Academic Affairs Roles and Responsibilities

Tim Flattery, Provost
Nadine Ashton, Dean of Academic Affairs
Ian Lambert, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research
Amy Ruopp, Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Dan Long, Dean of Students
Deirdre Young, Assistant Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusion
Laura Cavanagh, Executive Assistant to Undergraduate Studies
Jill Davis, Executive Assistant to Graduate Studies
Ashlei Watson, Director of Academic Planning and Effectiveness

Assessment – Nadine Ashton and Ashlei Watson

Student Course Evaluations – Nadine Ashton and Ashlei Watson (will soon transfer to the EdTech)

Accreditation – Nadine Ashton and Ashlei Watson

Curriculum

Approval Schedule for New/Revised Curriculum – Nadine Ashton
Experiential Learning (inclusive of sponsored projects) – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp
Independent Studies – Nadine Ashton, Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp
New Degree-Granting Programs – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp, final approval – Tim Flattery
New Certificate Programs – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp, Final approval – Tim Flattery
Research Related to Existing/New Programs – Ashlei Watson
Special Projects – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp
New Syllabi – Nadine Ashton, Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp

Faculty

Reappointment and Rank Advancement
- Reappointment/Rank Advancement Inquiries – Nadine Ashton
- File Organization and Access – Ashlei Watson
Faculty Concerns
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Amy Ruopp
- Student Concerns – Dan Long
Development Funding – Nadine Ashton, Tim Flattery
Sabbaticals/Course Release – Nadine Ashton, Tim Flattery
Scholarly Research, including IRB – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp
Oversee Searches
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Amy Ruopp
Training and Orientation – Nadine Ashton, Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp

Staff

Concerns
- Academic Affairs/Library/Educational Tech and Innovation – Nadine Ashton
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Amy Ruopp
Development Funding – Nadine Ashton
Scholarly Research, including IRB – Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp
Searches
- Academic Affairs/Educational Tech and Innovation – Nadine Ashton
- Library – Becca Pad
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Tim Flattery, Amy Ruopp
Training and Orientation – Nadine Ashton, Amy Ruopp, EdTech

Students

Concerns
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Amy Ruopp
- Formal Student Concerns – Dan Long
Development Funding and Field Trips – Nadine Ashton
Academic Integrity – Nadine Ashton
Graduate Assistantships – Jill Davis, Ian Lambert
Mentoring – Amy Ruopp
Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Amy Ruopp
Retention – Academic Affairs
- Graduate – Ian Lambert
- Undergraduate – Tim Flattery, Amy Ruopp

Annual Student Exhibition – Ashlei Watson

Budget Planning and Concerns – Tim Flattery, Nadine Ashton, Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp

External Representation of the Academic Division/College – All Academic Affairs Staff

Committee Ex-Officio Representation

Faculty Assembly Committees – Ex-Officio
Nadine Ashton – Curriculum Committee, Assessment, Academic Performance
Ian Lambert – Faculty Review
Tim Flattery – Sabbatical and Faculty Development
Amy Ruopp – Assessment, Sabbatical and Faculty Development, Faculty Review

Higher Education History, Current State, and Trends – Ashlei Watson

Monthly and Board Reports – Ashlei Watson

Policy/Procedure Development – Nadine Ashton, Tim Flattery, Ian Lambert, Amy Ruopp, Ashlei Watson

Tim Flattery, Provost

Reporting to the President, The Provost is the chief academic officer of the College and is responsible for all matters related to the academic operations including oversight of faculty and curricular matters. The Provost serves as a spokesperson for the College locally, nationally and internationally, working as an advocate for the value of art and design to society.

