Department:        Hamersly Library and Center for Academic Innovation         

Recruitment #:    S1894

Closing Date:      Review begins February 15, 2019.  Position open until filled                    

This is a full-time, 12-month, annually renewable, unclassified position in the Library and the Center for Academic Innovation at Western Oregon University (WOU) in Monmouth.  Western Oregon University (WOU) seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and transformational leader to serve as the Dean of Library and Academic Innovation and help us meet the challenges of a 21st century learning environment. This is an administrative position and the Dean of Library and Academic Innovation reports to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. This is an exciting time at Western Oregon University as Hamersly Library and the Center for Academic Innovation merge to continue to help students, faculty, and staff achieve success through transformative education and personalized support.

Hamersly Library

The Dean will have the responsibility of overseeing the library's ongoing stewardship of information resources, providing access to 225,000 volumes and nearly 1,200 periodical subscriptions, as well as a wide range of online resources. Employees include nine full-time staff members and nine faculty librarians. The library also houses computer instruction classrooms, tutoring centers, archives, a learning commons, the Digital Media Center, a coffee shop, and a 24 hour student lounge.

Academic Technology and Innovation

As WOU seeks to increase its online, hybrid and technologically enhanced course offerings, this unit will play a critical role in providing training and instructional design support that will maximize the quality of instruction, pedagogical best practices for those courses. The Center for Academic Innovation will also provide high-quality, timely, innovative professional development to support all instruction at WOU.

Desired Attributes and Personal Qualities

WOU is looking for a Dean of Library and Academic Innovation who embodies the following attributes and personal qualities:

• Attentive to the WOU campus; provides practical leadership and collaboration on campus (e.g., engage when campus starts new initiatives, articulate where the Library and Center for Academic Innovation fits in and where we need resources to help programs succeed).
• Demonstrates commitment to diversity in serving the WOU campus; is aware of and committed to issues of equality and equity appropriate to WOU (e.g., understanding financial characteristics of WOU students, the digital divide, first generation college students).
• Promotes a positive and engaged work environment that is respectful of employees, with equitable support for employee development in order to grow the Hamersly Library and Center for Academic Innovation unit.
• Commitment to transparency in budgetary issues and thought processes in making decisions.
• Accessible with an inclination to maintain an open-door policy and a willingness to listen to various voices within the Library and the Center for Academic Innovation.
• Evidence of active participation in professional development, professional associations, and public service.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master Degree in Library Science, Instructional Design or related field
• Experience supporting online, hybrid and technology enhanced instruction
• Evidence of progressively responsible administrative experience in an academic library or unit devoted to academic technology (e.g., online learning, e-learning, instructional technology)
• Advanced project management and organizational skills, including the ability to execute on a number of diverse projects simultaneously while managing details and meeting deadlines
• Experience with strategic planning, outcomes development, and assessment
• Prior experience with administrative, fiscal, and personnel management
• Understanding of 21st century technologies, trends, and challenges for academic libraries and educational environments
• Understanding of pedagogy in both traditional and online education, including the use of technology for distance delivery of programs or courses
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master’s Degree in Library Science
• Demonstrated success in leading, implementing, and evaluating innovative professional development programs
• Demonstrated record of successful grant writing
• Familiarity with academic promotion and tenure process
• Actively engaged in scholarly activities related to libraries, academic technology, or academic innovation

**A criminal background check will be required as a condition of employment

We are not considering candidates who require Visa sponsorship support.  Additionally, the University typically only considers visa support for employees placed in specialized positions that are continuing regular University appointments.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Dean of Library and Academic Innovation shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Work with faculty and staff to develop a vision and plan for both library services and academic technology; including learning management systems, innovative pedagogical practices, comprehensive support for online, hybrid and technology enhanced courses.
• Create opportunities for high quality professional development opportunities for faculty.
• Engage with university faculty through regular attendance at various college, division, program, department, and faculty governance meetings. Advocate for the importance of the Hamersly Library’s and the Center for Academic Innovation’s roles on campus, and maintain their value to the University’s instructional programs.
• Keep current with library and academic innovation trends; advocate for new technologies and services which complement the University’s mission, values and strategic plan.
• Manage the budgets for both the Hamersly Library and the Center for Academic Innovation, while working to find and support possible synergies between the two units, and ensure appropriate funding levels are maintained for each.
• Ensure library and academic innovation services, initiatives, and activities are established with a commitment to diversity and are aligned with the distinctive characteristics of WOU’s student population.
• Support WOU’s membership and engagement with the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a non-profit consortium of 39 colleges and universities in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
• Facilitate the upholding of the library profession’s unique ethics and standards (e.g., ALA Library Bill of Rights, ALA Code of Ethics, intellectual freedom, right to privacy).
• Attend local, regional and national conferences appropriate to the position of Dean of Library and Academic Innovation.
• Seek out grant opportunities and projects to support the Hamersly Library, the Center for Academic Innovation and mission fulfillment.

APPLICATION PROCESS

You may submit all materials online at www.wou.edu/prostaffapp

Required Application materials (PDF preferred):  

1. WOU Employment Application form (available at ) Letter of application that addresses each qualification of the position. Please include how your experience, education, and/or training might help us build a more inclusive, collaborative, and diverse community.   Contact information for three references Copy of unofficial transcript for highest degree earned

As an alternative, you may submit application materials to:

S1894, Dean, LAI, Human Resources, Western Oregon University, 345 N. Monmouth Avenue, Monmouth, OR 97361; OR e-mail to employment@wou.edu; OR fax to: 503-838-8144.

Western Oregon University is a public institution that was founded in 1856 in a rural setting with a campus size of 157 acres. It serves approximately 5000 undergraduate offering bachelor’s (four-year) degrees – bachelor of science, bachelor of arts, bachelor of music and bachelor of fine arts and 600 graduate students with graduate programs, advanced baccalaureates, and pre-professional tracks.

As the first public institution of higher education established in Oregon, we uphold an enduring commitment to the value of teaching and learning. Our academic and co-curricular activities enhance the economic, cultural and intellectual vitality of our region and the larger world. To serve the greater good, we educate individuals in an accessible and supportive environment. Our students enjoy a personalized experience in a comprehensive, mid-sized public university. Western Oregon University empowers its students, employees and alumni to lead meaningful, responsible lives. WOU is comprised of a diverse student population and serves a large number of first generation students.

Western Oregon University is an AA/EO/Veteran/Disability employer committed to increasing the diversity of its workforce.