THE SEARCH FOR A VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC...

Indiana Tech, located in Fort Wayne, IN, invites

nominations and expressions of interest in the

position of Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Under the leadership of President Arthur E. Sny-

der, Indiana Tech has moved rapidly in recent

years to expand its academic offerings, incor-

porate new modes of instruction, and reach out

successfully to both traditional and new student

markets. The rapid growth in programs and in

student enrollments has been accompanied by

the establishment of 15 satellite locations in In-

diana, Louisville and Fort Wright, Kentucky, and

the Chicago area. Indiana Tech has also under-

taken the construction of major new facilities

and significant capital investments on the central

campus in Fort Wayne, while continuing to gen-

erate steady improvement in financial strength

and stability.

Given the growth and success of Indiana Tech

over the past decade, the Vice President for Aca-

demic Affairs (VPAA) position offers an exciting

array of leadership opportunities for an expe-

rienced, entrepreneurial, and change-oriented

academic leader. The person filling this position

will serve as the chief academic officer and will

be responsible for leading new academic pro-

gram initiatives, strengthening academic quality,

and serving as the leader of the faculty. The suc-

cessful VPAA applicant will have a track record

of successful academic program development,

experience with traditional, blended, and online

learning environments, as well as demonstrated

strength in administration, decision-making, and

communication.

The sections that follow provide a description of

Indiana Tech, a more detailed description of the

leadership opportunities and attributes of lead-

ership, as well as information on the application

process.

THE SEARCH FOR A VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

I N D I A N AT E C H . E D U / V PA A - S E A R C H 1

Founded in 1930 in downtown Fort Wayne,

Indiana as Indiana Technical College, a small

engineering college for men, Indiana Tech has

transformed over the decades into a comprehen-

sive not-for-profit university with a wide range

of academic programs for men and women of

all ages. Throughout its evolution, Indiana Tech

has maintained its focus on providing highly

personal attention to each of its students, help-

ing prepare them for careers and success in life

through instruction and hands-on experience.

Today’s Indiana Tech includes the main campus

in Fort Wayne, home to nearly 1,400 traditional

undergraduates and situated on 45 acres near an

energetic city center in the midst of an impres-

sive cultural and business revitalization. Indiana

Tech’s campus plays a role in this, as it has been

transformed over the last ten years with the ad-

dition of new residence halls, a new law school

in 2013, the new Academic Center in 2014, and

expansion and updates to many other elements

of the campus.

Indiana Tech also features 15 satellite locations

around Indiana, Louisville and Fort Wright, Ken-

tucky, and the Chicago area, serving adult College

of Professional Studies (CPS) students with on-

ground and online courses. As with our tradition-

al undergraduate enrollment, CPS enrollments

have enjoyed steady growth in recent years, with

fall 2014 enrollment reaching more than 7,400

students learning online and in the classroom.

The university features seven colleges and

schools, offering 57 degree programs: College of

Business, College of Engineering, School of Com-

puter Sciences, College of General Studies, Center

for Criminal Justice, School of Education, and Law

School. Degree offerings include the Associate of

Science, Bachelor of Science, Master of Business,

Master of Science, Ph.D. and Juris Doctor.

Indiana Tech is accredited by the Higher Learn-

ing Commission of the North Central Associa-

tion of Colleges and Schools. It holds disciplinary

accreditations with the Accreditation Board for

Engineering and Technology (ABET) for its bio-

medical, mechanical, and electrical engineering

programs. The university is a member of the

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

(CAEL) and adheres to its policies and practices.

Additionally, the College of Business is seeking

accreditation with the International Assembly

for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). Indi-

ana Tech Law School, now in its second year, is

undergoing the accreditation process with the

American Bar Association (ABA). The School of

Education is also seeking accreditation applica-

tion and review by the National Council for Ac-

creditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The

College of General Studies Health Information

Technology Associate of Science degree program

is a candidate for accreditation by the Commis-

sion on Accreditation for Health Informatics and

Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

ABOUT US

MISSION

Indiana Tech provides learners of

all ages with career-focused pro-

fessional education in the areas

of business, computer studies, en-

gineering, and other professional

concentrations; prepares them for

active participation in the complex,

global society of the 21st century;

and motivates them toward a life of

significance and worth.


Indiana Tech has a unique student body with

multiple diversities: race, age, and more. The Col-

lege of Professional Studies and traditional under-

graduate programs have separate delivery modes

and geographical locations, but are reported as

an entire university to the federal government.

