Dean of Academic Programs

Mission &

Purpose:

Cisco College provides quality, affordable educational opportunities that meet the diverse academic, technical, and career needs of the students and communities we serve. As a member of the Texas public higher education system, Cisco College maintains an open-door admissions policy and offers programs across multiple campuses and off-campus sites. The institution values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in support of student success.

Core Values: Cisco College promotes student success through access, innovation, best practices, and effective support services, while maintaining excellence in programs, instruction, and operations.

Guiding Principles: Learning, Respect, Integrity, Communication, Cooperation, Joy, and Innovation

Role of the Dean of Instruction: The Dean of Instruction provides leadership and oversight for academic transfer programs, ensuring program quality, effective operations, and a sustained focus on student success. The Dean serves as a key leader in advancing instructional excellence, supporting faculty, and aligning academic programs with institutional priorities. The Dean provides direct oversight of operational processes related to academic programs while coordinating with chairs, directors, other Deans, and college departments to ensure effective implementation and consistency across programs and locations.

The Dean must communicate and lead effectively, building a culture of seeking improvement and celebrating student success. The Dean serves as a central point of coordination and communication between faculty, chairs, and administration, ensuring information is clear and consistent.

Dean of Instruction’s Team: The Dean reports to the Vice President of Instruction/CAO and supervises academic program faculty, department chairs, and program directors. The Dean collaborates closely with the Dean of Workforce, Dean of Teaching and Learning, Dean of Academic Support, Dean of Enrollment Services, Director of Libraries, Director of Dual Credit, and Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness.

• Supervisor for all academic program faculty across all locations.
• Works with other Deans to coordinate professional development priorities for academic program faculty, including seeking faculty feedback; develops and facilitates opportunities that support instructional quality, faculty needs, and student success.
• Implement and manage the annual faculty evaluation process; recommend updates or changes to the process as necessary based on faculty and administrative feedback. Cultivates a collegial, student-centered academic culture among departments and programs by encouraging professional collaboration, thoughtful discussion about teaching and learning, and a shared commitment to student success.
• Collaborates with other Deans to hold regular faculty meetings that keep faculty informed, facilitate college-wide communication, and provide opportunities for faculty input, questions, and discussion.
• Engages and assists the chairs and directors in engaging part-time faculty; leads opportunities for part-time faculty to convene and/or visit campus; coordinates with other Deans and departments to ensure all part-time faculty are included and have opportunities to connect with college departments or personnel.
• Coordinates with faculty, chairs, deans, and administration to support effective instructional practices, academic program improvements, and educational initiatives.
• Leads the development, maintenance, and updates of academic transfer program articulations; coordinates with transfer partners as necessary; collaborates with Institutional Research to track transfer trends and with Counseling to schedule transfer events for partners and students.
• Assists with annual, ongoing assessment of student learning that promotes student retention, support, and success; works to enact a culture of seeking continuous improvement and collaboration surrounding assessment of student learning; collaborates with IR to support faculty, departments or programs in their assessment efforts and processes.
• Ensures…