Position Summary Overview:
Reporting to the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Student Success, the Director of Pathway Programs will oversee four cohort-based programs that support retention and student success by focusing on our 5 areas of student success: Educational Success, Sense of Belonging, Community, Sense of Purpose, and Well-being. The Pathway Programs include Detroit M.A.D.E, Dow STEM, FLI Vanderploeg Scholars, and TRiO SSS. In collaboration with the program directors, this position will provide leadership and vision for the Pathway programs while fostering an environment that supports student success and advances Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This position will play a key role in meeting MSU's goal of closing opportunity gaps and reaching an 86% graduation rate by 2030.
The Pathway Program's mission is to serve as a coalition to promote academic proficiency, institutional navigation, and socio-emotional engagement for student success. Aligned with Undergraduate Education's mission, the unit empowers students to pursue knowledge, access resources, and develop skills. Its goals contribute to the broader institutional objectives of closing opportunity gaps for underserved students by enhancing persistence, retention, and graduation rates. Specific Responsibilities:
Create and implement the vision and strategy for the Pathway Programs and facilitate strategic planning for the unit and each program. Serve on the leadership team for the Undergraduate Student Success Unit including supporting the Assistant Provost to create and implement short- and long-term strategies, goals, and objectives related to persistence and student success. Utilize data to evaluate past interventions, guide future programming, and monitor persistence and student success outcomes to ensure that the programs meet current and future needs of all our diverse student populations. Research, develop, implement, and assess innovative policies and procedures related to persistence and student success. Serve as main point of contact for grants and donors; in collaboration with Program Directors create strategic plan and vision for grant and donor funds including leading requests for additional funds. Support and empower Program Directors in grant and donor reporting; ensure fidelity of programs in alignment with donor/grants Identify and implement opportunities for collaboration across the pathway programs Oversee collaborative programming and initiatives across the programs Oversee administrative functions for the pathway programs including fiscal and personnel planning; oversee a budget of $1.7 mil Supervise a team of 15 full time staff with 5 direct reports including overseeing all hiring, onboarding, professional development, and evaluation Work with state and local governments and partners on access, persistence, and completion initiatives Coordinate with campus partners related to Persistence and Student Success including: Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, Student Life and Engagement, Strategic Retention, Colleges, and others. Represent the unit in relevant spaces (Undergrad Ed leadership, USS leadership, CSSG, UAL, etc.) Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Provost Equal Employment Opportunity Statement All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree Masters -student affairs, higher education, business, or related field
Minimum Requirements Knowledge equivalent to that which would be acquired by completing a master's degree in student affairs, higher education, business, counseling or other related field and minimum of 10 years of work experience in higher education or a related field Minimum of 3 years of experience supervising full time staff and administrative responsibilities Knowledge of theories and practice related to student success, persistence and graduation Evidence of a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and experience conducting work to close opportunity gaps in higher education Ability to access, understand, interpret, and report data from multiple sources to promote student success through data-informed and innovative practices Experience designing and implementing strategic initiatives focused on student success Grant writing experience and/or experience generating funds from donors or external sources Experience managing and supervising staff towards program goals Ability to work collaboratively and constructively with people at multiple levels and with diverse perspectives Experience advising, leading, and/or mentoring diverse undergraduate students Desired Qualifications Terminal degree Experience creating and implementing strategic plans Experience managing large, diverse budgets (including grants, endowments and institutional funds) Experience creating professional development opportunities for staff Required Application Materials CV/Resume, Cover letter, and DEI statement. The DEI statement should include your contributions to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Through this statement you can share how your lived experiences, and past and future academic and professional activities have or will contribute to promoting equity and inclusion at MSU.
Remote Work Statement MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Website MSU Statement Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
About Michigan State University
Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.
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