The university is racially diverse, with 39.2% of

Indiana Tech’s entire student body identifying

themselves as Black or African American. Due

to Tech’s strong adult and online presence, 69%

of the university’s undergraduate students are

25 and over. Additionally, 99% of Indiana Tech

students receive financial aid and 61% of them

qualify for Pell grants. However, a review of just

the traditional undergraduate students shows

even more diversity. *

Indiana Tech’s traditional undergraduate students

come from 34 different states and U.S. territories.

Tech recruits outside of the U.S. as well, and has

a growing international population of over 200

students from 28 different countries. Brazil and

Saudi Arabia are primary sources of international

students at this time and these students, along

with Indiana Tech’s high proportion of stu-

dent-athletes, provide the university with a very

lively campus.

Indiana Tech student athletes play in one of the

24 intercollegiate athletic programs that Tech

has to offer. Because the university fields both

varsity and junior varsity teams in many sports,

over 55% of Tech students participate in athletics.

The number and range of diversities contribute to

an extraordinary array of experiences, opportu-

nities and challenges for students, faculty, and

staff. **

*Source: nces.ed.gov

**Source: Indiana Tech Registrar

ABOUT OUR STUDENTS


Indiana Tech is in a position that places it within

a minority of institutions today, as it continues

to see enrollment growth among its traditional

undergraduates at the main campus, and de-

gree-seekers of all ages online and at its satellite

locations. It enjoys financial strength and stabili-

ty, with its recent campus improvements accom-

plished without taking on debt, and a concurrent

growth in its endowment.

Combined with a leadership team possessing

a bias towards action, the result is a university

well-positioned for innovation in its service of stu-

dents and continued growth. Initiatives and areas

of focus in the immediate years ahead include:

New Programs: Indiana Tech maintains a com-

mitment to providing career-focused, experien-

tial learning opportunities for all of its students.

New program opportunities are continually

under review for potential inclusion in the uni-

versity’s offerings. Likewise, the university reg-

ularly reviews existing programs for relevance

to the needs of students. Recent new programs

include Health Information Technology, the

Masters in Psychology, and three new concen-

trations in business administration.

Accreditation: As noted above, the universi-

ty is at various stages, of the discipline-focused

accreditation process with groups including the

International Assembly for Collegiate Business

Education (IACBE), American Bar Association

(ABA), National Council for Accreditation of

Teacher Education (NCATE), and Commission on

Accreditation for Health Informatics and Infor-

mation Management Education (CAHIIM). The

university is committed to continuous improve-

ment in all areas with a specific focus on accred-

itation through the Academic Quality Improve-

ment Program (AQIP).

Instructional Strategy and Technology: Of-

fering traditional, blended and online instruc-

tion, Indiana Tech faces challenges familiar

to higher-ed in continuing to expand delivery

choices for students while maintaining high

and consistent quality as well as academic rigor

across all platforms. The instructional strate-

gies and associated technologies needed to meet

these challenges and opportunities will be a pri-

mary focus of the university in the years ahead.

College of Business: New programs in en-

trepreneurship, financial services and business

communication have recently been introduced.

The College is also the center of the Cunningham

Reinvention initiative to improve interactive

student learning, which will see its classrooms,

computer labs, study centers, and technology all

receiving major upgrades. The Cunningham Re-

invention project will be complete by December

2015 and serving students across the university

starting in January 2016.

Economic Development and Entrepreneur-ship: Indiana Tech also seeks to expand its role

in contributing to the regional economy, through

such efforts as the creation in 2014 of the Center

for Creative Collaboration (C3). This entrepre-

neur service center brings together the knowl-

edge and skills of each of the university’s colleges,

along with business mentors from around the

community, to help client companies reach their

full potential. The university’s vision is that a

stronger economy, marked by entrepreneurial

initiative, will provide more fertile ground for

graduates seeking jobs, or to establish their own

enterprises.

A LOOK AHEAD


Indiana Tech, under the leadership of President

Arthur E. Snyder, has moved rapidly in recent

years to expand its academic offerings, incor-

porate new modes of instruction, and reach out

successfully to both traditional and new student

markets. The rapid growth in programs and in

student enrollments has been accompanied by the

establishment of 15 satellite locations in Indiana,

Louisville and Fort Wright, Kentucky, and the

Chicago area. Indiana Tech has also undertaken

the construction of major new facilities and signif-

icant capital investments on the central campus in

Fort Wayne, while continuing to generate steady

improvement in financial strength and stability.