In close collaboration with the President, and consistent with the College’s strategic plan, provide vision and leadership to maintain and foster academic programs and support services of the highest quality
Promote the College’s national and international reputation during an extraordinary period in the city of Detroit’s transformation
As the College’s innovation leader, guide the development of new academic programs and initiatives consistent with the College’s strategic plan
Work closely with the President and other senior colleagues in strategic planning, goal setting, budget planning and implementation, enrollment management, technology planning and resource development
Enhance the role of interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the College’s educational programs
Foster initiatives to expand research activities and promote scholarship in the creative disciplines
Create a sense of unity and shared purpose within the College
Manage, recruit and advance an outstanding and diverse faculty appropriate to the College’s mission
Supervise the academic departments and student affairs
Manage the reappointment and promotion of full-time faculty, in collaboration with the Deans of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies and the President
Manage the accreditation process and serve as the liaison between the College and the various accreditation agencies
Supervise and annually review the performance of the Executive Assistant to the Provost, Dean of Academic Affairs, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Dean of Graduate Studies and Dean of Student Affairs.
Play an active role in expanding corporate partnerships and integrating industry collaborations into academic programs, where appropriate
Collaborate with the President and the College’s advancement team, in developing resources to support the College’s educational programs
Communicate the vision of the College to prospective students, alumni, foundations, employers, and external partners

Teaching and Learning

Act as a change agent for new pedagogical practices and emerging educational trends
Collaborate with Department Chairs to lead curriculum review and the systematic assessment of undergraduate programs
Collaborate with the Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean of Academic
Affairs, and Information Technology to develop best practices for online learning
Develop programs to expand summer enrollment with the President, Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Precollege and Continuing Studies Director
Develop new academic programs consistent with the CCS strategic plan
Develop internship, job placement and experiential learning opportunities with the Director of Career Development, Department Chairs, and
Corporate Relations and Design Core
Work with the President and Dean of Academic Affairs to ensure compliance with applicable accreditation standards for all programs

Supervisory

Make recommendations to the President concerning contract renewals of department chairs and faculty
Work closely with the Assistant Dean for Institutional Equity and Inclusion to maintain equitable space among all faculty

Budget

Assist Academic Deans with developing their annual budget submissions and monitor academic department budgets Student Experience
Collaborate with the Dean of Students and Department Chairs in tracking student retention and developing initiatives to increase retention
Respond to concerns raised by students and/or faculty, and seek resolution to the issues in collaboration with the Academic Deans and the Dean of Student Affairs.
Participate in various strategic College outreach activities such as visiting speaker events, exhibitions, open houses, portfolio days, the annual Student Exhibition and Commencement

Outreach

Collaborate with the Institutional Advancement Office and Corporate Relations to expand and develop relationships with alumni, corporate, foundation, and research partners, as well as individual donors
Represent the college in the city of Detroit and the region, nationally and internationally
Perform other duties as requested by the President

Nadine Ashton, Dean of Academic Affairs

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of Academic Affairs oversees those policies and practices that affect faculty status, pedagogy and professional development, and advocates for the interest and needs of the faculty. The Dean of Academic Affairs is a member of the College’s leadership team.

In cooperation with the Deans of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, coordinate the hiring of full-time and adjunct faculty in accordance with HR office procedures, seeking faculty of exceptional ability and who share a commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professional practice.
In cooperation with the Deans of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, oversee faculty reappointment and promotion
Manage the process for the evaluation of faculty and department chairs
Develop and manage a robust faculty professional development process
Maintain an updated file of course syllabi by semester and department
Coordinate with Enrollment Services in tracking student attrition and developing initiatives to increase retention
Oversee the systematic application of the CCS assessment process
With the Deans of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, oversee and confirm compliance with applicable accreditation standards for all programs
Respond to concerns raised by students and/or faculty, and seek resolution to the issues
In collaboration with Enrollment Services, facilitate faculty participation in student recruitment to expand undergraduate enrollment
Participate in various College outreach activities such as visiting speaker events, exhibitions, open houses, portfolio days, the annual Student Exhibition and Commencement
Represent the College in the city of Detroit and in the region
Plan and facilitate New Faculty Orientation, Full-time and Adjunct
Manage faculty sabbatical and course release request process
Approve independent study applications
Maintain the Faculty Handbook and other policy documents relative to faculty status
Provide leadership and guidance on faculty matters, concerns and issues
Serve, ex officio, on all faculty related committees and task forces and the Academic Calendar Committee
Other duties as assigned by the Provost

Ian Lambert, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research oversees all activities and policies related to the graduate programs and scholarly research for the College. The Dean serves as liaison between the Graduate Studies Chairs and the Provost and is a member of the College’s leadership team.

