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Academics
Bill the Goat

Position Description Summaries

Following are position description summaries for many of our roles within the Academic Dean and Provost cost center. Some of this material has been extracted from USNAINST 5450.3 - United States Naval Academy Organizational Manual. For additional information, please contact our Vice Academic Dean for faculty-related inquiries, or Human Resources for staff-related inquiries.

Academic Dean and Provost

Mission: The position of Academic Dean and Provost is one of the nation’s most important positions for preparing a future generation of naval officers. The Academic Dean and Provost serves as the chief academic officer and principal advisor to the Superintendent in all matters relating to the academic program and faculty. The duties include developing and leading a faculty of distinguished military and civilian instructors and academic staff; shaping a curriculum that will provide the essential academic foundations for Navy and Marine Corps officers in the 21st century, serving as a member of the Superintendent’s senior leadership team by providing wise counsel on achieving every aspect of the Naval Academy’s mission; and assisting in making the case to the Navy leadership for the resources that are essential for accomplishing our mission – to develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career in the naval service.

Functions:

1. Implements Naval Academy policy.

2. Provides strategic goals and vision for the academic program.

3. Guides and supervises the implementation of the academic program.

4. Promotes and maintains the highest quality of individual performance by each member of the faculty.

5. Recruits and recommends faculty for appointment.

6. Approves reappointments, non-reappointments, promotions, tenure, merit raises, performance awards, sabbaticals, and periods of leave without pay for the civilian faculty.

7. Directs the faculty professional development program.

8. Approves hiring, promotions, quality step increases, performance awards, and special act awards for GS support personnel.

9. Supervises the Vice Academic Dean, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the Associate Dean for Finance and Military Affairs, the Associate Dean for Planning and Assessment, the Director of the Division of Engineering and Weapons, the Director of the Division of Mathematics and Science, the Director of the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Associate Dean for Information and Director of the Library, and the Directors of the Center for Cyber Security Studies, Center for Regional Studies, Research and Scholarship, Teaching and Learning, Naval Academy Museum, and International Programs Office.

10. Appoints department chairs and other administrative faculty positions as required.

11. Supervises the Naval Academy's research and graduate study programs.

12. Supervises the summer intersessional activities for the entire faculty.

13. Participates as the senior academic member on the Superintendent's Senior Leadership Team and the Academic Board.

14. Provides academic oversight including curriculum, civilian faculty, promotion and tenure, and related matters for the Division of Leadership Education and Development and the Division of Professional Development.

15. Exercises responsibility for civilian faculty promotion and tenure considerations and related matters for the Department of Physical Education.

16. Provides academic oversight including quality of the curriculum and related matters for the Naval Academy Preparatory School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Vice Academic Dean

Mission: To serve as the principal assistant to the Academic Dean and Provost for the leadership and management of the academic program and to be prepared to serve any of the roles or functions normally filled by the Academic Dean and Provost.

Functions:

1. Serves as Acting Academic Dean and Provost during periods of absence of the Academic Dean and Provost

2. Supervises long-range planning and projects, including re-accreditation by outside agencies of the Naval Academy

3. Maintains instructions relating to faculty matters

4. Supervises the Visiting Committees Program

5. Co-Chairs and and serves as managing director of the Academy Effectiveness Board

6. Co-Chairs the Academic Review Council

7. Supervises the Director of the Center for Regional Studies

8. Oversees the Midshipmen Internships program

9. Oversees the full spectrum of activities relating to the civilian career faculty and gift-funded faculty chairs, including hiring, reappointment, promotion and tenure, merit-based pay step awards, and other matters relating to faculty development

10. Serves as Co-Chair of the Yard-wide Promotion and Tenure Committee

11. Leads ad hoc committee efforts for specific studies requested by the Academic Dean and Provost

12. Provides recommendations for strategic initiatives relating to the academic programs or faculty matters

13. Performs other tasks that emerge or are assigned by the Academic Dean and Provost

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Mission: To serve as the Academic Dean and Provost's principal assistant for all matters concerning the curriculum and classroom instruction, including scheduling, registration, validation, academic advising, academic calendar, and academic accountability.

