CSUN's Commitment to You:
CSUN is committed to achieving excellence through teaching, scholarship, learning and inclusion. Our values include a respect for all people, building partnerships with the community and the encouragement of innovation, experimentation and creativity. CSUN strives to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. CSUN is especially interested in candidates who make contributions to equity and inclusion in the pursuit of excellence for all members of the university community.
The University:
One of the largest universities in the country, California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is an urban, comprehensive university that delivers award-winning undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 40,000 students annually and counts nearly 400,000 alumni who fuel the region’s economy. Since its founding in 1958, CSUN has made a significant and long-term economic impact on California, generating nearly $1.9 billion in economic impact and more than 12,000 jobs each year. CSUN is a designated Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving Institution, nationally recognized for success in serving a diverse student body. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities named CSUN an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University, the Wall Street Journal ranked CSUN third in the nation for the university’s diverse learning environment, and CSUN is the nation’s seventh-ranked school on CollegeNet’s 2021 Social Mobility Index.
About the College:
CSUN’s Tseng College provides advanced professional education to undergraduate, graduate, international and midcareer students. With more than $32 million in revenue and nearly 25,189 registrations in 2022-2023, the College is a leading provider of professional degrees, certificates and custom-designed programs. Known for its premier support services, the College employs an administrative staff of more than 65 people, leading to high graduation rates – 76-96 percent for most programs in 2022-2023, with some, like the Bachelor of Science (Accelerated) Nursing Program (ABSN) with a 96 percent and the Social Work (MSW), achieving an on-time graduation rate of 93 percent in 2022-2023.
The College is nationally recognized for providing programs with formats, delivery modes and locations that address the needs and constraints facing working professionals and their organizations. It works closely with businesses, communities, agencies and international partners to design and deliver programs that meet unique organizational needs and goals. To learn more about Tseng College go to https://go.csun.edu/aboutCSUN .
About the Position:
The Associate Dean (AD) at California State University Northridge’s (CSUN), Tseng College (the College) working in collaboration with the dean has primary academic oversight responsibility for the College. The AD is responsible for ensuring that the College works in keeping with all CSUN academic standards and practice, and the standards of excellence for each of the disciplines and fields in which the College offers educational opportunities.
As a leader in the College, the AD is also expected to work in keeping with CSUN’s Leadership Principles (https://www.csun.edu/leadership-principles) and the College’s statement of Mission, Purpose and Values (https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/aboutus/deansoffice/missionandgoals).
The College is an agile and innovative component of CSUN and the larger world of higher education at the state, national, and international levels. In that light, the AD is expected to have an ongoing and current broad understanding of the changing world of higher education, the changing world of professional practice for those preparing at the university level, and emerging models for the novel ways the forefront of higher education is responding to shifts in what is most needed from higher education by students and communities. The AD must be able to envision how the College and CSUN can and should be using its self-support capacities to expand the breadth of what it does for those it serves. What the College does and offers today will shift and change in the years ahead and the AD must be an active part of that evolution.
The College is self-supporting (much like a private university) and, in turn, the AD must have the ability to both understand what makes a given academic program both excellent and distinctive in the larger higher education space and to be able to work with faculty groups to craft programs that are indeed academically excellent and distinctive and are also attuned to the educational needs of the intended market (the students the program in question is designed to serve). The AD collaborates with the dean, the College’s market researcher, other College leadership, industry leaders, and CSUN partner colleges to consider options, make decisions regarding the most promising program development projects to undertake, and how each program should be designed, implemented, and supported so that it is an exceptional learning experience for those who take it.
The AD has direct oversight responsibility of the Assistant Dean for Program Development, the Associate Director of Distance Learning unit in the College, and the administrative support staff for the AD’s Office and program development. Leadership skills appropriate for high-talent professional and work flow management skills are required. The AD must be able to recognize and cultivate talent within their own team and across the College.
The AD, working in consultation with the dean, leads the Colleges program development work. The College’s approach to program development for degree and credit certificate program is described here: https://www.csun.edu/exlinfo/policies/Basic-Principles-Program-Development-for-CSUN-Self-Support-Degree-and-Credit-Certificate-Programs.pdf. This approach requires the AD to have the ability to work with faculty groups from a wide range of fields and disciplines to raise fundamental questions about the field today and professional practice in that field looking forward to guide the crafting of programs that offer students an exceptional and impactful educational experience. The AD is a skilled and insightful facilitator and a guide for those working toward true innovation in academic programs with a forefront focus.
The AD oversees the work of the College’s Distance Learning unit and its work related to the crafting on online programs described here: https://www.csun.edu/exlinfo/policies/Basic-Principles-CSUN-Approach-to-Crafting-Online-Degree-Certificate-Programs.pdf. The AD should also be familiar with State Authorization requirements and understand the working of State Authorizations for various states from which the college has students in their fully online programs.
The AD is the primary point of contact and guide in the College for the Academic Leads for each of CSUN’s self-support degree programs. See more information on the basic principles for the academic oversight of self-support degree programs here: https://www.csun.edu/exlinfo/bigbook2023/4_5.Basic-Principles-for-the-Academic-Oversight-of-CSUNs-Self-Support-Degree-and-Credit-Certificate-Programs.pdf.
The AD is a member of the College’s senior leadership team along with the dean, the assistant dean for Program and Enrollment Management, and the executive director of Business Operations and Finance. In that role, the AD has broad responsibilities for working in close collaboration with the other members of the senior team to guide the evolution of the College, the preservation and effective use of the College’s engaged, innovative, and collaborative culture across all unit lines, and the College’s successful response to both challenges and opportunities.