Teaching and Learning

Act as a change agent for new pedagogical practices and emerging educational trends
Oversee Graduate Studies in alignment with the College’s strategic plan
Encourage and facilitate the development of interdisciplinary offerings among all graduate and undergraduate departments/program
In collaboration with the graduate chairs, lead curriculum development and assessment planning to provide the best and most relevant education to students
Working with the Dean of Academic Affairs, ensure compliance with applicable accreditation standards for all academic programs

Supervisor

Supervise the graduate studies chairs and administrative staff
Conduct annual performance evaluations of the graduate chairs with the chairs, oversee the annual faculty performance evaluation process
Develop a sustainable growth strategy for CCS Graduate Studies
Hire and develop faculty to deliver industry-leading education
Respond to concerns raised by students and/or faculty, and seek resolution to the issues
Drive the development of new programs in a range of appropriate fields and strengthening education offerings
Engage faculty, students, staff, and alumni in shaping the culture and student experience in the Graduate School

Budget
- Assist Department Chairs with developing their annual budget submissions
- Monitor academic department budgets
- Make recommendations to the Provost and President concerning contract renewals of department chairs and faculty

Student Experience

Collaborate with the Dean of Students and chairs in tracking student retention and developing initiatives to increase retention

Outreach

Enhance the quality, visibility, and reputation of CCS Graduate Programs nationally and internationally
Expand enrollment in collaboration with department chairs and Admissions Office
Working closely with the Institutional Advancement Office and Design Core, expand collaborative relationships with industry and research partners, as well as individual donors
Working with Office of Partnerships, develop and expand internship and job placement programs

Research

Oversee the Institutional Strategy for advancing scholarly research in art and design
Mentor faculty in the development of written and practice-based research output
Facilitate research workshops
Liaise with IA in generating research income (applications for research grant and scholarships)
Oversee IRB procedures for faculty and graduate student research
Oversee the dissemination of research activity across the institution
Support faculty attendance at conferences, symposia, and workshops
Support hosting conferences, symposia, and workshops
Develop research partnerships with external bodies including other colleges and universities.

Amy Ruopp, Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean is an integral part of the Academic Affairs team and provides support in all areas of the day-to-day management of the college’s departments.

Responsibilities of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies:

In close collaboration with the Provost and the Dean of Academic Affairs, and consistent with the College’s strategic plan, the Dean of Undergraduate Studies will assist the Provost’s vision to foster and maintain academic programs of the highest quality and enhance their visibility and reputation nationally and internationally.

Teaching and Learning

Act as a change agent for new pedagogical practices and emerging educational trends
Collaborate with Department Chairs to lead curriculum review and the systematic assessment of undergraduate programs
Collaborate with the Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Information Technology to develop best practices for online learning
Develop programs to expand summer enrollment with the Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Precollege and Continuing Studies Director
Develop new academic programs consistent with the CCS strategic plan
Develop internship, job placement and experiential learning opportunities with the Director of Office of Partnerships, Department Chairs, and Corporate Relations and Design Core
Work with the Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs to ensure compliance with applicable accreditation standards for all programs

Supervisory

Supervise Undergraduate Department Chairs, including chairing the regularly scheduled chairs’ meetings
Oversee the annual faculty performance evaluation process in conjunction with Department Chairs
Conduct the Department Chairs’ annual performance evaluations
Make recommendations to the Provost concerning contract renewals of department chairs and faculty
Leads and oversees faculty recruitment, retention, growth, mentorship and evaluation in collaboration with Department Chairs and the Dean of Academic Affairs
Work closely with the Assistant Dean for Institutional Equity and Inclusion to maintain equitable space among all faculty

Budget

Assist Department Chairs with developing their annual budget submissions and monitor academic department budgets

Student Experience

Collaborate with the Dean of Students and Department Chairs in tracking student retention and developing initiatives to increase retention
Respond to concerns raised by students and/or faculty, and seek resolution to the issues
Participate in various strategic College outreach activities such as visiting speaker events, exhibitions, open houses, portfolio days, the annual Student Exhibition and Commencement

Outreach

Collaborate with the Institutional Advancement Office and Corporate Relations to expand and develop relationships with alumni, corporate, foundation, and research partners, as well as individual donors
Represent the college in the city of Detroit, the region, nationally, and internationally
Perform other duties as requested by the Provost

Dan Long, Dean of Students

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of Students oversees the departments of Residence Life, Student Engagement, Wellness Center, and Center for Tutoring and Writing as well as other student support and conduct functions. The First Year Experience course is also managed by the Dean of Students. The overarching goals of the Dean of Students and the Office of Student Affairs are to provide valuable co-curricular experiences, impactful student support services, and opportunities for personal student development. Issues of student safety and crisis are traditionally managed through the collaboration of offices within Student Affairs.

