Director of Learning & Academic Assessment

The University of the Pacific, the first chartered institution of higher education in California (1851), invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of Learning & Academic Assessment.

University of the Pacific is a dynamic, independent, comprehensive university offering undergraduate, first professional, and graduate degrees to over 6200 students on three campuses. The University's main campus is in Stockton, a culturally and ethnically diverse city of more than 300,000 people, and part of the beautiful central valley of California bordered by a thousand miles of delta waterways. It is within a two-to-three hour drive of the Napa Valley, the Lake Tahoe-Sierra region and Yosemite National Park. The University’s McGeorge School of Law is located in the state capital, Sacramento, and the Dugoni School of Dentistry is in San Francisco. The main campus is within 45 minutes drive of Sacramento, and 90 minutes from San Francisco. See Pacific's web site at http://www.pacific.edu. More information about Stockton can be found at http://www.stocktonet.com.

The position is available immediately. Please send nominations and applications to Dr. Robert Brodnick, Assessment Search, Office of the Provost, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California 95211; electronic nominations/applications preferred: rbrodnick@pacific.edu. Review of nominations and applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The University of the Pacific is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer encouraging excellence through diversity.

Responsibilities:
The position reports directly to the Assistant Provost and will enable the institution to support faculty across the three campuses more fully as they pursue direct learning assessment projects, contribute to research on the scholarship of teaching and learning, as well as serve as a general resource for faculty and administration on the assessment process. With strong ties to the Institutional Research office, Center for Teaching and Learning, and institutional program review processes, this individual will:

1. provide leadership and expertise in assessment techniques and practices and serve as a three campus resource on related matters;
2. assist faculty in the development and implementation of direct learning assessment, especially in regard to program/department goals; 
3. propose innovative and authentic assessment improvements and complements to existing assessment programs; 
4. assist in the design and subsequent data analysis and application of assessment information in a timely, productive and meaningful way for professors, students and programs; 
5. design and/or support technologies that facilitate assessment activities such as  e-portfolios, online tracking systems, and related technologies;
6. research, develop and present innovative assessment reports to the community and departments on assessment findings and most importantly to help them understand how to integrate the findings in a real and productive way into their scholarly and instructional activities;  
7. integrate authentic assessment results into program review processes as part of a useful initiative assisting faculty in their goals in addressing student learning outcomes; 
8. catalogue and compile assessment resource materials and results in an efficient, easily recoverable and useful mechanism and provide continual assistance and reminders to faculty on their use;  
9. integrate meaningful assessment activities and results with accreditation processes, especially those geared towards improving institutional accreditation; and
10. generate revenue and opportunity for the institution through external grants and funding for assessment.

Qualifications:
This important work draws upon a diverse set of professional, academic, technical, and interpersonal competencies. This person will be working with a wide variety of stakeholders including administrators, accrediting bodies and faculty members. Minimum qualifications of the position include:

• Experience with both the theory and practical application of learning assessment, planning, and methods in a higher education environment.
• Skill in qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Knowledge of academic program planning and review.
• Ability to communicate clearly to a variety of constituents in both oral and written communication (an essential component is the ability to translate data into useable information for highly qualified faculty in areas other than assessment).
• Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative environment.
• A minimum of 5 years professional level experience in a postsecondary institution, where ideally the candidate has spent time as an instructor of record. 
• Experience in assessment or institutional research at the program, department, or university level required.
• Doctorate or terminal degree required. 
• An ability to maintain a collegial discourse with faculty members who may be less than enthused about assessment requirements.
• An innovative approach to addressing the assessment requirements, which enable a broader participation and a healthier, functional perspective on using assessment practices as an advantage and not a burden.