The AD represents the College among the associate deans from other CSUN colleges. The AD works with department chairs, associate deans, the committees of the CSUN Faculty Senate, and designated representatives of the CSU System’s Chancellor’s Office. The AD along with the dean and other members of the College’s senior team represents the College and CSUN in meetings and working groups linked to the self-support colleges, online programs and educational technology teams, and special projects groups that engage other CSU campuses.
The AD must have the relationship building working modes to sustain and expand the College’s essential working collaborations with CSUN faculty, department chairs, associate deans, College and CSUN staff, CSU system colleagues, and external industry and regional leadership partners. Those relationships and the ability to effectively represent the dean and the College in a wide range of contexts are a key component for success in the core work of this role.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- The Associate Dean has direct oversight responsibility of the Assistant Dean for Program Development, the Associate Director of Distance Learning unit in the College, and the Assistant to the Associate Dean. The Associate Dean is responsible for staff development and performance management appropriate for high-talent professionals, and for cultivation of talent within their own team and across the College;
- Oversee staff members responsible for gaining and maintaining state authorization - the process required to gain the authorization required to offer fully online programs in other states within the US and, as required, in other countries;
- Work with the Dean and other senior staff to play a central role in the development of new programs and the evolution of existing programs;
- With the Dean and the College’s external relations team, represent CSUN and the College at various external meetings and events regionally;
- International duties related to current and emerging CSUN programs and partnerships, supporting the Dean in her role as CSUN’s senior international officer;
- Work with the Dean, Executive Director, and senior staff to identify and advance CSUN’s current and emerging priorities and educational and research strengths and, in turn, act as a spokesperson for CSUN with a wide range of internal and external constituencies;
- Develop and maintain close, productive, and positive working relationships with other CSUN divisions, colleges, departments, and administrative offices and with those at the CSU Chancellor's Office with which the College regularly interacts;
- Serve as College Lead for approvals, accreditation, and curriculum assessment;
- Serve as Lead for other international, federal, and state compliance requirements;
- Responsible for effectively managing and resolving academic climate issues, complaints, and appeals from instructors/faculty, students, and clients for CSUN programs offered through the College;
- Responsible for ensuring that all data related to academic affairs, academic programs, student records, and the like are kept secure, in keeping with University data-security policies and best practices;
- Responsible for special assignments, depending on the needs of the College and the skills and experience of the Associate Dean;
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Terminal degree in the academic field in question (the candidate’s academic field) from a regionally accredited US university or a similarly accredited international university;
- Five years of experience in an administrative role (program unit lead, department chair, center/institute lead, or higher administrative role) in public or private higher education;
- Demonstrated experience developing, assessing, and approving university-level academic programs at the baccalaureate and/or graduate level;
- Demonstrated strong written and oral English language skills in different contexts with different audiences;
- Demonstrated ability to work productively within and outside one’s field with colleagues (evidence of this might include the number of committees and project groups on which the candidate served, roles that required interacting with external partners/alumni/supporters, public spokesperson roles, specific mention of such skills and evidence cited to support that in the cover letter or CV).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience in collaborating with faculty and industry leaders on the development of excellent and distinctive academic programs that meet the educational needs of target market in college/university context;
- Entrepreneurial with the proven ability to see trends and innovative possibilities in a changing higher education market within and across disciplines. Ability to consider market demands and relative competitive position when developing programs or services;
- Demonstrated command of current issues facing U.S. higher education, including multi-disciplinary programs, delivery modes, academic program structures (e.g., stackable curriculum), excellence in teaching and learning, approaches to attaining high levels of student achievement, forefront models responding to the changing post-degree educational needs, and emerging connections across disciplines and field of practice;
- Demonstrated record of serial innovation, creative problem solving, and responding quickly to a changing array of opportunities;
- Demonstrated history of developing and successfully launching programs in a self-support/private institution (or similar) context.
- Demonstrated high level of professional integrity and transparency that provide the foundation for trust and productive engagement with high-talent team members;
- Demonstrated understanding of and ability to work within the culture of a U.S. university. Significant experience working across departmental and college lines;
- Experience with accreditation, assessment, and curriculum approval process in the CSU is an advantage.
- Demonstrated success in working in an institutional/organizational context with a high and broad ranging level of diversity within the organization and among those it served is a significant advantage
Salary/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with knowledge, skills, and experience. The University offers excellent fringe benefits. The anticipated hiring salary range is $190,000 – 200,000 per year, dependent upon qualifications and experience.
Application Period
Applications received through Tuesday, December 24, 2024, will be considered in the initial review and review of applications will continue until position is filled.
In order to be considered in the initial review, applications must be submitted prior to the date listed above. Application submissions received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the College.
Effective Date of Appointment: As soon as filled.
How to Apply
Candidates should apply by completing the CSUN on-line application. To apply and for more detailed information on the application and hiring process, please visit this link: www.csun.edu/careers
Background check
This position is a sensitive position as designated by the CSU.
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the status of candidates who apply for the position.
CANRA
The person holding this position will be considered a 'limited reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
Conflict of Interest
This position is a "designated position" in the California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. The successful candidate accepting this position is required to file Conflict of Interest forms subject to the regulations of the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Equal Employment Opportunity
CSUN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination based on race or ethnicity, religion or religious creed, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran or military status, and disability. Our nondiscrimination policy is set forth in the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy (2023). Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by contacting Recruitment Services at 818-677-21
