Another Provost Position!

Butler just finished entertaining three finalists for Associate Provost for Student Academic Affairs (see posts below for detailed description and evaluation of this process). Now, we're currently interviewing finalists for Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Interdisciplinary Programs.

As with the former position, Jon and I will be meeting with and evaluating the finalists. The process should be completed by next week. Until then, we encourage you to attend the open forums and share your concerns with the applicants and the numerous administrators that also attend these meetings. The dates and times of these discussions are sent out regularly to all Butler community members. If for some reason you can't access the schedules, e-mail either Jon or me and we'll fill you in. The next meeting will be held tomorrow morning at 10:30 in the writers studio (third floor Jordan Hall). Hope to see you there.

- Caleb

The administration's description of the position:

The associate provost for faculty affairs and interdisciplinary programs provides leadership, strategic direction, and administrative oversight for the Comprehensive Faculty Development program, the Core Curriculum, and cross-college, inter-disciplinary programs. The associate provost reports directly to the Provost, serves as key member of the provost’s central office staff, and sits on the Provost Advisory Council, as well the University’s Senior Administrative Group.

Duties and Assignments:
· Responsibility and authority to ensure the appropriate delivery of the faculty approved Core Curriculum, which includes oversight for staffing, budgeting, course scheduling and learning outcomes assessment, as well as providing guidance to, and engaging in high levels of collaboration with, the faculty core curriculum committees.
· In collaboration with the provost, develop, implement and sustain policies and protocols related to faculty affiliation with the university, including hiring, the tenure and promotion process; the maintenance of faculty personnel files, etc.
· In collaboration with the provost, deans, and faculty leadership develop and implement a comprehensive faculty development program that addresses a broad spectrum of faculty needs, including early-career, mid-career and late-career support, as well as development in teaching and research. Provide appropriate guidance an instruction during the faculty search process.
· Oversee the cross-college, interdisciplinary programs of the institution (International Studies, Gender Studies, Service Learning and other programs as currently exist or will be developed). Provide supervision and evaluation of area-directors and coordinators.
· Oversee the implementation and further development of the internal-grants and sponsored-programs activities of the institution. Provide guidance to the faculty committees charged with allocation of internal grants funding. In collaboration with the deans, develop a program to support faculty seeking external-grants funding through sponsored programs.
· Implement special-function programs for faculty, including start-of-year colloquy, orientation for new faculty, mentoring programs, and others as occasions arise.
· Manage and sustain the auxiliary functions needed to support faculty research, including the activities of the Institutional Review Board and animal-care.
· Serve as the administrative liaison for the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate.
· Complete duties and projects as assigned by the provost.
Requirements:
· Terminal degree, with senior faculty status.
· Minimum of five years experience in academic leadership, preferably at the department chair level or above.
· Full understanding of the faculty evaluation policies, procedures and processes.
· Record of excellence in teaching, scholarship/creative achievement
· Leadership skills to support the work of and foster collaboration among a diverse population of colleagues and direct-reports.
· Ability to solve problems, analyze and evaluate data, allocate resources effectively.
· Strong communication skills.
· Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous priorities, organize work-flow, identify emerging needs. Ability to work both proactively and responsively.
· Understanding of best practices in curricular development, pedagogy and research, as well as an ability to integrate emerging practices into current structures
· Understanding of higher education institutions, structures, policies, and practices