Position  Description    

Director  Multicultural  Center  for  Academic  Excellence  

 The  Office  of  the  Vice  President  for  Equity  and  Diversity  (OED)  is  seeking  a  highly  qualified,  motivated  and  creative   leader   to   serve   as   the   Director   of   the   Multicultural   Center   for   Academic   Excellence   (MCAE).  Reporting  to  the  Assistant  Vice  President  for  Equity  and  Diversity  (OED),  the  Director  must  be  committed  to  creating  a  strong  and  supportive  campus  environment  for  multicultural  students.  The  Director  provides  visionary   leadership  and  management  oversight   for  all  MCAE  programs  and  services.  The  Director  must  have   a   thorough   understanding   of   equity,   diversity,   student   development,   community,   retention,   and  issues/conditions   that   impact   multicultural,   first-­‐generation,   under-­‐resourced,   and   other  underrepresented  students  in  higher  education  in  theory  and  in  practice.        The  Director  of   the  MCAE   is  a  highly  visible  and  engaged  role.    The  Director  educates  and  consults  with  campus  and  community  constituents  about  the  needs  and  issues  of  multicultural,  first  generation,  under-­‐resourced,  and  other  underrepresented  students.    The  Director  fosters  a  supportive  University  community  and  educates  and  provides  resources  for  all  members  of  the  University  community  about  issues  related  to  the   experiences   and   perceptions   of   underrepresented   students.    In   collaboration   with   the   Office   for  Undergraduate  Education,  Office  for  Student  Affairs,  and  collegiate  units,  the  Director  works  to  realize  the  University’s   commitment   toward   making   the   entire   University   more   welcoming   and   supportive   of   all  students.    As  a  member  of  the  OED  leadership  team,  the  Director  will  be  expected  to  work  collaboratively  with  the  OED   Central   Office   and   the   directors   of   Equal   Opportunity   and   Affirmative   Action;   Business   and  Community   Economic   Development;   Conflict   Resolution;   Disability   Resource   Center;   Gay,   Lesbian,  Bisexual,   Transgender,   Ally   Programs   Office;   Office   for   Diversity   in   Graduate   Education;   the   Women’s  Center;  and  Community  Outreach  Retention  and  Engagement  to  further  the  vision  and  goals  of  OED  and  the   University.   The   Director   will   also   work   collaboratively   with   University   of   Minnesota   Twin   Cities  collegiate   and   student   affairs   units,   admissions,   and   consultatively   with   other   areas   of   the   campus   in  addressing  issues  of  climate  and  retention  of  underrepresented  and  marginalized  students.    This   position   is   critical   to   OED’s   efforts   to   support   the   implementation   of   the   University’s   Equity   and  Diversity  Vision  Framework,  which  involves  ambitious  cultural  transformation.    University  of  Minnesota  is  one   of   the   most   comprehensive   public   universities   in   the   United   States   and   is   the   state   land-­‐grant  university,  with  a  strong  tradition  of  education  and  public  service.   It   is  also  the  state's  primary  research  university,   with   faculty   of   national   and   international   reputation.   Founded   in   1851,   the   University   of  Minnesota   has   five   campuses—in   the   Twin   Cities,   Duluth,  Morris,   Crookston,   and   Rochester—and   also  includes  extension  offices  and  research  and  outreach  centers  throughout  the  state.    Duties  and  Responsibilities  

• Provide   executive   leadership   and   oversight   for   all   aspects   of   the   center   including   budget,  supervision   of   direct   reports,   mentoring,   coaching,   and   evaluation   of   staff   members,   team  building,  and  communication.  

• Continue  to  move  MCAE  forward  in  examining  and  strengthening  its  role  in  the  University’s  and  OED’s  strategic  management  process.  

• Establish   an   MCAE   culture   that   values   ongoing   assessment,   evaluation,   and   improvement   in  MCAE  programs  and  services.  

• Lead   and   advocate   on   behalf   of   diverse,   underrepresented,   and   under-­‐resourced   students   to  raise  awareness  concerning  issues,  and  build  on  that  awareness  to  eliminate  barriers  to  access,  retention,  success  and  graduation  of  these  populations.  