Provides intake and formal ADA Accommodations to all undergraduate and graduate students
Is the chief judicial officer for the College managing the Student Judicial Process and Procedure
Maintains the Code of Student Conduct
Chairperson of the Behavioral Intervention Team which examines and responds to student safety concerns and concerns regarding the behavior of students
Responsible for the coordination and implementation of CCS Commencement Ceremonies
Maintains records for semester Student Assemblies
Oversight of the First Year Experience course content and structure
Responsible for the management of Institution wide external student surveys, eg. the Student Satisfaction Inventory, HEDS Diversity Climate Survey, Healthy Minds Study
Chairs the MICU Student Accommodations and Accessibility Working Group
Institutional committee membership:
Co-Chair Strategic Planning
Chair Behavioral Intervention Team
Cleary Compliance Committee
Privacy and Security Committee
Crisis Management Team|
DEI Advisory Council
Academic Calendar Committee
Board of Trustees Education Subcommittee
Tuition and Fees Committee
HLC Quality Initiative Committee

Deirdre Young, Assistant Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusion

Under the direction of the College President, the Director, Office of Equity and Inclusion, will lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives which will support the College’s strategic plan and mission. The Director will be a strategic partner to senior College leadership while serving as a change agent in designing and developing cutting-edge workforce and education strategies. The Director will lead the development of a vision and effective strategy that champions the importance and value of a diverse and inclusive College environment. The Director will also engage faculty, staff and students to build a welcoming and inclusive culture at CCS. The Director will design training initiatives on cultural competency, gender differences, disability, sexuality, race, religion, and other topics designed to increase awareness and support of equity and inclusion values.

Act as a change agent to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at a strategic level through strong partnerships across campus.
Provide thoughtful leadership by developing innovative initiatives and recommendations that drive College strategy and demonstrate the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Plan, guide and advise the President and executive officers on diversity, equity, and inclusion matters.
Collaborate with College management to create, implement and monitor programs designed to ensure fair and equitable treatment of students, faculty and staff.
Participate in and advise the College’s recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups.
Monitors, evaluates, and assesses adequacy of diversity of candidates in the hiring and screening process. Works with Human Resources to develop recruitment strategies that attract underrepresented candidates.
Support students, faculty, and staff across a broad spectrum of diverse backgrounds.
The Director will be responsible for creating dynamic, comprehensive, and multimodal education and training programs across the College that are responsive to and appropriate for the wide variety of constituents at CCS, including faculty, staff, senior academic and administrative leadership, and students.
The Director will also provide proactive and reactive interventions in cases where diversity, equity, and inclusion practices need significant additional development, particularly in academic departments and, when necessary, will work intensively with departments on challenging climate and culture issues.
Oversee the HFA: SCS – CCS Bridge Program

Jill Davis, Executive Assistant for Graduate Studies

The Executive Assistant, Graduate Studies and Research is responsible for assisting and supporting the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in performing his/her duties.

