicon Valley, CA. This accelerating momentum can be felt in every corner of its campus, nationally, and around the world. The College of Professional Studies early work in online and hybrid delivery has been critical in informing and developing the strategy that has been adopted at the university level. The nearly 12,000 students served by the College, are working professionals finishing bachelor s degrees or pursuing advanced degrees. The College offers 65 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees or pursuing advanced degrees that are aligned with employer and student needs. The College has an operating budget in excess of $70 million. Within the University, CPS also stands out as among the first to employ online learning in 1998 and as a pioneer in distance education since 1974. The College s goals and core values are underpinned by the following: providing motivated learners access to a high-quality, world-class education, allowing students to achieve their career goals and aspirations; providing innovative course design and flexible delivery models defined by the evolving needs of the global
student community, adult learners and working professionals regardless of geographic location or industry; and developing curriculum aligned to the needs of the needs of the global economy s leading industries. Associate Dean, Graduate Academic & Faculty Affairs Reporting to the Dean and working closely with the Senior Associate Dean for Academic & Faculty Affairs of the College, the Associate Dean will provide leadership in supporting the College s strategic goals. Broadly, s/he will engage in the following challenges and opportunities: Partner with senior leadership of the College in the development of strategic plans and initiatives; Manage revenue and expenses throughout the year and provide analyses of progress toward meeting financial goals including that of graduate, doctoral and professional development programs. Identify and assess strategic partnership opportunities, initiate discussions, make recommendations to College administration regarding new opportunities; Represent the College at key University functions and at external events with alumni, business, and industry. Lead and manage the development of new program offerings, curriculum innovation, migration of programs to online and corporate delivery, and linkages to other colleges within the University for all degree and non-degree programs; Conduct environmental scanning research and work with appropriate program offices to identify new opportunities; Liaise with consultants, faculty, and industry leaders to assess and capitalize upon those opportunities; Collaborate with program offices to assist in shepherding academic proposals and initiatives through the approval process. Ensure individual programs and units within the College are meeting assigned goals and targets; Oversee issues related to curriculum, faculty recruitment and development, market and competitive positioning, and needs assessment; Ensure learning outcomes, student course assessment, and curricula relevance are of the highest quality; Provide leadership and direction to faculty teaching degree and non-degree programs. Facilitate the development and coordination of the overall marketing strategy for all degree and non-degree programs in conjunction with the appropriate colleague administrators and the Marketing Department; Identify professional organizations and networks with appropriate individuals to ensure appropriate levels of program visibility; Specific responsibilities include: Develop business plans, program budgets, analyze enrollment trends, establish goals and benchmarks for new programs, and conduct program reviews; Manage assistant deans and faculty directors who have direct budget and academic responsibility for degree and non-degree programs to ensure the smooth and effective management and execution of new and existing programs;
Work with graduate, and professional development program staff to develop and implement action plans that support the overall strategic plans. Convene meetings and task forces on appropriate topics; Assist Program Directors and their staff when they are unable to resolve student and faculty issues; Facilitate change in accordance with collective bargaining implementation in compliance with employment laws and practices; Represent the Dean internally and externally as appropriate. Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate While no single individual will embody all of the following, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional qualification and personal attributes: A doctoral/terminal degree from an accredited institution and commensurate with a faculty appointment; The equivalent of five years of exemplary college-level teaching; Demonstrated skills in managing personnel, budgets, and instructional resources within an education environment; A commitment to shared governance and the ability to work collaboratively with faculty; Outstanding communication skills and strong project management skills; A commitment to delivering quality education and high levels of service to students; Willingness to take initiative in solving complex problems; An understanding of instructional and course delivery technologies. An appreciation and commitment to working with a multicultural student and staff population and global outreach of the University; The highest level of personal and professional integrity and quality standards; The ability to travel, both domestically and internationally to represent the university with various stakeholders and; An optimistic outlook and the humor, integrity, and patience necessary to work within an aspirational, fast-paced and entrepreneurial higher education environment; excellent judgment, flexibility, humility, self-awareness, and grace.
To Apply Northeastern University has retained Katherine Jacobs and Nureen Das of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group to assist in this recruitment. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), and where you learned of the position should be sent to: nu-cpsad@nonprofitprofessionals.com. Please type only your name (Last, First) as the subject line. Northeastern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Educational Institution and Employer, Title IX University. Northeastern University particularly welcomes applications from minorities, women and persons with disabilities. Northeastern University is an E-Verify Employer.