Functions:

  1. Exercises, under the direction of the Academic Dean and Provost, the primary responsibility for academic planning.
  2. Resolves day-to-day midshipmen problems concerning academic matters: scheduling of courses, change of academic majors, verification that midshipmen have fulfilled course requirements for graduation, etc.
  3. Prepares and publishes Advising and Curricular reference materials.
  4. Serves as Chair of the Advising, Counseling, Validation, and Majors Committee in support of Academic Board decisions.
  5. Coordinates and implements the summer academic program.
  6. Supervises the Midshipman Academic Accountability System.
  7. Coordinates the Academic Exchange Program with the other service academies and international institutions including approval of midshipmen and cadet schedules.
  8. Serves as the Administration's representative on curricular committees.
  9. Supervises the Registrar and the Director of the Academic Center.
Associate Dean for Finance and Military Affairs

Mission: To serve as the principal assistant to the Academic Dean and Provost for financial management and military staffing of the academic program.

Functions:

  1. Administers all matters relating to military instructors, including regular rotational officers, recalled reservists, Graduate Education + Teaching (GE+T) officers, and Permanent Military Professors (PMPs), including maintaining instructions relating to military faculty matters.
  2. Supervises the Budget Director in the performance of his/her duties, as they apply to the academic cost center.
  3. Responsible for administering and overseeing all financial matters in support of the Naval Academy's academic program, including appropriated labor and material budgets at both the expense and investment levels, gift fund budget accounts, and, in close coordination with the Research Office, all reimbursable funding matters.
  4. Responsible for the preparation of budget documents for submission to Naval Academy and Department of the Navy officials pertaining to the academic cost center.
  5. Administers the appointment of military faculty as a representative of the Academic Dean and Provost.
  6. Oversees maintenance of data bases pertaining to military faculty, civilian faculty, material funds, and the history of merit pay steps.
  7. Oversees the civilian faculty summer hire and adjunct instructor programs.
  8. Oversees the hiring and staffing processes for General Schedule (CS) and Wage Grade (WG) employees.
  9. Perform other tasks that emerge or are assigned by the Academic Dean and Provost.
Associate Dean for Planning and Assessment

Mission: The Associate Dean for Planning and Assessment serves as part of the Academic Dean and Provost's staff responsible for facilitating activities related to matters of assessment, accreditation, and strategic academic planning.

Functions:

  1. Facilitates strategic planning efforts among departments, divisions, and the Naval Academy academic program.  
  2. Monitors academic department and division strategic planning efforts.
  3. Assists in the development and implementation of assessment of student learning plans.
  4. Consults with faculty and staff on assessment issues, methods and tools.
  5. Facilitates the collection, analysis and interpretation of assessment data.
  6. Develops resources and educational activities related to assessment of student learning for faculty and administrators.
  7. Serves as a liaison with external professional academic accreditation organizations (e.g., MSCHE and ABET), individuals, and activities.
  8. Directs the solicitation, review, and recommendation for approval of faculty curriculum improvement projects.
  9. Facilitates the work of the Academy Effectiveness Board.
Librarian and Associate Dean for Information

Mission: To support the mission of the Naval Academy by providing excellent library service on behalf of teaching, research, and other scholarly activity.

Functions:

1. Selects, acquires, maintains, and makes available the recorded information which is required to meet the academic needs of midshipmen and faculty.

2. Provides reference services, bibliographic access to necessary materials, and access to relevant information located elsewhere, including delivery of electronic information.

3. Maintains a collection of unique or rare materials with emphasis on the naval history of the United States.

4. Directs the administration, determines policy, develops the budget, and directs personnel programs for Nimitz Library and its staff.

5. Oversees the Educational Resources Center and the Naval Academy Archives. The Archives, which is administratively part of the Nimitz Library, is responsible for maintenance of the official and historical records of the Naval Academy.

Director of Teaching and Learning

Mission: To provide administration support and advice to the Academic Dean and Provost on matters related to the development of teaching and learning and other issues as assigned.