Given this context, the Vice President for Aca-

demic Affairs (VPAA) position offers an exciting

array of leadership opportunities and challenges

for an experienced and entrepreneurial academ-

ic leader. The person filling this position will re-

port to the President, and will work closely with

other members of the Cabinet, as well as faculty,

staff, students, the Board of Trustees, and other

constituent groups in moving the mission and

academic programs of Indiana Tech forward.

More specific leadership opportunities (not neces-

sarily in order of priority) include the following:

PROVIDE SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN A GROW-ING INSTITUTION: The new VPAA will serve

as a key member of an experienced and senior

leadership team that is deeply committed to the

continuing growth and success of Indiana Tech.

Tech may be described, in simple terms, as an

institution “on the move” – new programs are

being established, enrollment is growing, and

the resources needed to support new activities

are available. In these ways and more, the VPAA

position at Indiana Tech, in a time of downsizing

for many other institutions, represents a dis-

tinctive and exciting opportunity for academic

leadership.

LEAD ACADEMIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT: Indiana Tech’s commitment to career and profes-

sional education drives (and requires) a continual

focus on market needs and trends that open new

program opportunities, as well as an openness to

the importance of regular review and revision

for current academic programs. The new VPAA

will be expected to play a catalytic role, working

with faculty and other leaders both on and off

campus, to identify and test, and then to shape

and implement academic program initiatives.

THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNIT Y

QUICK FACTS

Year Founded: 1930

President: Dr. Arthur Snyder

Locations: 15 satellite locations

around Indiana and Kentucky

Main campus: Fort Wayne, IN

Northern Indiana: Elkhart,

Huntington, Kendallville,

Mishawaka, Munster, Warsaw

Central Indiana: Fishers,

Greenwood, Indianapolis, Plainfield

Southern Indiana: Evansville,

Jeffersonville

Kentucky: Louisville, Northern

Kentucky-Fort Wright

Enrollment Center: Oak Brook, IL

(Chicago)

Enrollment Fall 2014:

Traditional undergraduates

(Fort Wayne main campus): 1,376

Adult undergraduates and

graduates (all campuses and online):

7,400


ENCOURAGE NEW MODES OF INSTRUCTION: Indiana Tech is committed to “relationship

based” learning across the curriculum, incor-

porating varied modes of instruction, including

traditional, blended, and online. It is anticipated

that each of these instructional strategies will

play an important role in the future, and the new

VPAA will carry an important responsibility in

working with academic leaders and faculty to in-

corporate new and emergent instructional strat-

egies in ways that improve student learning.

ASSURE ACADEMIC QUALITY: Assuring and

strengthening the academic quality across the

breadth of Indiana Tech’s rapidly growing aca-

demic programs will be a key expectation and

priority for the new VPAA. The most frequently

mentioned areas that need to be addressed are

common to many colleges and universities, and

include the development of a system for regular

program review, more focus on campus wide

assessment, the assurance of instructional qual-

ity, and the measurement of student learning

outcomes. Tech has a strong commitment to im-

proving student retention and graduation rates

and the new VPAA will share an important role

in this effort.

LEAD ACCREDITATION EFFORTS: Accredita-

tion represents another dimension of Indiana

Tech’s commitment to assure and strengthen

the overall quality of the academic programs.

The commitment, in turn, energizes Tech’s work

with the Higher Learning Commission, as well

as the institution’s engagement with disciplinary

accreditation agencies. While the responsibility

for working with accreditation is delegated to

many across the campus, the VPAA will serve as

Tech’s chief institutional liaison officer.

SERVE AS FACULTY LEADER: Indiana Tech

faculty are devoted first and foremost to their

teaching. Their care for students is notable, and

their joy when students succeed is exciting. They

are deeply loyal to Indiana Tech. Tech faculty

will look to the new VPAA as their leader, as one

who understands the challenges of faculty life,

who encourages them along the way and who

celebrates achievement. The new VPAA will

also address the ongoing issues of compensation,

staffing levels, work load, and faculty develop-

ment.

REPRESENT ACADEMICS: The new VPAA will

be the public “voice” for Tech’s academic pro-

grams. The audiences are many and will include

faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees, prospec-

tive students and families, community and busi-

ness leaders, and alumni and potential donors. In

other words, the VPAA will be asked to play an

active role in building relationships and telling

Indiana Tech’s story including Tech’s distinctive

mission, remarkable program opportunities, and

student success stories.


