The Academic Affairs Office is now accepting applications or nominations for the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (AVPAA) for Faculty Development and Support of the Student Experience. Dr. Jennifer Lodi-Smith, currently in the position, will return to the faculty full-time at the end of the fall 2023 semester after 4 ½ years in this role.
Jenn’s return to the Psychology Department provides the opportunity for another faculty member to take on the AVPAA leadership role by bringing his/her passion to shape the future of faculty development and the student experience at Canisius.
The AVPAA retains status as an active, full-time member of the faculty while serving in this capacity; and the AVPAA role is considered as service for the purposes of promotion. The role accounts for approximately 50 percent of the AVPAA’s effort at the institution with equivalent course releases, as well as an administrative stipend and dedicated office space in the Academic Affairs suite.
The individual in this role will work closely with COLI, Sponsored Programs, Diversity and Inclusion, Student Success, the New Buffalo Institute, student leaders, the academic deans, and other constituents on campus. They should bring a mission-focused energy to their work and the ability to balance their administrative and faculty responsibilities. A detailed list of the anticipated responsibilities of the AVPAA for faculty development and support of the student experience is linked here. These responsibilities and the scope of the role may be adjusted based on the priorities, interests, and experience of the successful candidate.
Interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to VPAA Sara R. Morris, PhD, directly at morriss@canisius.edu with any questions. Jenn is also available at lodismij@canisius.edu to discuss her experience and answer questions.
Candidates should submit a letter of interest and updated C.V. to Maggie Burkard at burkardm@canisius.edu no later than August 1, 2023. Candidates will be interviewed by a committee chaired by René De la Pedraja. The office is also accepting confidential nominations of colleagues who have the potential to excel in this role.
We are very grateful to Jenn for her four years as AVPAA. During that time, Jenn has helped to expand our faculty development offerings including launching summer and winter faculty development weeks and curating our inclusive teaching resource repository. Jenn also helped lead the development of our First Year Experience pilot program, supervises the Canisius Earning Excellence Program and Ignatian Scholarship Day, and directs our Laudato Si’ sustainability initiative.
Submitted by: Sara R Morris, Vice President for Academic Affairs
