What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President, Academic Affairs position at Upper Iowa University?
Posted on 3/3/2025
Accepting applications
About this position
Title: Vice President for Academic Affairs
Location: Fayette, IA
Salary: $150,000-170,000
Required Documentation
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Submit your documents at the end of the application to be considered. If you need help, please reach out to employment@uiu.edu.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Submit your documents at the end of the application to be considered. If you need help, please reach out to employment@uiu.edu.
Position Summary
Upper Iowa University, a private, nonprofit institution which offers programs through multiple learning experiences including its residential campus, center locations, hybrid, online, and self-paced modalities, invites applications for the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) to lead its academic mission.
As Chief Academic Officer, the VPAA reports to the President and is responsible for faculty and curriculum oversight. The VPAA ensures the academic programs and supporting curriculum accurately reflect the university’s mission, vision, and core values, and align with the University’s strategic plan.
The VPAA works directly with the President’s Council, the Academic Dean, Faculty, and Staff to ensure accreditation compliance, academic integrity and viability, student success, and sustainable growth.
Position Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and oversight for academic quality, student-centered learning, and faculty advocacy. Ensure academic integrity, guide operations, develop, maintain, and uphold policies, and drive continuous improvement through measurable goals and evaluation.
- Provide leadership and oversight in ensuring continuous improvement and compliance with accreditation criteria within the Higher Learning Commission Standard Pathway 10-Year comprehensive review cycle, and other accreditation associations, regulations, federal, state and local agencies, and internal policies and procedures.
- Lead systematic assessment of student learning outcomes and academic programs through comprehensive program review, ensuring curriculum effectiveness, instructional quality, and program sustainability through data-driven evaluation.
- Recruit and retain quality faculty, support faculty development, oversee and participate in evaluation, tenure, promotion, and review processes to maintain instructional excellence.
- As a member of President’s Council, work collaboratively with the President and President’s Council colleagues to strategically position the University for sustainable growth and to further and strengthen the academic mission.
- Update the Board of Trustees on strategic issues relating to the academic mission. Create reports and dashboards to include metrics for tracking and evaluating progress on strategic goals and create other reports, as needed.
- Foster a campus climate of shared governance and collaboration across the University by maintaining regular communication and working relationships with all areas, keeping them informed of current activities, working with them to achieve institutional priorities, and helping them to understand their role in the academic mission.
- Develop and manage the Academic Affairs budget in collaboration with direct reports and the Business Office, ensuring efficient resource allocation and financial sustainability.
- Complete additional assignments related to Academic Affairs as needed and perform other duties as assigned by the President.
Minimum Requirements and Qualifications
- Doctoral or terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
- Record of teaching excellence, service, and scholarship at a level commensurate with a tenured full professor.
- Experience in accreditation, program review, and academic assessment processes.
- Progressive leadership experience in higher education administration, including at least Dean-level experience or higher.
- Demonstrated leadership at an institution with a comparable structure to UIU, including residential, center-based, hybrid, online, and self-paced learning experiences.
- Experience in budget management and oversight of multi-modal operations, including revenue streams, expenses, discounts, and fund allocations.
Desired Experience and Attributes
- Strategic planning experience with a focus on institutional growth and sustainability.
- Champion of innovative teaching and student-centered learning across multiple modalities.
- Proven ability to drive student success initiatives across diverse learning experiences.
- Collegial leadership style—a team builder who values collaboration and shared governance.
- Direct faculty engagement and commitment to academic mentorship.
- High energy and enthusiasm for small, private college settings, with a passion for student engagement.
- Experience leading tuition-dependent institutions.
- Demonstrated budget management skills with a strong sense of fiscal responsibility.
- Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to contribute meaningfully as part of an executive team.
- Experience with institutional research, effectiveness, and data-driven decision-making.
- Knowledge of grant management and reporting requirements.
- Willingness to engage in fundraising for academic initiatives.
- Vision for academic innovation and program development.
- A leader with integrity, commitment to the university mission, and a student-first approach.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively in university forums.
- Change agent with the ability to balance urgency with organizational buy-in.
- Problem-solving skills with sound judgment and the ability to make timely, well-reasoned decisions.
- Confidence and competence in leadership while valuing input from others.
- Accountability-driven leadership, holding both self and others to high standards.
Priorities and Opportunities
- Promote a culture of change by integrating a career-readiness approach to enhance undergraduate and graduate enrollment.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to drive strategic plan outcomes, focusing on student engagement, experience, and satisfaction.
- Reimagine the academic administrative structure to better support curricular innovation and oversight of programs across multiple learning modalities.
- Ensure academic programs remain student-centered and aligned with enrollment trends, labor market demands, and the institutional mission.
- Lead the implementation of the revised general education program, refining the supporting curriculum for long-term effectiveness.
- Expand faculty professional development opportunities to strengthen instructional excellence and academic leadership.
- Strengthen partnerships with alumni and external collaborators to enhance institutional support and engagement.
Benefits Package
Free & reduced UIU tuition packages for employees, dependents, and spouses, paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement, health, life, and other insurance are available.
Free & reduced UIU tuition packages for employees, dependents, and spouses, paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement, health, life, and other insurance are available.
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
About us
Upper Iowa University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Upper Iowa University’s policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, furloughs, use of facilities, participation in activities, compensation, and training.
Salary : $150,000 - $170,000
