Duke University Job Description: DIR, ACADEMIC SUPPORT OPERATIONS (2451)

Occupational Summary

The Director of Academic Support Operations leads the administrative management and implementation of ongoing work and special initiatives in support of the academic mission of the school of nursing, including teaching assignments, course scheduling, operationalization of curricular requirements, national accreditation and state authorization to operate regulations and requirements, and employment of non-regular rank faculty who teach for the School of Nursing.

Work Performed

Serve as liaison for national accreditation for the school of nursing. Lead Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation efforts including self-studies, site visits, interim reports, substantive changes, and all other communication related to the school. Interpret accreditation standards, address accreditation questions and issues, and provide recommendations and proposed solutions. Assure compliance with accreditation standards and guidelines by conducting unit audits, compliance reviews, organizational design and management consultation on accreditation compliance issues and the design and implementation of strategies to enhance compliance. Serve as lead staff consultant for new academic programs during their development related to accreditation requirements. Lead teams in preparing for accreditation visits. Provide input for University SACS accreditation as requested by the Office of the Provost. Provide guidance and institutional data/information in support of accreditation activities as needed.

Execute overarching responsibility for the school's state authorization to operate academic programs outside of North Carolina. Using a broad knowledge of the school of nursing and state laws and regulations, write and submit plans and reports as needed. Identify need for and assist faculty in complying with out of state licensure requirements. Review student information on an ongoing basis to assure compliance with applicable laws. Manage the process for the completion of state specific reports related to state authorization to operate. Consult with state Boards of Nursing as needed to assure compliance with regulations. Participate in the School's State Authorization to Operate Committee.

Lead the process for the identification, assignment and compensation of non-regular rank faculty (NRRF) who teach for the School in accordance with accreditation standards and university policy. Assure the employment of NRR faculty who are educationally and experientially qualified to teach specific courses. Provide administrative direction to NRR faculty who teach, interpret policies and guidelines, and direct NRRF to appropriate resources for teaching and problem resolution. Assure NRR faculty compliance with university and school requirements including annual training modules, influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, etc. Work with Director of the Institute for Educational Excellence to identify and meet the initial and ongoing educational development needs of NRR faculty.

Direct the operational implementation of ongoing work and special initiatives related to the work of the academic mission of the school of nursing. Provide confidential consultation to the Vice Dean Academic Affairs, Academic Program Assistant Deans and other stakeholders to advance the work of Academic Affairs. Provide orientation, continuing education and training for new faculty and staff related to the work of academic affairs, including but not limited to vice deans, academic program assistant deans and coordinators, and directors and other staff of academic affairs departments. Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with staff, faculty, and Division, School, and University leaders. Work with all levels of school and university leadership, administration, staff, faculty and students to coordinate business, accomplish objectives and facilitate the resolution of issues and problems. Communicate as appropriate to relevant individuals and groups. Determine the appropriate individuals and groups to communicate with, and decide the timing, method, and location for effective communication.

Direct the annual teaching assignment process including the update of the course catalog and course offerings, section creation, collection of faculty preferences, and faculty assignments for the next academic year. Each academic year there are about 200 courses scheduled into more than 580 sections. The scheduling requires considering at least 6 preferences from each of about 110 regular and non-regular faculty as to which courses they want to teach in each of the three semesters the school operates each year. Faculty expertise for teaching courses as well as faculty's history of teaching are also taken into consideration.

Orient and onboard assistant academic program deans to the teaching assignment process and Teaching Assignment Management System (TAMS). Work with the VDAA, Academic Program Assistant Deans and Division Chairs to address and resolve teaching assignment issues and changes throughout the year. Update TAMS as changes occur. Provide information to individual faculty and academic leaders regarding teaching effort and assignments. Reconcile TAMS and other school and university information systems to ensure accuracy and consistency. Collaborate with Center of Nursing Discovery and business office staff to assure accuracy and consistency of information related to faculty effort and teaching requirements. Interact with TAMS development and support teams about system functionality and utility to meet DUSON needs. Report issues with software versions. Participate on task forces to work with application developers to develop, test and implement system enhancements.

Provide intellectual leadership to a variety of academic affairs activities including, but not limited to development, implementation and evaluation of policies and protocols and best practices. Lead and participate on committees and task forces related to the work of Academic Affairs within and external to the School of Nursing, including quality improvement processes, staff and faculty recruitments, curricular and programmatic development and reviews, data management, advisory boards, and others as assigned by the Vice Dean, Academic Affairs. Write major reports such as the DUSON MSN Program Report to the University Master's Program Review Committee.

Prepare budget for fiscal year requirements; monitor, verify and reconcile expenditure of budgeted funds. Prepare operational and financial reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and appropriate recommendations or conclusions. Oversee faculty compensation process for teaching over assignment, PhD and Chair credits and other related processes. Provide detailed budget projections and analysis in the development of the academic affairs annual budget. Convene and lead budget-related meetings among academic affairs programs and offices in support of the annual budget development process. Oversee implementation of the Academic Affairs budget. Approve expenditures. Assure that Academic Affairs expenditures comply with budgeted amounts each fiscal year.

Manage the processes for revision of the School of Nursing Bulletin, Student Handbooks and Academic Affairs Policies and similar documents according to established schedules. Manage the process for the completion of national surveys (American Association of Colleges of Nursing; National League for Nursing, US News and World Report) for the School of Nursing. Identify needs and implement processes for additional data collection and information management in order to respond to surveys and other information requests more fully and accurately.

Utilizing a deep knowledge of teaching needs and wide discretion for decision-making, schedule three semesters of courses utilizing knowledge of curricular requirements, projected student enrollments, and available faculty teaching effort. Serve as point of contact for faculty, academic program offices, DUSON Offices of Admissions and Student Services and University Registrar's Office for questions or issues related to course schedules. Manage the process for course creation, revision and deletion with the University Registrar's Office, working with academic program offices and faculty to assure that new or revised courses are processed efficiently and accurately. Assign course numbers in accordance with university policy and school number schema. Maintain the school's Master Course Listing.

Manage staff support for the Faculty Governance Association, Institute for Educational Excellence and Beta Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Honorary Society and Academic Support Operations. Collaborate with organizational leaders as needed to provide a high level of customer service and support for these disparate organizational units. Make hiring decisions, Conduct performance review for the staff member providing support, utilizing feedback from organizational leaders. Approve expenditures for scientific writing and editorial assistance services for students. Provide counsel to student editors and faculty regarding student editing issues. Lead search committees for staff within Academic Affairs.

Perform other duties as needed.

Required Qualifications at this Level

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Duke University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

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Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.