Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

INVITING APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS FOR

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Executive Search

MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, a multi-campus, baccalaureate and graduate degree-granting public institution, seeks an experienced academic leader to serve as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. A member of the President’s Cabinet, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs serves a central role in institutional decisions and coordinates with Academic Affairs constituents to create and support an academic vision of excellence for the University.

For complete information, see the Search Profile at https://myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/MGA-Provost-2020.pdf.

The Opportunity

• The University is the most affordable public state university in Georgia, enrolling more than 8,300 students in Fall 2020. Enrollment is largely comprised of students from most of Georgia’s 159 counties – with students from many U.S. states and also internationally.
• The University has five campuses – Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins, all located in central Georgia – and unlimited outreach through MGA Direct, a fully-online campus.
• The University has six academic schools: Arts & Letters, Aviation, Business, Computing, Education & Behavioral Sciences, and Health & Natural Sciences.
• MGA is home to the only public, four-year School of Aviation in Georgia, offering programs ranging from flight to maintenance and aviation management.
• A key area of planned growth is graduate programs, which currently include online master’s degrees in information technology, management, teaching-secondary education, technical and professional writing, and nursing with emphasis on adult/gerontology acute care. A doctoral program in information technology is set to begin in 2021 (pending accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges). A Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is set to begin in 2022 (pending accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges).

Learn about Middle Georgia State at WWW.MGA.EDU

The Campuses

Macon Campus - Located in Bibb County near I-475, the 413-acre Macon Campus has a dozen major state-of-the-art buildings, a beautiful lake, and the Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens. Located an hour south of Atlanta, the campus continues to grow, with a new residence hall that opened in August 2020 and an enrollment center scheduled to open in 2021.

Cochran Campus - The 182-acre historic Cochran Campus in Bleckley County has a traditional quad, stately oaks, and a scenic lake. With MGA’s largest concentration of student housing, the University’s intercollegiate athletic program is based here. The campus also is home to the Georgia Academy for Math, Engineering, and Sciences, a program for highly motivated high school students.

Dublin Campus - The 49-acre Dublin Campus extends the reach of the University into Laurens County and surrounding areas. The campus is a focal point for growth of health programs- particularly nursing. 

Eastman Campus - The 22-acre Eastman campus, a residential campus, is home to Georgia’s only public 4-year aviation school. Adjacent to the Heart of Georgia Regional airport, it offers flight training and aviation management programs. A fleet of 42 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft support flight education here and at satellite locations in Macon and Adel.

Warner Robins Campus - The 72-acre Warner Robins Campus is a half mile from the main gate of Robins Air Force Base in Houston County. The campus instruction supports bachelor’s degrees in Nursing, IT, Business, and Early Childhood Education.

The Position

As the chief academic officer, the Provost and VPAA provides strategic vision and academic leadership to advance the institution’s mission and goals, while being dedicated to the success of faculty and students of Middle Georgia State University (MGA). This executive officer promotes the goals of an affordable access University with a blended function and is committed to fostering a culture of academic teaching and learning excellence across the University.

The Provost and VPAA represents the University’s academic endeavors with key constituents, including the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and elected officials. In the President’s absence, this senior administrator serves as the chief executive officer.

The Provost and VPAA works closely with the Faculty Senate, and with Staff Council, as needed. The Provost and VPAA is charged with new academic program development as well as continual improvement of existing academic programs. This executive officer has the primary responsibility of shaping and guiding the University as it expands services both academically and within the communities.

The Provost and VPAA provides oversight and leadership for the Division of Academic Affairs, including direct supervision of the associate provosts, academic and administrative deans, chief information officer, library services director, and operations manager.

