Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation

CSU Careers•Turlock, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

California State University, Stanislaus is seeking a visionary and experienced leader to serve as the Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovation. This full-time position, under the Management Personnel Plan (MPP), will be available on or after January 4, 2027, for the Division of Academic Affairs. At an exciting time in its history, Stan State is launching a new strategic plan, forming a new College of Health, Human Services and Education, and eager to create an environment of innovation, research, and professional career enhancement. As the university nears the launch of multiple high-demand graduate programs, the Associate Vice President will have the opportunity to build graduate programs and research, and contribute significantly to developing a strong legacy for the Central Valley. This position reports directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and provides leadership for the graduate program and research portfolio. The Associate Vice President is responsible for leading and expanding the portfolio, growing graduate program enrollment, ensuring the quality of graduate programs, fostering a campus-wide graduate-student culture, creating and expanding a campus climate for obtaining external funding, and refining and developing policies and procedures related to these areas. The Associate Vice President also supports faculty and student innovation by providing guidance and resources related to technology transfer, patents, and invention disclosures, and pathways for those interested in further developing or applying discoveries resulting from their research and scholarly work. The Associate Vice President will work in consultation with the Provost and academic Deans with other divisions on campus. The units under the Associate Vice President’s supervision include: Graduate Studies; the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP); and the Center for Excellence in Graduate Education (CEGE). The Associate Vice President is a member of the Provost’s Advisory Council and the President’s Extended Cabinet. He/She/They will serve as a key advisor to the Provost and President regarding graduate programming, research development, and innovation opportunities, and to the Vice President of Budget and Finance and Chief Financial Officer regarding policies and procedures that facilitate faculty and student research and graduate programming.

Requirements

Earned doctorate and the appropriate academic credentials to qualify for appointment as a tenured full Professor in one of the colleges/schools within the Division of Academic Affairs, including substantial evidence of research and scholarly activities.
A minimum of three years of progressive experience and leadership in college/school academic administration, equivalent to research director, chair or associate dean, including the development of interdisciplinary programs.