The Vice President for Academic Affairs serves

as the chief academic officer of the institution,

and is responsible for advancing the education-

al mission and academic programs. The VPAA

is also responsible for leading new academic

program initiatives, strengthening academic

quality, serving as leader of the faculty, work-

ing with academic leaders and the University’s

senior leadership team, and serving as liaison to

the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of

Trustees. In addition to overseeing the work of

the Academic Deans, the VPAA oversees key ad-

ministrative services.

The successful candidate for the VPAA position

will possess a combination of education, expe-

rience, and achievements that have prepared

them to effectively address the leadership chal-

lenges and opportunities described above, and

who can be described by the following personal

talents and attributes of leadership:

AN ACCOMPLISHED ACADEMIC LEADER who

is excited and energized by the distinctive mis-

sion of Indiana Tech as a university whose pur-

pose is to provide “career-focused, professional

programs of higher education” that “prepare

students for professional and personal success.”

A BROADLY PREPARED ACADEMIC capable

of working effectively across the breadth of In-

diana Tech’s academic programs, who is experi-

enced in the use of varied instructional modes,

and in working with both traditional and

non-traditional students.

A CREATIVE, DYNAMIC AND ENTREPENURI-AL LEADER who is prepared to work in a fast

paced, “change oriented” environment, and who

has a demonstrated record of success in develop-

ing and implementing high quality new academ-

ic programs, and revising existing programs, in

order to reach new student markets.

A PROVEN ADMINISTRATOR who is prepared

to prioritize and manage the multiple leadership

issues and operational tasks facing the VPAA on

a daily basis, and to address the broad range of

program, personnel, and resource decisions that

are required.

A STRONG ADVOCATE OF ACADEMIC QUALI-TY AND RIGOR who has experience in address-

ing issues such as academic program review,

institutional and program level assessment, in-

structional effectiveness, and the measurement

of student learning outcomes.

A KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADER who under-

stands recent developments and trends in high-

er education, including areas such as changing

market demographics, student learning styles,

accountability and accreditation, and public ex-

pectations for higher education.

AN EXPERIENCED FACULTY MEMBER with an

ability to work effectively with faculty, to under-

stand both the opportunities and the challenges

faculty face, to address issues of faculty welfare

and concern, and to serve as an advocate for the

academic enterprise.

AN EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKER who under-

stands the process of building support around

ideas and courses of action, one who listens care-

fully, who considers diverse viewpoints, and is

then willing to make clear decisions and take

prompt action.

A GIFTED COMMUNICATOR who is prepared to

serve as the “academic voice” for the institution

in all manner of public settings, and who also is

effective working one-on-one, and in small and

large groups, both on and off campus.

A “PEOPLE PERSON” who values and enjoys

others, and who is comfortable working in the

intimate setting of a small campus, where access

is assumed, where daily contact with faculty,

staff and students is a staple, and where leaders

are expected to be actively engaged in communi-

ty life and activities.

THE DESIRED AT TRIBUTES FOR LEADERSHIP

QUICK FACTS

Programs: 57 degree programs,

including associate, bachelors,

masters and doctoral degrees

7 colleges and schools within

the university:

College of Business

College of Engineering

School of Computer Sciences

College of General Studies

Center for Criminal Justice

School of Education

Law School

Athletics: 24 intercollegiate men’s

and women’s teams, competing

in NAIA

6 NAIA national championships –

men’s and women’s outdoor track

and field 2013, 2014. Men’s indoor

track and field, 2014

Newest program: Men’s ice hockey,

launched fall 2014


THE PROCESS OF CANDIDACY

Nominations and expressions of interest may be

submitted electronically to:

Professor David Aschliman, Chair

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Search Committee

Dean, College of Engineering and

Computer Sciences

[email protected]

Candidates are asked to submit electronically

in MS Word or Adobe PDF: (1) a letter of interest

reflecting on the leadership characteristics not-

ed above, (2) a resume, and (3) the names, e-mail

addresses, and telephone numbers of five refer-

ences. References will not be contacted without

first securing the permission of the candidate. To

receive full consideration, materials should be

received on or before March 9, 2015.

This search is being assisted by:

Loren Anderson, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant

AGB Search

Cell: (253) 223-3566

[email protected]

Additional information about Indiana Tech

and this opportunity may be found at

www.indianatech.edu/VPAA-Search

Indiana Tech is an equal opportunity employer.


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