The Vice President for Academic Services serves as the College’s Chief Academic Officer and provides strategic leadership for the Academic Services division. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Vice President is responsible for advancing the College’s academic mission through effective leadership, planning, resource management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
The Vice President provides vision and oversight for assigned academic and instructional support areas, including curriculum development, academic programming, instructional quality, student learning, and academic planning. The position is responsible for the effective allocation and management of fiscal, physical, technological, and personnel resources to support institutional priorities and student success.
Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and community partners, the Vice President leads the integration of teaching, learning, and student success strategies across the College. The position provides leadership for the development and implementation of policies, processes, and initiatives that support academic excellence, instructional innovation, student achievement, and institutional effectiveness.
The Vice President participates in institution-wide strategic planning and decision-making to advance the College’s mission, vision, and goals. The position serves as the College’s primary academic representative to internal and external stakeholders, including community partners, educational organizations, accrediting bodies, and state and federal agencies. The Vice President promotes a student-centered learning environment that supports access, engagement, achievement, and success for a diverse student population.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- An understanding of and commitment to the community college mission, the Richland Community College Mission and core values.
- Demonstrated knowledge and skills in planning, curriculum development, assessment, budgeting, program development, written and oral communications and interpersonal skills.
- Commitment to student, faculty and staff development.
- Sensitivity to the academic and personal goals of a diverse student body.
- Ability to work with and function in a collective bargaining agreement environment.
Perform other duties as assigned
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Leadership and Strategic Planning
- Serve as the College’s Chief Instructional Officer, providing leadership and strategic direction for all instructional programs and instructional support services across all College locations.
- Lead the development and implementation of short- and long-term goals, objectives, and strategic initiatives for academic and assigned student services programs.
- Foster a culture of teaching excellence, instructional innovation, continuous improvement, and student success through data-informed decision-making.
- Provide leadership for teaching and learning while communicating emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges to the President, Board of Trustees, faculty, students, and community stakeholders.
- Provide leadership in administering collective bargaining agreements and collaborate with college leadership on labor relations matters.
Academic Programs and Curriculum
- Direct the development, review, and implementation of curriculum, academic programs, course offerings, instructional methodologies, and related policies and procedures.
- Ensure academic programs, courses, and instructional practices comply with Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), accreditation requirements, and applicable industry standards.
- Conduct regular program reviews, curriculum evaluations, and feasibility studies to assess effectiveness, identify opportunities for growth, and recommend program continuation, modification, or discontinuation.
- Oversee the development of course and program descriptions, transfer pathways, and articulation agreements with educational partners.
- Ensure accountability for course outcomes, assessment processes, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Instructional Operations
- Direct the development and implementation of annual course schedules that meet student needs, support enrollment goals, and align with community demand.
- Provide leadership for instructional management systems, academic technologies, and distance learning initiatives to ensure accessible, high-quality educational experiences.
- Plan for and oversee the acquisition, implementation, and effective use of instructional technologies and resources.
- Coordinate with Information Technologies and other departments to support and expand distance learning opportunities.
- Assess the effectiveness of instructional and student support services through ongoing evaluation, analysis, and use of institutional data.
Faculty and Staff Leadership
- Lead the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, evaluation, promotion, tenure, and separation processes for faculty and assigned staff.
- Ensure faculty and staff possess appropriate academic credentials, technical expertise, and professional competencies.
- Administer faculty evaluation systems and oversee promotion and tenure processes in accordance with college policies, applicable statutes, and collective bargaining agreements.
- Promote and support ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.
Student Success and Support
- Ensure career and technical education, workforce development, and transfer programs support student achievement, completion, and employment outcomes.
- Oversee academic appeals, students conduct matters, and related student success initiatives.
- Collaborate with student services leadership to advance student engagement, retention, persistence, and completion efforts.
Budgeting, Compliance, and Risk Management
- Develop, administer, and monitor division budgets to ensure effective stewardship of college resources.
- Provide analysis and recommendations regarding capital acquisitions and resource planning to support academic and student services priorities.
- Serve as a member of the College’s risk management team, helping identify, evaluate, and mitigate institutional risks while promoting a safe environment for students, employees, and visitors.
- Maintain effective relationships with the Illinois Community College Board, accrediting agencies, and other regulatory organizations.
Collaboration and Community Engagement
- Promote partnerships and collaborative initiatives with business and industry leaders, community organizations, K-12 districts, and higher education institutions.
- Collaborate across departments to advance College programs, services, enrollment, and student success initiatives.
- Serve on College committees and represent the institution on local, state, and professional organizations as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Master’s Degree in relevant field and 2-5 years of relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Doctorate and five to ten years of community college experience and at least 5 years in management preferred. Academic teaching and collective bargaining experience are preferred.