Functions:

  1. Provides support to faculty in developing the best possible academic instruction to the Brigade. This includes the organization of faculty teaching seminars and workshops, the development of a facility for self-improvement of teaching and a lending library of relevant materials, the dissemination to the faculty of current research on teaching and learning, and the aggressive pursuit and identification of faculty teaching and learning grants.
  2. Directs the orientation and mentorship of newly arriving civilian and military faculty.
  3. Oversees instructional feedback and evaluation of all Naval Academy academic classes. Includes student evaluation of instruction and courses, peer evaluation of instruction, self-evaluation of teaching and learning by faculty, assessment of new teaching and learning techniques, and development of curriculum assessment program.
  4. Serves as Chair of the Civilian Faculty Teaching Excellence Award Committee and the Military Faculty Award Committee.
  5. Serves as consultant to the Promotion and Tenure Committee on issues relating to the assessment of teaching and learning.
  6. Coordinates the identification of Military Instructor Candidates.
Director of Research and Scholarship

Mission: To provide and maintain an environment in which research activities contribute to the professional growth of midshipmen and faculty.

Functions:

  1. Serves as the primary manager for all research activities at the Naval Academy.
  2. Provides services in support of program development, proposal preparation and processing, identification of funding sources, project administration, and dissemination of results.
  3. Maintains administrative control over the disposition of all Naval Academy research funds and has cognizance of all other research support made to faculty members.
  4. Seeks support for research at the Naval Academy from other government activities, educational institutions, and industry.
  5. Serves as Technology Transfer Officer for the Naval Academy, and brings its faculty, facilities, and intellectual property to bear on technical problems of the nation's private sector.
  6. Serves as Chair of the Faculty Research Excellence Committee and the Faculty Service Excellence Award Committee.
  7. Directs the solicitation, review, recommendation for approval, and outcomes evaluation of faculty development projects.
  8. Serves as consultant to the Promotion and Tenure Committee on issues relating to assessment of research and scholarship.
Registrar

Mission: To serve as the assistant to the Academic Dean and Provost via the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in maintaining official custody of academic records.

Functions:

  1. Maintains the official academic records of midshipmen, former midshipmen, and special students.
  2. Prepares and forwards transcripts of academic records.
  3. Directs and coordinates enrollment of incoming classes.
  4. Conducts preregistration and registration required for academic programs.
  5. Publishes summaries and reports of grades, enrollment, and separations from the Academy.
  6. Prepares case histories of academically-deficient midshipmen for consideration of the Academic Board.
  7. Schedules classes and examinations.
  8. Serves as Chair of the Prizes and Awards Committee.
Division Director

Mission: To oversee all aspects of the academic programs and resources in the Division, and to lead and manage the administration of the Division.

Functions:

  1. Exercises responsibility for the administration of their respective divisions as a senior Naval Officer reporting to the Academic Dean and Provost. This responsibility is analogous to that of a college dean within a university.
  2. Implements academic objectives and policies relating to their respective divisions.
  3. Oversees and coordinates military and civilian manpower requirements and administration for the division to include hiring, performance appraisal, officer fitness reports, award recommendations, etc. for all personnel within their administrative span.
  4. Coordinates general curriculum planning among the chairs of the academic departments within the division.
  5. Allocates resources to the academic departments within the division (expense and investment accounts).
  6. Recommends faculty for senior administrative posts within the division (e.g. department chair, senior professor). Also, in collaboration with department chairs, makes recommendations to the P&T Committee regarding civilian faculty tenure and civilian and PMP faculty academic promotion.
  7. Provides for security, upkeep, and inventory of divisional spaces, facilities, equipment (OP,N + O&M,N) and materials.
  8. Serves as liaison to Public Works Department for maintenance and renewal of their respective division's space. Provides annual input, via Academic Dean, to USNA-wide MAP, SAP, and R&M planning documents.
  9. In collaboration with faculty and administrators within the division, evaluates senior professors, department chairs, civilian and officer faculty, and other employees of the division.
  10. Serves as a member of key administrative boards and committees such as the Admissions Board, Academic Board, Service Assignment Review Board, and the PMP continuation review board.
  11. Facilitates effective communication between departments in the division and the Dean's Office.
  12. Other duties as assigned by the Dean's Office.
Deputy Division Director

Mission: Principal assistant to the Division Director in the leadership and management of the Division.

