Vice President - Academic Affairs

General

Sinte Gleska University is seeking a dynamic individual to serve as Vice President of Academic Affairs. The VPAA will lead all teaching, learning, and curriculum activities, with a focus on culturally relevant education, accreditation, faculty development, and student success—particularly for Indigenous students. The role includes managing community partnerships with tribes and employers, overseeing academic budgets and resources, and ensuring all programs align with tribal needs and higher education standards.

The VPAA is responsible for all academic departments, as well as programs and grants that support academic efforts, and supervises any programs at additional locations.

• Hold instructors and departments accountable for their functions and budgets, meeting student needs and success indicators.
• Encourage action research and service by instructional staff to enhance student achievement.
• Direct goal setting and priorities within the scope of the university mission, and facilitate long‑range planning.
• Communicate with all departments to develop academic programs that meet student needs, competencies, and objectives.
• Lead the design and development of instructional innovations appropriate for SGU students.
• Develop and identify research needs, objectives, and activities to improve instructional programs.
• Oversee overall curriculum development and instructional delivery systems.
• Serve the mission, objectives, and strategies of Sinte Gleska University, achieving Lakota self‑determination, student success, and college growth; include maintaining accreditation through appropriate accrediting agencies.
• Oversee program review processes and ensure academic compliance with accrediting agencies.
• Approve professional development activities for faculty in cooperation with academic department chairs.
• Represent the academic division in Presidents Council meetings.
• Act as the Certification Officer.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Maintain a schedule of classroom observations and individual faculty member evaluations, and oversee faculty development.
• Exhibit strong interpersonal skills.
• Apply exceptional program evaluation and assessment techniques to students, faculty, and instruction.
• Evaluate faculty job descriptions, course syllabi, audit course content, and instructor performance annually.
• Facilitate recruitment, employment, evaluation, and retention of quality instructional personnel. Complete required reports such as board and grant reports.
• Lead the development and implementation of program evaluation and learning assessment methodologies. Prepare course schedules with faculty, registrar, and Dean of Students.
• Publish the college catalog and assess student learning.
• Promote and assess scholarly student and faculty activities.
• Appoint academic committees in cooperation with the president and collaborate on grant writing proposals.
• Provide appropriate professional development for faculty.
• Ensure a strong faculty‑student advising program.
• Oversee the library.
• Facilitate staff and faculty meetings.
• Attend required meetings such as staff, faculty, and Board of Directors meetings.

The Vice President of Academic Affairs supervises all academic departments (Department Chairs), the library, the Dean of Students, all grants related to academics, the Registrar’s office, the Institute of Indigenous Teaching, Distance Education, ABE/GED, Jenzabar, and additional locations.

• Possess at minimum a Master’s degree; a Doctorate is preferred.
• Familiarity with Tribal college regulations, data collection systems (e.g., IPEDs, HLC, AIMS/AKIS), and grants is preferred.
• Have undergraduate and/or graduate training in one or more programs within the academic division.
• Possess at least 3 years of experience in one or more programs within the academic division.
• Hold two years of full‑time teaching experience in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrate documented experience in curriculum development, faculty development, faculty evaluation, and accreditation.

SGU employees agree to maintain strict confidentiality regarding FERPA, HIPAA, and the contents of all SGU correspondence, student records, personnel files, and fiscal data.

Sinte Gleska University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religious preference, age, handicap, marital status, political preference, or membership or non‑membership in an employee organization, except as allowed by the Indian preference provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

The SGU employee is responsible for ensuring that their personnel file reflects official evidence of educational qualifications and experiences. Failure to do so prior to the start of the contract year may result in not receiving compensation commensurate with claimed advancement in promotional steps.