Vice Provost for Academic Personnel

The University of California, Merced (UC Merced) invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice Provost for Academic Personnel (VPAP). This senior administrative position reports to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost and will work in consultation with the Academic Senate. This position is open to internal UC-only applicants, and requires a faculty appointment at the Full Professor level.

UC Merced

UC Merced , the tenth and newest campus within the University of California system, has been on a remarkable trajectory since its founding in the San Joaquin Valley in 2005. UC Merced was established purposefully to uplift educational, health, societal, environmental, and economic outcomes, and to build civic capacity in an underserved region. Drawing from the community and cultural wealth of its diverse, predominantly first-generation students, UC Merced seeks to promote excellence through equity and justice and honors a broad representation of backgrounds on the campus. UC Merced seeks to convene coalitions of students, staff, faculty, and community to ensure that the issues they collectively investigate and the new knowledge they create are truly appropriate to and derived from the values of all constituents. In a short time, UC Merced has become a top-100 institution and an R2 research enterprise. Recently, UC Merced has doubled the size of its physical campus with the nation's largest higher education public-private partnership, substantially increased research grants awards, enrolled successive record first-year classes, and achieved record philanthropic support, including the university's largest gift.

Strategic Plan & Goals

Together with its leadership and community, UC Merced is uniquely poised to impact a rapidly changing world. To this end, Chancellor Juan Sanchez Munoz and Provost Gregg Camfield have led an inaugural long-range comprehensive strategic planning process over two years of thoughtful engagement and refinement by faculty, staff, students, and external community and partners. This strategic plan is shaped as much by UC Merced's need to expand and sustain a community of inquiry as it is by the outcomes the work will achieve. The strategic plan reflects UC Merced's ever-deepening commitment to continuous and iterative transformation toward a socially just, equitable, and sustainable campus and society and to expand and enrich the nature of the campus's educational offerings and research portfolio. UC Merced will create new and diverse opportunities, empowering experiences for its students who will in turn deepen and diversify leadership across all fields and the nation. The plan includes the ambitious goal of being the youngest university ever to achieve a very high research (R1) designation, which will not only acknowledge UC Merced's increasing research prowess and its impact but also accelerate and sustain its rise and broaden its opportunities to students. The strategic plan also elevates the importance of an inclusive workforce and flexible and sustainable infrastructure that evolves with the research and learning enterprise. The VPAP position will play a pivotal leadership role in the Provost's Office by aligning existing academic personnel policies (including the UC system Academic Personnel Manual and Merced Academic Policies and Procedures, see https://academicpersonnel.ucmerced.edu/policies/merced-academic-personnel-policies-procedures) and practices with UC Merced's long-term aspirations.

Opportunity

The Vice Provost for Academic Personnel is a senior level academic leader reporting directly to the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost (EVC/Provost). The EVC/Provost is the chief academic officer of the UC Merced campus and the EVC/Provost Office has the leadership responsibility for the planning, development, implementation, assessment, and improvement of all academic personnel programs, policies, and their supporting infrastructure. The VPAP will be a special advisor to the EVC/Provost providing expertise and guidance around the development of faculty dedicated to research, teaching and public service. The VPAP will take a leadership role and collaborate closely with the school Deans, and the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Strategy to develop growth-oriented, evidence-based policies and practices that promote the faculty health, well-being and productivity needed to serve UC Merced's research, teaching and public service mission. The VPAP will collaborate closely with chairs, and the Academic Senate in advancing academic personnel policies and practices to advance equity, justice, and inclusive excellence (EJIE), acknowledging inextricable links between diversity, innovation, and excellence in research, as well as student and community outcomes. The VPAP will expertly build relationships with faculty and staff stakeholders, and will help develop department chairs to effectively mentor, develop and retain faculty in their respective units. Leveraging their expertise and providing thought leadership in the development and implementation of evidence-based personnel practices, the VPAP will build data structures and guide campus research and data collection around academic personnel to facilitate data-informed decision making in all aspects of academic personnel management. The VPAP will contribute to enrollment growth by building policies and practices that inspire and support the faculty to generate new academic programs and schools, and to aspire and achieve UC Merced's R1 aspirations.

UC Merced seeks a leader with intellectual vision and an inquiring mindset who will bring a collegial and collaborative leadership style, strategic and operational leadership, and energy and integrity to inspire others to achieve ambitious goals. The successful candidate will understand and be committed to the collective success of the EVC/Provost Office and the campus community, and will demonstrate a proven history of productive and collaborative working relationships with stakeholder groups internal and external to their immediate area. The incoming VPAP will bring an acute understanding of the unique potential of the UC Merced campus and its surrounding geography, to the Central Valley, California and the world, and leverage that in support of the university's strategic priorities. Successful leadership in this role will be demonstrated by the ability to be open minded and adaptive while remaining people focused, building efficient and effective relationships, making difficult decisions within competing priorities and resource constraints, and the expert capability work with others in achieving large-scale change.