Nice To Haves

Equity advocate who recognizes the community cultural wealth and forms of capital of first generation-educated populations.
The desire to build graduate programs and research opportunities that would serve the Central Valley.
Skilled in budget management and reporting to diverse funders within a complex campus, system and state budgetary environment.
Successful experience and effective skills at working with unions and faculty and staff union representatives.
Clear understanding of current CSU and national higher education issues, policies and priorities.
Knowledge of campus and CSU policies, procedures and practices in Graduate Studies and Research.
Ability to develop institutional policies and practices that are consistent with trends in federal, state, and higher education law.
Demonstrated experience working effectively in an academic shared governance environment.
Demonstrated experience working in a Hispanic Serving Institution and an aspiring AANHPI campus.
Knowledge of graduate higher education issues and trends, curriculum, accreditation and program evaluation, assessment, and high impact practices at the graduate level.
Knowledge of graduate enrollment management practices, including recruitment, admissions, yield strategies, and retention of a diverse and highly qualified student population.
Demonstrated leadership in academic support services for historically underserved populations at the graduate level.
A strong track record of funded research serving as Principal Investigator, co-PI and through collaboration across disciplines as demonstrated by NIH, NSF, and other funding sources.
Skills in consultative decision-making, deliberative listening, change management, and demonstrated strengths in leadership, planning, and evaluation.
Demonstrated ability to support a highly collaborative, solution-oriented climate while building trust and ensuring shared governance in curricular review and accreditation processes.
Knowledge of grant mechanisms, institutional review and compliance procedures, and pre and post award procedures.
Ability to work effectively in a dynamic and complex university environment with staff, faculty and administrators.
Ability to analyze complex problems and to devise innovative solutions.
Demonstrated capacity to work independently and as a collaborative and positive team member, be self-directed and results oriented.
Ability to perform all the essential functions of this position.
Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications and mentoring faculty in publishing and grant making.
Demonstrated entrepreneurial experience in developing, implementing, and sustaining graduate programs through faculty professional development, mentorship, and collaboration.
Commitment to building infrastructure and providing leadership that supports graduate studies, research, and grants and contracts.
Experience in consensus building, mentorship, and training.
Experience building partnerships with industry, government, NGOs and community-based organizations to support graduate student research, internships, and career pathways as outlined in CSU Forward.
Knowledge of research and student-oriented computer office systems and ability to use a broad range of technology and software.
Experience in developing and implementing initiatives to meet short- and long-term Presidential priorities.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic vision, supervision, and mentorship for the growth of graduate programming development at Stan State.
Support the oversight and review of all proposals for new and existing graduate curriculum as approved through the various mechanisms and committees.
Serve with Academic Affairs leadership and College Deans as administrative liaison to the Graduate Council and relevant curricular committees.
Lead and/or facilitate dialogues and development of innovative graduate programs and initiatives.
Support graduate disciplines seeking or renewing accreditation and monitor progress to facilitate the accreditation process and ensure access to accredited degrees in the Central Valley.
Oversee the assessment process of all graduate academic programs by authorized campus entities, including annual reporting of review and accreditation results in the update of the CSU Academic Master Plan.
Ensure graduate program and credential quality through the development and implementation of academic policies and assessment processes.
Oversee compliance with CSU policies, regulations at all applicable levels, and university requirements associated with graduate education.
Ensure that data-informed strategies and diverse analytics are used for decision-making related to improved student outcomes, program development, and resource allocation.
Coordinate and serve as an ex-officio member of the Graduate Council and other relevant curricular committees.
Develop policies to facilitate faculty, student, and research enhancement and support.
Oversee review of grant proposals and reporting for new and continuing submissions.
Enhance faculty exposure to and active pursuit of grant-related opportunities, including facilitating meetings with project officers from governmental and philanthropic organizations.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, CSU system, and university policies governing university-sponsored research, including protection of human subjects, animal welfare, intellectual property, export controls, and misconduct in research.
Review proposals for external funding and advise the Provost concerning approval; participate in negotiations regarding cost-share, matching funds, in-kind contributions, and facilities requirements associated with funding proposals.
Maintain connections to system-wide research initiatives.
Coordinate and serve as an ex-officio member of the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA) Policy Committee, University Institutional Review Board (UIRB), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
Ensure that data-informed strategies and analytics are used to enhance research, grant making, and related resource allocation.
Provide strategic leadership for graduate student recruitment, enrollment growth, retention, and student success, working collaboratively with Graduate Program Directors, academic colleges, Enrollment Services, and other relevant university units.
Partner with Graduate Program Directors to strengthen program-level recruitment and admission practices, including prospective student engagement, timely program review of applications, program admission recommendations and decisions, admitted-student engagement, and enrollment yield.
Foster a strong partnership between Graduate Studies, Enrollment Services, and Graduate Program Directors, with clearly defined responsibilities for program-level admission and university-level admission functions.
Collaborate with Enrollment Services and Graduate Program Directors to identify and address barriers throughout the graduate enrollment funnel, support timely processing and program admission decisions, strengthen communication with prospective and admitted students, and improve enrollment conversion and yield.
Coordinate with the Office of Global Engagement, Enrollment Services, and Graduate Program Directors, as appropriate, to support the recruitment, program-level review, communication, and enrollment of international graduate students while maintaining established responsibilities for university-level admission functions.
In consultation with Graduate Program Directors, provide leadership for graduate retention and student success strategies, including effective interventions and support for students experiencing academic difficulty.
Ensure Stan State student awareness of and access to the CSU Pre-doctoral Scholars Program, Graduate Equity Fellowships, Student Engagement in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (SERSCA), CSU Student Research Competition, CSU and federal forgivable loans, and other applicable opportunities.
Provide opportunities and support for graduate students to engage in research, scholarly investigations, creative activities, experiential learning, and other opportunities that contribute to academic and career success.
Provide opportunities and support for students to engage in research, scholarly investigations, and creative activities.
Provide opportunities and support for faculty to engage in research, scholarly investigations, and creative activities and promote recognition of outstanding student and faculty scholarship and creativity through awards programs, research forums and conferences, and publications.
Foster and support interdisciplinary research endeavors.
Collaborate with the Office of Academic Affairs and Marketing and Communications to build a messaging strategy for graduate programs and research throughout Stan State.
Work with the Office of Academic Affairs to build and manage budgets associated with graduate studies and research.
Promote coordination among Graduate Studies, research programs, academic colleges, and other university units in advancing institutional graduate education and research priorities.
Engage in other duties as assigned.