Functions:

  1. Assists the Division Director in effectively and efficiently leading the division.
  2. Assists the Division Director in implementing academic objectives and policies relating to their respective divisions.
  3. Assists the Division Director in overseeing and coordinating military and civilian manpower requirements and administration for the division to include hiring, performance appraisal, officer fitness reports, award recommendations, etc. Serves as the principal division POC for the management of Individual Augmentee requests and assignments.
  4. Coordinates with other Deputy Division Directors on inter-divisional issues such as foul weather plan, supporting summer training requirements, and LCDR/LT promotion rankings and recommendations.
  5. Facilitates effective communication between departments in the division, the Division Director, and the Dean's Office.
  6. Other duties as assigned by the Division Director.
Senior Professor

Mission: Principal advisor to the Division Director regarding the academic programs and resources within their respective divisions.

Functions:

  1. Advises the Division Director in effectively and efficiently leading the division.
  2. Principal advisor to the Division Director on issues including academic, financial, pedagogical, and administrative matters. Also, key advisor on all matters relating to civilian personnel to include hiring and recruitment, performance and merit pay appraisals, teaching loads, and faculty mentoring and counseling in support of promotion and tenure.
  3. Serves as an advisor to department chairs, and participates in their performance reviews
  4. Oversees assessment activities within the division, including direct responsibility for academic assessment of core and divisional courses within the division.
  5. Coordinates actions relating to curricular reviews and modifications of the core curriculum.
  6. Advises the Division Director regarding recommendations of faculty for senior administrative posts within the division (e.g. department chair, key committee positions). Also, in collaboration with department chairs and the Division Director, makes recommendations to the P&T Committee regarding civilian faculty tenure and civilian and PMP faculty academic promotion.
  7. Serves as the division POC to organize events such as Candidate Visit Weekend tours, and STEM outreach events.
  8. By assignment of the Dean serves as a member of key administrative boards and committees.
  9. Coordinates with other division Senior Professors on inter-divisional issues.
  10. Maintains teaching, research / scholarship, and other responsibilities in "parent" department.
  11. Facilitates effective communication between departments in the division, the Division Director, and the Dean's Office.
  12. Other duties as assigned by the Division Director or Dean's Office.
Department Chair

Mission: Provides leadership to the faculty and manages the administration of all aspects of the academic programs and resources within the department.

Functions:

  1. In collaboration with department faculty, manages all elements of the department curriculum, ensuring curricula are well managed and institutional objectives are satisfied.
  2. Oversees and coordinates military and civilian manpower requirements and administration for the department to include tenure line and adjunct faculty hiring, performance appraisal, officer fitness reports, award recommendations, etc.
  3. Coordinates interdisciplinary majors programs and professional courses with other department chairs.
  4. Oversees and coordinates the academic assessment of all majors, minors, tracks and interdisciplinary programs within the department.
  5. Ensures personnel, equipment, material, and space resources are effectively used within the department.
  6. Evaluates departmental faculty annually.
  7. Makes recommendations to the P&T Committee regarding civilian faculty tenure and civilian and PMP faculty academic promotion.
  8. Maintains an environment conducive to midshipman learning, pedagogical improvements, and scholarly activity.
  9. Prepares and submits nominations for faculty, staff and midshipmen deserving of special recognition.
  10. Oversees leadership and management of all departmental personnel.
  11. Oversees the process of departmental recommendations for the subsequent chair.
  12. Maintains teaching and research / scholarship responsibilities in the department, albeit with a reduced workload.
  13. Facilitates effective communication between the department, the Division Director, and the Dean's Office.
  14. Other duties as assigned by the Division Director.
Faculty

Mission: To carry out the academic program with emphasis on excellence in teaching and professional development.

Functions:

  1. Develops curricular programs of classroom instruction and examinations to satisfy course objectives.
  2. Evaluates academic and military performance of midshipmen.
  3. Fosters a classroom environment that stimulates student intellectual development, self discipline, and character building.
  4. Enforces appropriate military regulations.
  5. Provides both academic and professional counseling.
  6. Enhances personal skills and academic expertise through continual research and professional development.
  7. Keeps current in the appropriate academic discipline and constantly improves individual teaching techniques and skills.
  8. Challenges students to reach their potential.
  9. Provides extra instruction to students as required.
  10. Provides extracurricular and service support for the institution as appropriate.
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