Key Responsibilities, Opportunities, and Challenges

* The Vice Provost for Academic Personnel (VPAP) has two primary responsibilities: (1) leading the ongoing development of innovative 21st century academic personnel policies and practices that foster faculty diversity, health, well-being, and productivity to maximize student and research success, and (2) guiding the Academic Personnel Office's day-to-day activities and work to align with the university's strategic plan by collaborating with other campus units. The VPAP effectively listens to faculty, and represents UC Merced in discussions with senate committee chairs, senior administrators, other UC locations, Office of the President, public agencies and the community. The VPAP will liaison with the Academic Senate's committee on academic personnel, and will provide thought-provoking, stimulating leadership to the Academic Personnel Office personnel. Representing UC Merced on UC system committees, the VPAP will ensure UC Merced's strategic goals are achieved through close alignment with UC-wide academic personnel policies and practices. The VPAP will provide direct policy and communications expertise, and collaborate with senior executives on aligning faculty recruitment, retention, development and promotions with evidence-based practices and institutional priorities outlined in the strategic plan. The position participates on committees, task forces responding to a variety of issues and handling sensitive negotiations and data with little or no precedence, requiring expedient and diplomatic action. The incumbent identifies, formulates and advises on policy development and implementation; exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results. Central to the VPAP's role is to facilitate objective and timely data collection and analysis to inform central and unit decision-making processes that enable long-range academic personnel policy. In this capacity the VPAP works collaboratively with many constituents on campus including faculty committees, deans, vice chancellors, and chairs. The VPAP expertly guides the local interpretation of the APM, and UC's system of academic advancement based on prior leadership experience (i.e. as department chair, associate dean, senate leadership roles or as a member of CAP/RCAP). Guiding labor relations for academic and non-academic teaching personnel, the VPAP will facilitate cooperative, mutually respectful and beneficial relationships with non-senate academic employees, acknowledging their key contributions to student success. One specific and key priority will be to lead change in academic personnel policies in collaboration with key senate constituents. The VPAP will provide thought partnership and leadership to maturing data collection and institutional research capacity around academic personnel, ultimately promoting solutions grounded in academic research and local, contextually based data. At the basis of all work, the VPAP will consider how to interweave these pursuits with cultural transformation, dignity, anti-racism, and equity.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/SARS-CoV-2_Covid-19. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. New University of California employees should refer to Appendix F, Section II.C. of the policy for applicable deadlines. (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.) Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

Qualified candidates are members of one of the ten University of California Academic Senates who have achieved the rank of full professor before July 1, 2023, and who have relevant administrative leadership experience, especially in academic personnel. Confidential review of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Full consideration will be given to complete applications received by February 3, 2023.

Qualifications and Characteristics UC Merced seeks in its new Vice Provost for Academic Personnel

A leader with inquiring and adaptive mindset, innovative vision, collegial and collaborative leadership style, strategic and operational management, and ability to inspire others to achieve the goals of the strategic plan.

Candidates should have demonstrated successful experience of academic leadership, the ability to build coalitions, cultivate consensus, and also make difficult decisions. Candidates should have demonstrated accomplishment in fostering and supporting a climate of collaboration, inclusivity, equity, and respect.

Candidates must have an earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree and a record of scholarship and teaching requisite for an appointment as a full professor at UC Merced.

In addition, the ideal candidate will have the following qualities:

Leadership: the expert ability to inspire across a complex and diverse community; the experience and skills to provide university-wide leadership around academic personnel issues; the ability to lead through influence and bring faculty perspectives to university decision-making processes; the ability to promote transparency and make decisions when necessary within resource constraints and competing priorities; to be persuasive and able to translate strategic goals to faculty audiences, communicating how attainment of strategic goals will simultaneously facilitate faculty and students success.

Vision & Strategy: the ability to translate and articulate a compelling vision, to inspire and unite faculty and department chairs around vision and strategy, and the capacity to implement, operationalize, and measure the strategic goals, initiatives, and programs.

Management: the ability to establish, mentor, coach, inspire, and lead highly effective, efficient, and diverse teams toward the collective good and success; proven data-informed approach to decision-making.

Engagement & Knowledge of Education/Research: deep understanding of and passion for faculty development, and the distinctive opportunities and challenges inherent in faculty careers at research universities.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: demonstrated commitment to and a record of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in various levels and areas; expertly and authentically skilled in communicating and collaborating with diverse constituencies.

Communication & Interpersonal: ability and integrity to build trust, consensus, and coalitions among stakeholders, including faculty individuals and committees; articulate communicator across different venues to inspire and engage others toward positive and sustained change; expert ability to listen and resolve conflict; high self awareness, flexibility, determination, and equanimity.

Interdisciplinary: demonstrated commitment and interest and/or operational success in supporting faculty working in interdisciplinary programs; interdisciplinary thinker and collaborator; ability to work across silos and across boundaries to inspire creativity and encourage interdisciplinary research and teaching.

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. This includes the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy.

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and invites applications from all qualified applicants, including women, minorities, veterans, and individual with disabilities, who will enrich the teaching, research and public service missions of the university. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction).

The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system's 10 campuses. With over 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students (https://www.ucmerced.edu/fast-facts), UC Merced provides outstanding educational opportunities to highly qualified students from the heart of California, the nation, and abroad. The campus has special connections to nearby Yosemite National Park; is on the cutting edge of sustainability in construction and design; and supports the economic development of Central California. The Merced 2020 Project doubled the physical capacity of the campus, and enhanced academic distinction, student success, and research excellence (https://merced2020.ucmerced.edu/).

UC Merced is a smoke & tobacco free campus (https://smokefree.ucmerced.edu/).