(NAME-MCE) FW: Montana University System, Deputy Commissioner for two-Year Education, April 16 deadline

[Swaney, Ellen]

-----Original Message-----
From: Swaney, Ellen 
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:46 PM
Subject: Montana University System, Deputy Commissioner for two-Year
Education, April 16 deadline

http://mus.edu/che/DeputyCommisssioner-JobAnnouncement.pdf


V A C A N C Y A N N O U N C E M E N T
MONTANA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF HIGHER EDUCATION
46 N. Last Chance Gulch - P.O. Box 203201 - Helena, MT 59620-3201 Deputy
Commissioner for Two-Year Education The Montana University System (MUS)
invites letters of interest and/or nominations for the position of
Deputy Commissioner for Two-Year Education. The position is located in
Helena, Montana in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
The Montana University System (MUS) consists of two doctoral research
universities, four master's/baccalaureate level universities, five
colleges of technology, and three community colleges located throughout
the state.
Nearly 42,000 students enrolled in the Montana University System in Fall
2007, with 78 percent of the students enrolled at four-year
institutions, 15 percent at colleges of technology, and 7 percent at
community colleges. Over the past ten years, full-time equivalent
enrollment (FTE) has increased by 7 percent system-wide. Resident
students comprise approximately 80 percent of the total. Additional
information about the Montana University System is available at
www.mus.edu.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Deputy Commissioner is the Montana University System's chief
administrator for the management and coordination of the state's
two-year education system. The Deputy Commissioner reports to the
Commissioner of Higher Education and supervises workforce development
staff in the Commissioner's Office. The Deputy Commissioner is the key
staff member to the Board of Regents on matters relating to two-year
education in Montana to support workforce development and student
transfer into four-year programs. This position fulfills the statutory
role of coordinator of community college districts, a Regents
appointment required under 20-15-103 Montana Code Annotated. This is a
new position that has been recently elevated from director-level to
deputy commissioner.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Manage, develop, implement, and assess a strategic plan for two-year
education in the Montana University System.
a. Lead and facilitate a system-wide effort to develop a more
coordinated approach to two-year education in the Montana University
System in order to: increase college participation and student success,
coordinate strategies and resources, and improve efficiency and
effectiveness of two-year institutions.
b. Provide leadership and recommendations to the Commissioner and the
Board of Regents to refine the mission and role of two-year education in
the Montana University System.
c. Develop and expand on critical partnerships with K-12, tribal
colleges, and two and four-year colleges throughout the state to address
the need for two-year education in Montana.
V A C A N C Y A N N O U N C E M E N T
d. Support the System's transferability initiative, including two-year
institutions' efforts to increase numbers of students transferring into
baccalaureate programs in Montana.
e. Lead the development and dissemination of best practices in
developmental education, early college access, and enrollment
opportunities for non-traditional students.
f. Lead the development and dissemination of best practices in
professional and continuing education for two-year institutions in order
to engage Montanans in lifelong learning to improve their professional
and personal lives.
g. Assist two-year colleges in enhancing student access and retention;
faculty recruitment, development and retention; and program improvements
and innovation.
h. Chair the Two-Year Education Council and guide its activities in
academic affairs, professional development, program coordination,
innovation, and resource-sharing.
i. Collaborate and coordinate academic and student affairs related to
two-year institutions with the Deputy Commissioner for Academic and
Student Affairs.
2. Serve as the information and advocacy "hub" for two-year education in
Montana.
a. Raise the awareness and the image of two-year education in Montana
through advocacy, public relations, and promotion.
b. Engage with two-year education leaders nationwide to stay current on
trends, models, and opportunities that address Montana's higher
education challenges.
c. Promote among Montana's four-year institutions the quality, rigor,
and effectiveness of students transferring from two-year institutions.
d. Provide research, analysis, and policy recommendations on two-year
education to the campuses, OCHE, the Board of Regents, the legislature,
and the Governor's office.
e. Maintain communication with U.S. Department of Education, National
Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education
Consortium and AACC National Council of State Directors of Community
Colleges.
3. Supervise the administration of Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006 and Workforce Innovation for Regional Economic
Development (WIRED) federal funds.
a. Act as State Director for Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006, which includes ensuring compliance with federal
and state rules and regulations, office and agency priorities,
applicable policies and regulation; and managing $6,000,000 in federal
support annually on behalf of the Board of Regents as the eligible
agency.
b. Supervise Perkins staff in the performance of those duties that rest
with the Board of Regents as eligible agency for Perkins funds.
V A C A N C Y A N N O U N C E M E N T
c. Serve on the State CTE Executive Leadership Team to ensure
coordination of Perkins activities across educational and workforce
systems and set priorities for activities that have a statewide impact
and promote innovation in CTE programs and services.
d. Work with the State CTE Advisory Committee, consisting of
business/industry representing the six Career Fields and Clusters Model
adopted in the Perkins Six-year State Plan.
e. Serve as Office of Civil Rights compliance officer for
institutions/organizations receiving Perkins funds.
f. Provide oversight of the federally funded grants that support the
WIRED initiative in Montana.
4. Provide the leadership of the Montana University System to statewide
workforce development activities.
a. Lead the alignment of workforce preparation programs with workforce
demands, students' needs, and available resources, through coordination
with business, government, education, labor, and community
organizations.
b. Serve as primary liaison between the OCHE and state workforce
planning and development entities.
c. Serve on the State Workforce Investment Board, representing OCHE and
Perkins postsecondary education as a mandatory partner of the Workforce
Investment Act.
d. Prepare recommendations for the State Workforce Investment Board,
government, business and labor about Workforce Preparation.
e. Lead the development and dissemination of short-term training models
responsive to business and industry, and economic development needs for
business start-ups, relocation, and expansion in Montana. Montana
University System Qualifications * Doctoral degree from an accredited
institution.
* Two-year college teaching experience.
* Two-year college executive experience.
* Demonstrated competence as a manager, administrator, and educational
leader.
* Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies,
including K-12 and postsecondary educators and representatives of
government, business, and the public.
* Demonstrated ability to obtain, implement, manage, and evaluate
federal and state grant-funded programs.
* Demonstrated understanding of economic development and workforce
issues in a rural state, preferably, in Montana.
* Strong written and oral communication skills.
V A C A N C Y A N N O U N C E M E N T
Letters of interests should include a general statement of interest, as
well as address each qualification listed in the position description,
including a history of employers. Also, please include the contact
information for three professional references. The candidate will be
notified before references are contacted. Individuals that are nominated
for the position will be contacted and encouraged to submit a letter of
interest.
Position salary shall be commensurate with experience, responsibilities,
internal equity, and cost of living.
The deadline for submitting letters of interest and nominations is April
16, 2008.
Send letter of interest/nomination to:
Lynette Brown
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education Montana University System
46 N. Last Chance Gulch
PO Box 203201
Helena, MT 59620-3201
Electronic submission of applications is encouraged. Please send as Word
or PDF attachment to lybrown at montana.edu.
The Montana University System is an affirmative action/equal opportunity
employer committed to recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse
community of faculty, staff, and students

**************************

Ellen Swaney (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes)
Director,  American Indian/Minority Achievement 
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education 
Montana University System
46 N. Last Chance Gulch
PO Box 203201 
Helena, MT  59620-3201 
<http://www.mus.montana.edu>
http://www.montana.edu/wocheai/
406-444-6570, direct 444-0332
fax 406-444-1469 
eswaney at montana.edu 

"Every society needs educated people, but the primary responsibility of
educated people is to bring wisdom back into the community and make it
available to others so that the lives they are leading make sense." Vine
Deloria, Jr.