Job Responsibilities

• Developing a robust and clear academic plan and organizational framework across all campuses that continue to grow enrollment. Ensuring greater gathering, access, sharing, and utility of academic performance data.
• Leading and championing the growth of the fully online campus, MGA Direct.
• Continuing the development of baccalaureate and graduate degree programming.
• Implementing the president’s vision for MGA within the University, schools, and departments.
• Providing leadership and oversight of MGA’s commitment to Complete College Georgia (CCG) and Momentum Approach to ensure student success, public accountability, and fiscal responsibility for academic resources.
• Leading the regional and statewide presence of the academic mission of the schools and their community presences.
• Fostering a vibrant and empowered learning community through a proven leadership style that evokes trust, welcomes collaboration, promotes shared governance, and reflects confident decision-making.
• Compelling understanding of the liberal arts and professional programming for career growth opportunities for graduates.
• Identifying new support opportunities for faculty development, scholarship, and creative activity.
• Participating in the recruitment and development of talented and diverse faculty and staff who are invested in the University’s mission and its students.
• Supporting diverse academic solutions and models across a varied academic environment using multiple modalities of delivery.
• Promoting grant opportunities for academic growth.
• Supporting and building on MGA’s Quality Enhancement
• Plan.
• Leading and participating in a collaborative administration that is committed to innovation.
• Influencing state education policy by serving as the University’s liaison to the
• Academic Affairs Division of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
• Fostering an atmosphere of appreciation of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Qualifications

Candidates must have an earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution and evidence of successive academic administrative and supervisory experiences with qualifications meriting appointment at the rank of full professor in a discipline offered by the University.

Extensive expertise in program and curriculum development, program review and enhancement, continuous quality improvement processes, and budget and fiscal management is required. Candidates should have a broad knowledge of the accreditation process. Administrative experience within a mid-sized multi-campus institution is preferred.

Additional qualifications:

• Proven ability to develop innovative academic plans that are effectively delivered across multiple campuses
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to create alliances, be transparent and accessible
• Demonstrated knowledge of regional accreditation standards and experience working with national accrediting organizations
• A significant record of full-time collegiate teaching experience, research, and service commensurate with the attainment of senior academic rank in a higher education institution
• Proven excellence in the integration of academic affairs with student life and student success outside the classroom, and collegial skills to ensure collaboration across student-related areas
• Effective administrative experience in higher education that includes planning, budgeting, resource development, and a commitment to developing and maintaining a diverse and quality faculty
• Thorough understanding of a liberal arts education and the associated professional disciplines
• Strong data-driven decision-making abilities with the capacity to make bold decisions and familiarities with complex data sets
• Experience and commitment to in-person, hybrid and online program quality, to achieve a balanced and sustainable academic portfolio
• Commitment to develop and implement continuous improvement strategies for new and existing baccalaureate and graduate-level education programs
• A commitment to practicing and promoting diverse pedagogies and diverse systems of learning

Macon, Georgia

MGA’s largest campus and administrative hub is located in Macon. Offering large-city amenities and true Southern charm, Macon-Bibb County has a population of approximately 155,000, with the metropolitan area totaling almost 230,000.

Located 70 miles south of Atlanta, Macon is a popular tourist destination. The consolidated city-county is home to a lively arts scene, annual festivals, and historic sites. Macon has a rich musical heritage and has become a movie/TV filming location in recent years. As home to three hospitals, Macon is one of Georgia's major medical service centers. Just 16 miles south of Macon-Bibb is Robins Air Force Base, the largest single-site industrial complex in Georgia.

Application and Nomination Process

Confidential inquiries are welcomed, and nominations are invited.

Application packet must include: (a) Letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, (b) Current curriculum vitae, (c) At least five references with full contact information including emails  (References will not be contacted without consent from applicants.)

Additional information will be requested upon receipt of application.

Submit application packet to MGA-Provost@myersmcrae.com (preferably as PDFs) by January 5, 2021, for best consideration.

Submit nominations to MGA-Provost-nominate@myersmcrae.com with complete contact and email information for the individual being nominated.

Emily Parker Myers, CEO; Kenny Daugherty, President, and Jennifer Barfield, Senior Vice President and Consultant, of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting are conducting this search. www.myersmcrae.com

Middle Georgia State is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment and Educational Opportunity Institution.

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting

(478) 330-6222  | www.myersmcrae.com