Lincoln statueVice President for Academic Affairs

Lincoln Memorial University seeks an experienced academic administrator with proven leadership skills to serve as the next Vice President for Academic Affairs. Reporting to the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs oversees operations pertaining to undergraduate and post-graduate academic programs, except for those in the health sciences.
Committed to excellence in educating LMU students, the senior officer needs to be a decision-maker, problem-solver and strategic planner and to understand how to balance the challenges and opportunities of providing high-quality academic programs in both the liberal arts and professional disciplines.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the University’s academic vision. Reporting to the Vice President are the schools of Arts and Sciences, Business and Education, including the J. Frank White Academy, a college preparatory school for average and above average students in grades 5 through 12; the Registrar, and Research, Grants and Sponsored Programs. The Vice President also oversees the University’s 12 extended learning sites, the Carnegie Vincent Library, Institutional Research and Accreditation, and the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum.

The Vice President will work collaboratively with administrators, faculty and staff to strengthen and expand academic programs and services.  The senior administrator will build on the University’s historic commitment to enhance life in the Cumberland Gap area and Appalachian region and beyond through its teaching, research and service mission.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Provide vision, strategic direction and oversight in building strong undergraduate and post-graduate academic programs and services
  • Achieve key objectives including the quality and growth of the faculty and academic support staff; enhancement of the student educational experience, retention, continuation of revenue growth, management of personnel and complex budgets, and promotion of scholarly activity and sponsored research
  • Guide academic innovation and promote new programs and emerging fields, including the use of leading-edge technology
  • Provide discernment and judgment to assess and modify the institution’s academic programs
  • Encourage and support ideas and discussions among faculty, staff and students that create a rich environment that enhances teaching and leadership
  • Lead and promote the transformation and progression of the University as it seeks to transition from Level V to Level VI accreditation status
  • Advocate inclusion and diversity in the staff, faculty and student populations

QUALITIES & REQUIREMENTS

Candidates seeking this outstanding opportunity should have:

  • An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution
  • Evidence of at least five years of successful administrative experience in an academic environment
  • Effective communication skills, oral, written and interpersonal
  • Strong financial management skills with the ability to make strategic budget decisions
  • The ability to advocate effectively for the faculty and current and proposed academic programs
  • Successful experience that demonstrates resourceful approaches to handling a budget and personnel matters
  • The ability to listen and moderate diverse opinions and ideas with a leadership approach that maintains a community of professional respect and civility
  • A thorough understanding of academic values and processes
  • A leadership style that inspires cooperation, innovation and creativity among faculty and staff
  • Experience with assessment and accreditation processes and requirements
  • The highest standards of personal and professional integrity and credibility
  • A distinguished record of intellectual leadership and scholarship, including post-secondary classroom experience, and a commitment to foster faculty-engaged research
  • An appreciation for small community living and for the Appalachian region

THE UNIVERSITY

LMU is a private, comprehensive university that offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. With the main campus in Harrogate, Tenn., the institution provides academic programs at 12 extended learning sites across Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as online and interactive television courses and programs.
Founded in 1897, LMU grew out of the love and respect for the nation’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, and today honors his name, values and spirit with education and service. Throughout the past 113 years, the University has provided educational opportunities, developed community leadership and expanded the economic and social forces within the Appalachian region.

The co-educational institution is strong and growing with enrollment increasing more than 60 percent over the last decade. More than 4,000 students are pursuing undergraduate or post-graduate degrees in LMU’s seven schools: Allied Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Law, Nursing, Osteopathic Medicine. The University anticipates further additions to and changes in its academic programs as it considers the role of higher education and the needs of the Appalachian region that it is dedicated to serving.

Providing a challenging academic program in an engaged-learning environment and close-knit community, LMU faculty members know students as individuals and are committed to preparing them for successful careers. More than 85 percent of the full-time faculty teaching undergraduate programs have doctorates or the highest degree in their field. The average class size is 17 students.

The University utilizes the finest technology in teaching. Most classrooms have Smartboards, data projectors and plasma screens to enhance the educational experience. The campus is equipped with wireless Internet.
The 1,000-acre campus in Harrogate is expanding rapidly to meet the growing demands of new programs and the increased enrollment. Two new residence halls were completed in 2008, with five more halls planned.  This summer, LMU broke ground for a new 120,000-plus-square-foot classroom and laboratory building, which will house math, science and nursing classrooms and labs, along with space for student and faculty research. Another recent addition is a driving range and a three-hole executive golf course for its professional golf management program.
The LMU Railsplitters are a member of the South Atlantic Conference of NCAA Division II. The University fields six men’s sports – basketball, cross-country, golf, tennis, baseball and soccer – and seven women’s sports – basketball, cross-country, golf, softball, soccer, tennis and volleyball.

Visit the Lincoln Memorial University website at www.lmunet.edu.

ABOUT HARROGATE, TENN.

Lincoln Memorial University is located in Harrogate, Tenn., in the heart of Appalachia and on the borders of Kentucky and Virginia, adjacent to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. With a population of 4,424, Harrogate is the largest city in Claiborne County. Middlesboro, Ky., which has a population of 11,000, is only 5 minutes away and offers additional shopping, restaurants and entertainment. For the urban experience, Knoxville, Tenn., is 55 miles south of the Lincoln Memorial University campus.

Lincoln Memorial University is an equal opportunity employer.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, send a cover letter and resume to:  LincolnMemorial@myersmcrae.com

A downloadable PDF on this position is available at http://www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/file/LincolnMemorialbrochure(2).pdf

Confidential phone inquiries, nominations and referrals are welcomed. Contact the Myers McRae Consultant Team Leaders at:

MYERS McRAE Executive Search and Consulting
515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201

Phone: 478.330.6222 | Web: www.myersmcrae.com