Baker@150.CAS.Progress.011

July 17, 2003

This is volume one, number one of a new electronic bulletin designed to chronicle the planning process and organizational development within CAS as we join the rest of the University in the Baker@150 campaign for campus-wide growth and improvement.

“Baker@150.CAS.Progress” is produced by Dr. Jamie Comstock, Vice President and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in collaboration with contributors from across CAS.

Step One: Filling the Vacuum in CAS Academic Leadership

Vacancies in several key CAS academic leadership positions have allowed for the re-engineering of the CAS academic leadership model. The previous model centralized most decision making and authority for the academic division within the Vice President and CAS Dean’s office. The new administrative team model is the first step toward creating a culture characterized by decentralized responsibility and authority. To create this new model, we simply reconfigured currently budgeted administrative positions and added one support staff position within the VP & CAS Dean’s office.

This reconfiguration creates a more inclusive, collaborative environment that situates responsibility and authority with subject matter experts. Further, it narrows the scope of administrative positions in a way that allows people in those positions to focus their efforts on setting strategic directions and starting new initiatives, all of which will be part of a yet-to-be created CAS strategic plan.

The reconfigured administrative positions were born out of the responsibilities previously assigned to the Associate Dean & Registrar, Associate Registrar, Transcript Evaluator/Webdesigner, LRC Director, LRC Coordinator, Honors Program Director, Study Abroad Director, Institutional Research, and Director of Information Services. The new money involved is that used to create the Office Assistant position for the VP & CAS Dean.

All people directly affected by this reconfiguration have been consulted during the restructuring process. The new model includes the following positions, with incumbents and vacancies noted.

Associate Dean for Faculty and Administrative: This reconfigured position offers the opportunity to provide leadership in several of the most important elements of academic life. Reporting to the VP & CAS Dean, the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Administrative Services will provide executive-level assistance to the Vice President, with specific responsibility for Institutional Research, development and review of interdisciplinary academic programs, across-the-curriculum initiatives, student learning outcomes assessment, and faculty development, particularly as it relates to student retention.

We are searching for a seasoned, distinguished faculty member with commitment to excellence in teaching in a liberal arts tradition; expertise in academic planning and program development; and an ability to maintain collegial relationships with a variety of stakeholder groups. Candidates should have special competencies in: preparing institutional research reports; best practices in learning outcomes assessment processes; academic program planning, development, evaluation and resource allocation; decision-making and policy development; and communicating effectively in a collaborative, team- oriented environment. Candidates must also keenly understand the faculty role in student retention and be able to integrate that understanding into the broader mix of faculty development initiatives. See Website for complete job description and application directions.

Assistant Dean for Student Academic Services: This re-configured position includes the opportunity to enhance our student academic support services. Reporting to the VP & CAS Dean, the Assistant Dean will be responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight of the Registrar’s Office and Learning Resource Center, coordinating the production of the University catalog, and serving as the campus contact for FERPA, ADA, and Patriot Act compliance. We are looking for someone who has a record of achievement in the areas of student advising, retention, and academic success programs for all students, including athletes, international students, transfer students, gifted students, and those who are academically challenged. Candidates should also possess knowledge of best practices and policies for records management, registration matters, and enrollment tracking. Required qualifications include a master’s degree, experience in higher education with student advising, teaching or administrative responsibilities, the ability to communicate and work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment, and a demonstrated commitment to the value of a liberal arts education. See Website for complete job description and application directions.

Director of Records and Registration: This title change for Ruth Miller, Associate Registrar, more accurately reflects her leadership role in what will now be known as the Office of Records and Registration, rather than the registrar’s office. All staff in that office currently report to Ms. Miller. Under the new model, Ms. Miller also will assume responsibility for launching new initiatives designed to provide enhanced, technologically advanced registration services to our current students and to create mechanisms that facilitate enrollment for qualified transfer students.

