Vice Dean, Academic Affairs

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Vice Dean, Academic Affairs is responsible for leading the development, evaluation and execution of AFI Conservatory’s academic administration.  The Vice Dean works collaboratively with the faculty and its leadership to ensure the AFI Conservatory programs are of the highest quality and serve the mission of the Institute and is responsible for all accreditation-related matters, ensuring that the Conservatory and its programs are in compliance with WASC and NASAD standards and principles. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

• Lead the development and implementation of the annual AFI Conservatory strategic plan, including setting metrics and timelines; reporting on achievement of goals and metrics to ensure the Conservatory plan supports the strategies and goals of the broader Institute’s strategic planning and vision.
• Collaborate with Conservatory management and faculty, especially the six discipline heads, on all aspects of the academic enterprise, including:
  • Analyzing the effectiveness of admissions standards and practices based on program goals and priorities, and revising standards and practices as appropriate in conjunction with the Enrollment Services staff.
  • Evaluating the currency and relevance of the overall curriculum based on results of assessment of student learning; analysis of current thinking and practices in film; and current standards in graduate-level higher education. This area of responsibility involves the full deployment of program review across all Conservatory programs and the integration of recommendations about the curriculum emerging from these reviews, including recommendations from alumni, industry advisors and reviewers.  Evaluation may lead to updates or revisions to the curriculum (e.g. adjusting specific course content or credit values, revising sequencing of courses and/or creating new courses or concentrations).
  • Maintaining rigorous academic standards and providing support for faculty in the areas of attendance, participation and grades and grading, including academic support and processes for Fellows who are not performing at expected levels.
  • Developing effective methods of supporting and integrating new faculty members, including those who teach as adjunct or occasional instructors, by building on existing methods of annual faculty orientation; providing leadership for excellence in teaching by introducing and supporting new and effective ways of teaching, drawing on the latest research in effective pedagogy and the science of learning.

Coordinating the six disciplines to include regular meetings of all faculty in each discipline; offering a deeper coordinated orientation to provide faculty with better skills to administer their programs; creating opportunities for adjunct faculty to stay informed about all aspects of the Conservatory and AFI; providing an overview about how each of the six disciplines integrates into the cohesive program; and creating insights into and suggesting ways to address the scheduling challenges that arise in academics and production.

• Provide AFI leadership and faculty with up-to-date guidance on all aspects of accreditation standards and practices and builds systems that support conformity with accreditation norms and good practices in higher education.
• Serves as the Accreditation Liaison Officer for the AFI Conservatory.
• Guide and monitor the assessment of student learning, including working with Conservatory management and faculty to establish and refine learning outcomes, mapping outcomes to coursework, setting effective assessment methods, collecting and reviewing the results of assessment of student learning, and incorporating all of this information into the annual AFI Conservatory strategic plan.
• Oversee all institutional research and assessment processes, working in collaboration with the Registrar and Director, Institutional Research.
• Refine and implement the Conservatory-wide process for periodic program review, which includes results of assessment of student learning and success and is tied to Conservatory-specific and Institute-wide planning and budgeting.
• Collaborate with the Registrar, the Enrollment Services, Fellow Affairs and Production Services teams to integrate academic and production elements of the programs as a means to support student success.

 EXPERIENCE/SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Master’s degree in an appropriate academic discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum eight years of relevant higher education experience in an academic leadership role, preferably in an arts-related institute or with oversight of arts-related programs.
• Experience working with performance-based arts programs; experience in film production education highly preferred.
• Extensive experience with WASC standards and practices and the ability to translate and apply these standards to AFI’s graduate-level MFA film program.
• Highly strategic, with the ability to engage the Institute through consensus building across a matrix organization.
• Strong leadership, time management and multi-tasking skills, coupled with the ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
• Exceptionally detail-oriented with the proven ability to handle numerous tasks with appropriate follow-up and reporting activities while not losing sight of the big picture.
• Can work independently while being an integral member of a high-functioning team.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to convey complex concepts and procedures in simplistic terms.
• Excellent computer skills with expertise in Microsoft Word and Excel in a Mac environment.
• Strong skills in examining and re-engineering operation and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Strong analytic and problem solving skills and the ability to effectively apply these to a diverse set of issues.
• Proven project management skills with the ability to take a project from conception through completion with minimal supervision.
• Possess a positive and professional attitude with the ability to work as a member of a high-energy, results oriented team.
• Strong diplomacy skills and professionalism are mandatory; this includes the ability to maintain complete confidentiality and discretion at all times.
• Problem-solving skills are essential.
• Commitment to and understanding of performing arts education and the creative process, preferably in film.
• Ability to integrate the values and culture of academe into the education of filmmakers and to support and enhance the “learn by doing” model that characterizes AFI Conservatory’s mission.
• Capacity to thrive in the exciting, ambitious, future-oriented environment of a world-class institution and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Personal integrity and the ability to inspire confidence and trust.