Academic Services Director

Job Description

The Integrated Social Sciences Program has an outstanding opportunity for an Academic Services Director (ASD) to join their team. Integrated Social Sciences (ISS) is a fee‑based, online bachelor’s degree completion program offered by the College of Arts and Sciences in partnership with Continuum College. Collaborating with academic departments in the Social Sciences Division, ISS expands equitable opportunity to students living in Washington and beyond by expanding access to a high‑quality UW baccalaureate degree.

Delivered in an asynchronous, online format, the ISS curriculum offers adult learners an integrated and interdisciplinary pathway to knowledge across the social sciences, addressing the complexities of our globalized world and all the associated interdependencies and inequalities within and between societies around the world. The ISS degree program is designed to enable such students to not only greatly expand their intellectual capabilities, but also to develop broad skills in communication, analytical thinking, and public scholarship which support their professional activities and goals.

To carry out its educational mission, ISS employs a core team of faculty and academic advisers who coordinate closely on both larger curricular and program concerns, and on supporting the education of individual students.

Serving both new transfer students and returning and continuing UW students, ISS employs a highly proactive and individualized model of academic advising which supports a student population facing the unique and challenging needs of adult students, many who are already working professionals with families. The online learning environment calls upon advisers to cultivate relationships and build a sense of Husky identity and community remotely.

ISS academic counselors embrace an integrated (advising + instructional) educational team model, working in a program where communication and cooperation between staff and faculty – both the core faculty and instructors from division partners who teach individual social science content courses – is required daily.

• Plan and assess the management and implementation of the ISS bachelor’s degree completion program in consultation with the Faculty Director and the Divisional Dean.
• Provide strategic leadership for long term management and day to day administration of program, including weekly meetings with the ISS leadership group to discuss curriculum, staffing, and student matters and improve programs and processes to better meet student needs.
• With support of the Continuum College Partner Success Lead, develop and manage an annual operating budget of $2M, authorize expenditures and/or obtain authorization from the CAS dean’s office for expenditures including faculty and staff compensation, travel and professional development, course development, annual graduation celebration, and so forth.
• With the Faculty Director make annual recommendations to CAS and OPB regarding course fee rates for the program to maintain fiscal health and preserve access through affordability.
• Develop 5-year faculty hiring plans for approval by CAS.
• Participate in hiring processes for ISS core faculty as requested and authorized by the divisional dean.
• Communicate with department chairs to recruit new instructors for thematic areas courses, to introduce new courses into the ISS curriculum, and to initiate new joint hiring ventures.
• Ensure the accuracy and usefulness of program information disseminated by program web pages, brochures and other marketing materials produced either internally or by the Continuum College marketing team, student email lists, and communications to undergraduate students.
• Oversee and coordinate on- and off‑campus recruitment for ISS academic programs; implement effective policies for Washington community college transfer students.

• Work with the Faculty Director to coordinate the annual curriculum planning process.
• Serve on the ISS program Curriculum Committee: attend meetings and propose agenda items related to…