Associate Provost

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks an Associate Provost to join Academic Affairs. Academic Affairs encompasses Student Life and supports the work of faculty, departments, and students across all divisions.

In addition to all academic departments and Student Life offices, Academic Affairs contains the Brown RISD Dual Degree Program, Campus Exhibitions, Center for Arts & Language, Co-Works Research Lab, Fleet Library at RISD, Teaching and Learning Lab, Graduate Studies, Nature Lab, Research & Strategic Partnerships, RISD Careers (Career Center), and RISD Global.

The Associate Provost for Academic Affairs is part of the academic leadership and administration of the college. They participate in stewarding RISD toward its future by envisioning and implementing the institution’s academic priorities through a clear understanding of the college’s position and mission.

The Associate Provost works closely with the Provost to oversee college-wide administrative processes, structures, and functions that shape and support the academic experience at RISD.

To do so effectively, the Associate Provost is a strong presence in RISD’s academic realm, is knowledgeable about the wider landscape of higher education, and has a deep understanding of external and internal policies and compliance requirements.

As part of the Academic Council, the Associate Provost collaborates with the Divisional Deans to strengthen the delivery of the curriculum and its myriad support systems and initiates conversations to set academic priorities and to implement them soundly.

• As part of the Office of the Provost leadership collective, the Associate Provost has productive and respectful interactions with the Director of the Office of the Provost;
• the Director of Academic Administration, the Director of Budgets, Planning, and Strategy; the Director of Graduate Studies;

the Director of Global; the Vice President for Student Life; and the Vice Provost for Strategic Partnerships and Research.

Overseeing the Teaching and Learning Lab, as well as faculty hiring and development processes, the Associate Provost plays a crucial role in establishing a diverse professoriate fluent in innovative pedagogies.

RISD recognizes principles of social equity, inclusion, and diversity as fundamental to its academic mission as an art and design school.

We understand these principles to require ongoing attention to differential embodied experience and expansion of the forms of knowledge from which our curricula originate.

RISD is engaged in the collective work of institutional transformation and would value applicants whose pedagogical and professional experiences have prepared them to foster equitable teaching and learning environments.

We encourage applicants whose teaching and professional work (creative practice and / or academic scholarship) attends to embodied difference as intersectional and centers on bodies of knowledge from historically underrepresented communities.

We particularly encourage applicants who can help advance the institution’s social equity, inclusion, and diversity goals and those from groups whose underrepresentation in the American professoriate has been severe and long-standing, including Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other People of Color, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, veterans, people with disabilities, and first-generation college students.

Essential Functions :

Oversees the development and implementation of programs, workshops, and opportunities that support the teaching and learning of art and design, enrichment and innovation in pedagogy, academic advising, emerging teaching methods, tools and technologies, and research or professional practices.

Provides leadership for the Teaching and Learning Lab (TLL) and supervises the Instructional Designer. Together, they expand the reach and the capacity of the TLL and its central position for student learning and staff and faculty development.

Stewards the hiring processes for faculty, and supervises the Faculty Recruitment and Development Coordinator. Collaborates to develop and implement search protocols for faculty hiring with the Vice President for Social Equity and Inclusion and the Divisional Deans.

Devises offer forms, in consultation with the Director of Academic Administration, and presents them to the Provost.

Actively devises and supports faculty development opportunities. Manages and maintains records for the equitable assessment and disbursement of internal professional funds for faculty, by collaborating with the Office of the Provost team;

the Director of Academic Budgets, Planning, and Strategy; and the Director of Academic Administration.

Serves as a mentor to faculty and guides them through reappointment, critical review, and promotion processes in accordance with the terms of contractual obligations in place at RISD.

Provides support to faculty throughout their journey at RISD by being a repository of knowledge for professional opportunities.

Plays an active role in supporting faculty governance by looking at committee structures and making recommendations to the Provost regarding appointments to said committees.

Additional Functions :

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Responsible for special projects and representation of Academic Affairs on institutional committees, as assigned by the Provost.

Liaison in Academic Affairs for : FGC PoP; Project Thrive; Presidential Fellows; Schiller Professorship; Brown RISD Dual Degree.

Required Knowledge / Skills / Experience

Master’s degree required, terminal degree in disciplinary field preferred, or professional equivalent through a combination of education and experience, ideally in alignment with one of the disciplines present in RISD’s curriculum.

At least seven years of instructional and administrative experience (can be combined) at an academic institution of higher education required.

Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and direction in an academic environment.

Experience with unions preferred.

Must have excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills.

Supervisory experience required, with demonstrated ability to effectively mentor others, manage conflict, and engage effectively across differences.

Budget management experience required, with demonstrated ability to carry out fiscal discipline.

Proven experience and ability to work effectively and collaboratively with faculty and administrators across the spectrum of a higher education institution.

Demonstrated comfort and expertise with internal and external communication.

Union : Work Schedule :

Work Schedule :

35 hours per week; 12 months per year

Employment Status :

Full-time; Exempt; Regular

Grade : 575EX

575EX

Work Modality

Hybrid Eligible

Documents Needed to Apply :

Resume (Required)

Cover Letter (Required)

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education.

We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.