Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs

The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs (APUAA) reports to the Vice Provost and serves as a key member of the Provost's leadership team. The APUAA provides strategic vision and administrative leadership for the University's Core Journey curriculum, the continued elevation of the Honors College, the expansion of Dual Enrollment programs, and initiatives that promote student engagement in service and undergraduate research. This role collaborates extensively with academic deans, department chairs, faculty, and administrative partners to advance academic excellence, strengthen high-impact learning experiences and expand opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in meaningful research and community-engaged learning.

Direct Reports

• Director of POWERS
• Undergraduate Research Coordinator for STEM & Health Sciences
• Undergraduate Research Coordinator for the Humanities and Creative Arts

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Academic Oversight

• Support and assist the Vice Provost in establishing and implementing undergraduate academic standards, policies, processes, and protocols that promote academic excellence and align with institutional strategic priorities.
• Provide oversight and strategic direction for undergraduate research initiatives, including student scholarship, publication, and creative activity.
• Oversee the Core, Journey curriculum and assess its effectiveness in achieving student learning outcomes in collaboration with the Lipscomb Core Council.

Leadership of the Lipscomb Core Council (LCC)

• Chair and manage the Lipscomb Core Council by coordinating all council initiatives.
• Ensure a cohesive and sustainable assessment strategy across all Journey courses.
• Design and lead annual faculty development and training sessions related to the Core, Journey curriculum.
• Support and resource faculty leads for Critical Journey Core Courses.
• Oversee the design, mentorship, and training of faculty involved in POWERS and COMPASS programs.
• Manage scheduling and FLAC processes for COMPASS courses.
• Oversee and update catalog and website content related to Core, Journey sections.

Student Success and Institutional Collaboration

• Represent the Core, Journey program during Admissions events, NSO, and Quest Week.
• Serves role as the liaison for the Advising team for Journey collaboration
• Manage semesterly scheduling of Journey courses, ensuring appropriate section counts, enrollment caps, and alignment with student demand.
• Provide leadership for the planning and execution of the annual Student Scholars Symposium.

Dual Enrollment Oversight

• Provide strategic leadership for the overall growth, quality, and effectiveness of Dual Enrollment programs.
• Assess existing Dual Enrollment structures and practices to identify opportunities for improvement and expansion.
• Strengthen and expand collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to support program development.
• Lead the reform and alignment of Dual Enrollment processes and agreements to ensure academic rigor and operational sustainability.
• Promote cross-campus collaboration to enhance access, consistency, and student success within Dual Enrollment initiatives.

Undergraduate Research Leadership

The APUAA plays a central role in strengthening undergraduate research across the institution, including:

• Providing strategic direction and administrative oversight for campus-wide undergraduate research initiatives.
• Supporting faculty mentorship of student researchers across STEM, Health, Humanities, and Creative Arts disciplines.
• Expanding opportunities for students to present, publish, and disseminate original research and creative work.
• Strengthening institutional structures that support undergraduate scholarship, including funding, programming, and partnerships.
• Providing leadership for the annual Student Scholars Symposium and other signature research events.

Service and Community-Engaged Learning Leadership

The APUAA provides strategic leadership in expanding meaningful service and community-engaged learning opportunities for undergraduate students by:

• Providing vision and direction for the development and growth of service-learning initiatives that integrate academic coursework with community engagement.
• Collaborating with faculty, academic units, and community partners to design high-impact experiential learning opportunities that enhance student learning outcomes.
• Advancing the integration of service and civic engagement across the curriculum in alignment with institutional mission and strategic priorities.
• Strengthening interdisciplinary and community partnerships that connect classroom learning to real-world needs.
• Assessing and promoting the effectiveness of service-learning programs to ensure meaningful student growth, leadership development, and civic responsibility.
• Serving as an institutional advocate for community-engaged scholarship and experiential learning as essential components of undergraduate education.

Required Qualifications

• Terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in an academic discipline
• Demonstrated record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and academic service within higher education
• Demonstrated experience in academic leadership (e.g., department chair, program director, or similar role)
• Strong understanding of undergraduate education, curriculum development, and assessment
• Experience implementing academic policies and aligning initiatives with institutional strategy
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with undergraduate research programs and student scholarship initiatives
• Experience with dual enrollment or pre-college programs
• Background in faculty development, mentoring, and training
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and campus-wide initiatives
• Demonstrated success in building partnerships (internal and external)

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and vision-setting
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Commitment to student success and high-impact learning practices
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administration, and community partners

*Preference will be given to internal candidates