Act as the Dean’s primary support person, including keeping calendars, fielding calls, coordinating workflow, communications, processes, and procedures to ensure that projects and various assigned tasks are being handled in a timely manner
Maintain Graduate Studies files and records, often of a highly confidential and critical nature, including faculty files, strategic initiatives, etc.
Coordinate special projects and assignments including gathering and analyzing data preparing reports and summaries, keeping files and making recommendations;
With Human Resources, coordinate the searches for Graduate Studies faculty and staff candidates;
Administer the Graduate Studies budget, assist with department budget preparation, this includes annual budget review and spreadsheet of updates Graduate Studies and submission to the Academic Affairs office;
Coordinate with the Dean, the management of the Graduate development fund requests, approvals, and account reconciliation;
Facilitate communication with the Dean, Chairs, Faculty, Program Managers, administrative staff and students, including keeping general calendars for support meetings, workshops, conferences, etc.;
Oversee the hiring of Program Managers in coordination with the Human Resources Office;
Manage the Dean’s Academic Support evaluations and files as well as faculty and renewal binders;
Coordinate travel arrangements and itineraries for the Dean including filing expense reports;
In cooperation with Academic Affairs, coordinate the selection process for the Excellence in Graduate Studies awards;
Monitor concerns raised by students, faculty, and/or staff, and apprise the Deans of issues in need of resolution;
Support Dean on strategic planning, development of new programs, accreditation requirements,
Manage Graduate Assistantships
Coordinate Graduate Orientation
Collate content for Graduate Studies monthly report submission to Academic Affairs
Perform additional duties as assigned by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Laura Cavanagh, Executive Assistant for Undergraduate Studies

Act as the Provost’s and Dean’s primary support person, including keeping calendars, fielding calls, coordinating workflow, communications, processes, and procedures to ensure that projects and various assigned tasks are being handled in a timely manner
Maintain Undergraduate Studies files and records, often of a highly confidential and critical nature, including faculty files, strategic initiatives, etc.;
Coordinate special projects and assignments including gathering and analyzing data preparing reports and summaries, keeping files and making recommendations;
With Human Resources, oversees search details for Undergraduate Studies full-time faculty candidates;
Administer the Academic Affairs budget, assist with department budget preparation, this includes annual budget review and spreadsheet of updates for Undergraduate Studies and submission to the business office;
Coordinate with the Dean of Academic Affairs, the management of the Academic Affairs development fund requests, approvals, and account reconciliation;
Facilitate communication with the Deans, Chairs, Faculty, Program Managers, administrative department staff and students, including keeping general calendars for support meetings, workshops, conferences, etc.;
Coordinate travel arrangements and itineraries for the Provost, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Undergraduate Dean and CCS visitors;
In Collaboration with the Speakers and Exhibitions Committee, coordinate the Toyota and Woodward Lecture series and other special events.
Facilitate the selection process for the Imre J. Molnar award.
Represents the Deans at Program Manager meetings;
Participate as assigned in various College activities such as visiting speaker events, exhibitions, open houses, portfolio days, the annual Student Exhibition, and Commencement, as well as functions related to sponsored projects and other activities;
Maintains and orders office supplies for Academic Affairs.
Perform additional duties as assigned by the Provost, Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Undergraduate Dean.

Ashlei Watson, Director of Academic Planning and Effectiveness

The Director of Academic Planning and Effectiveness manages continuous improvement initiatives in the academic division. The Director is focused on the development and refinement of practices, policies, work flows, and procedures to ensure institutional effectiveness and through this practice, assists with College planning and decision-making, program assessment, accreditation, curriculum development, and staff training. The Director collaborates extensively with College staff, faculty, and administrators to ensure system-wide understanding of decisions and effectively communicates complex, often nuanced information to a variety of audiences.

Work with the Academic Deans to facilitate curriculum development
Analyze opportunities and develop studies to test new processes and refinements to existing operational flows, ensuring optimal response to current and projected College need
Document processes and procedures, utilizing both process diagrams and flowcharts, as well as user-oriented diagrams
Collect, organize, verify, and clean data from a variety of data sources, including benchmarking peer institutions, for analysis and reporting, and
Develop and implement techniques to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of data collection, research, and reporting activities.
Develop graphical and narrative reports and research projects to facilitate campus- and unit-level decision-making in the pursuit of attaining strategic and operational goals
Participate in the design and development of an archive for institutional data
Support College accreditation and assessment efforts
Serve as a resource in College‐wide initiatives and conduct special projects for the College’s leadership
Monitor national trends and follow current events relevant to higher education
Produce and distribute the Academic Affairs Monthly and Board of Trustee Reports
Maintain an updated file of course syllabi by semester and department
Ensures attendance compliance for the first two weeks of classes in collaboration with faculty
Serve, as assigned, on College committees
Other duties as assigned by the Academic Deans