• Align  MCAE’s  capacity,  programs,  and  services  with  identified  student  needs  and  work  with  staff  to   create  new   initiatives,  programs,  and  activities   to   facilitate   culturally   responsive   support   for  

students’   academic   and   scholarly   excellence,   community   and   civic   engagement,   and   their  leadership  and  campus  outreach.  

• Advance   MCAE’s   academic   initiatives   by   working   with   University   faculty   to   further   develop  courses   with   multicultural   content   such   as   those   in   Student   Excellence   in   Academics   and  Multiculturalism  (SEAM),  and  the  Graduate/Professional  School  Preparation  course.  

• Work  with  the  MCAE  Team  Leaders  to  develop  the  annual  budget  for  the  unit.  • Work   with   the   OED   Director   of   Communication   to   outline   a   comprehensive   communication  

plan/strategy  for  MCAE.  • Serve  as  a  critical  member  of  the  Leadership  Team  in  the  Office  of  the  Vice  President  for  Equity  

and  Diversity  to  create  and  sustain  a  campus  environment  that  values  and  actively  supports  an  inclusive  and  diverse  University  community.  

• Establish  a  campus  stakeholders  group  for  improved  coordination  and  collaboration  of  programs  and  services.  

• Establish  an  external  partners  group  to  provide  ongoing  input  about  MCAE  programs  and  student  services.  

• Reimagine  and  act  upon  an  external  relations  plan  that  includes  visiting  sites  where  students  in  MCAE  programs  (e.g.,  President  Diverse  Faculty  Mentoring  Program,  Multicultural  Family  Literacy  Program,  etc.)  are  engaged.  

• Represent  OED  and  MCAE  at  events  and  programs  on  campus,  particularly  those  being  held  by  multicultural  student  organizations.  

• Present  best  practices  of  MCAE  and  the  University  locally,  regionally,  Big  10  Conference-­‐wide  and  nationally.  

• Seek  and  secure  external  sources  of  funding  to  support  the  mission  of  MCAE.    Essential  Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s  Degree  • Ten   years   of   full-­‐time   experience  working  with  multicultural,   first-­‐generation,   under-­‐resourced  

and  other  underrepresented  students  in  an  educational  setting  • Demonstrated   expertise   in   designing   and   implementing   educational   programs   for   students   of  

color  and  first  generation  students  • Demonstrated  understanding  of  student  identity  development  in  a  higher  education  context  • Knowledge  and  advocacy  experience  relative  to  concerns  and  issues  of  students  of  color  and  the  

intersections   of   race,   ability,   gender,   sexual   orientation,   gender   identification,   socioeconomic  status,  country  of  origin,  First  Nations,  and  first  generation  status  

• Demonstrated  executive  presence,  professionalism,  integrity,  and  discretion  • Ability   to   take   initiative,   work   independently,   and   work   collaboratively   with   good   judgment  

about  when  to  seek  direction  and  counsel  from  others  • Ability   to   effectively  manage   numerous   projects  with   consistent   accuracy,   follow-­‐through,   and  

timely  completion  • Demonstrated  ability  to  relate  effectively  to  students  and  work  cooperatively  with  faculty,  senior  

administrators,  staff,  and  external  partners    • Demonstrated  experience  managing  a  large  diverse  staff  • Demonstrated   experience   in,   and   an   ongoing   commitment   to,   working   effectively   with   and  

across   diverse   communities:    including   people   of   color,   underrepresented   groups   and   new  immigrant   populations;   American   Indians;   people   with   both   visible   and   invisible   disabilities;  women;   people   of   various   gender   and   sexual   identities   and   expressions;   and   first-­‐generation  students  from  economically  disadvantaged  backgrounds.  

• Excellent  verbal  and  written  communication  skills    

Preferred  Qualifications  • Masters,  Ph.D.  or  comparable  terminal  degree  • Seven  years  of  full-­‐time  experience  working  on  a  college  or  university  campus  • Ability  to  encourage  creativity  and  innovation  • Demonstrated  planning  and  organizational  development  skills  • Administrative  experience  in  higher  education  • Successful  experience  seeking  and  securing  external  funding  • Experience  in  analyzing  policy  issues  and  advocating  for  policy  change