Records Coordinator: This title change reflects action taken to separate the Transcript Evaluator/Web Designer position currently held by Toby Ebel, into two positions – one focused on providing timely records-related services to students and the other focused on improving our ability to communicate both externally and internally through enhancing our website design and function. The Records Coordinator will report the Director of Records and Registration and be responsible for transcript evaluation, tracking students toward degree completion, and coordinating all Commencement processes for CAS.

Learning Resource Coordinators: Lisa Stephen, who currently holds the LRC coordinator position resigned effective August 1^st to assume a fulltime faculty position at KU. I am sure you join me in wishing her well. Leverging Lisa’s resignation, we created two LRC Coordinator positions, reporting to the Assistant Dean, by combining resources from the vacant LRC Director position and the soon-to-be vacant LRC Coordinator position. One LRC Coordinator will promote LRC services, provide oversight of the testing center, coordinate activities and initiatives associated with serving students with disabilities, ADA compliance, international student advising and oversight of international student documents. The second LRC Coordinator position will develop, coordinate, and maintain services for conditionally admitted students and all other students who could benefit from tutoring and other academic support services. We are currently working with the LRC staff to craft these position announcements.

Associate Dean for Information Services: This is a title change only for Bonnie Postlethwaite, Director of Information Services. The title change advances the integrity of the organizational structure by removing a situation where Directors are reporting to a Director. But, more importantly, the title change appropriately recognizes the role of library resources and academic technology to a contemporary learning community and places Bonnie in a better position to be part of shaping the future for CAS and the entire University.

Web Services Administrater: This new position integrates duties currently performed by external contractors, the Web Designer, and a variety of other people on campus. The position will promote much-needed enhancements to our web-presence for our external constituencies (e.g. prospective students, parents, alumni, etc.) and streamline our internal administrative and communication processes through web-based applications. The creation of this new position will be funded by clearly identified cost savings in web administration, postage and printing services.

Study Abroad Program Director: As a result of institutional migration, this part-time position became connected to the Associate Dean & Registrar’s role. The Study Abroad Program Director position is being re-created as a separate part-time position in order to decentralize responsibility, allow for greater faculty participation in administrative leadership, and promote a focused, inventive effort to grow and expand our Study Abroad initiatives. Ms. Martha Harris, associate professor of business & economics, recently assumed responsibility for this role and is already making progress.

Honors Program Director: Again, as a result of institutional migration, this part-time position became connected to the Associate Dean & Registrar’s role. The Honor’s Program Director position is being re-created as a separate part-time position in order to decentralize responsibility, allow for greater faculty participation in administrative leadership, and promote the development of a more robust honor’s program designed to attract and retain academically talented students. This position description will be posted soon.

Office Assistant: The new Office Assistant will provide long needed help to Karen Zuzzio, Administrative Assistant to the VP & CAS Dean. The new assistant will perform general office duties, assist with event planning and meeting preparation, and maintain a variety of faculty-related files and records. Applicants for this high-contact position should have previous office experience (preferably in an educational environment), proficiency with word processing and spreadsheets, ability to execute multiple tasks with minimum supervision, demonstrated ability to properly manage confidential information, attentiveness to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively in a collaborative, team oriented environment. See Website for complete job description and application directions.

In context

I would like to let all of you know how proud I am to be here at Baker. In my first few weeks on campus, I’ve had the pleasure to meet with some standing committees, department chairs, faculty, staff, administrators and students from across campus. And, I am more convinced then ever that Baker University provides students with a positive learning environment, complete with outstanding academic programs, supportive student services, and a wide range of opportunities for a rich and meaningful student life experience. Our U.S. News and World Report designation as one of the top universities in the Midwest is clearly well deserved.

Thank you for inviting me to join the Baker community and for providing me such a warm welcome. To reciprocate, I now invite you to join me in a campus wide effort to set a course for the future, design a plan of action that gets us there, and then…vigorously execute that plan.

– Dr. Jamie Comstock