FACULTY/STAFF POLICY & PROCEDURE MANUAL

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1.8. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

1.8 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the ranking academic officer of the University reporting to the President, directs and administers all operations and activities of the divisions for Academic Affairs. The following offices, groups, or personnel report directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: Vice Provost; Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success; Academic Deans; Director of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute; and the Director of Graduate Studies.

1.8.1 Vice Provost

The Vice Provost provides leadership in the development, enhancement, and review of academic policies and programs in conjunction with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, deans, and faculty.  The Vice Provost also ensures compliance with SACSCOC principles related to academic affairs issues and substantive change policies and oversees the accreditation process for the University (SACSCOC), colleges, departments, and programs in cooperation with the SACSCOC Liaison. The Vice Provost also oversees the maintenance of the University Policy and Procedure Manual for Academic Affairs issues and communicates regularly with Faculty Senate to address recommendations and oversees the Academic Calendar with the Director of Records and Registration and any changes to university courses and curriculum. The Vice Provost oversees various university directors, namely the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Director of Distance Education, the Director of Ellender Memorial Library, the Director of Records and Registration, the Director of Research and Sponsored Programs, and the Director of Athletic Academic Services.

1.8.1.1  Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Director serves as the champion for advancing inclusive teaching, learning, and the use of technology through the promotion and enhancement of inclusive andragogy/pedagogy, quality course design across all delivery modes, the use of technology, and innovative teaching/learning strategies. The Director is assisted in their duties by an advisory council from all disciplines across campus, as well as a faculty fellow chosen each year through a competitive application process. The Director for CTE is assigned a reduced teaching load and receives a salary stipend commensurate with the level of assigned duties.

1.8.1.2  Director of Distance Education

The Director is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships within the campus community to advance the interests of Distance Education faculty and students including enhanced distance education student engagement and distance-friendly access to student services.  The Director sits on Academic Council.

1.8.1.3  Director of University Library

The Director is the principal administrator of library operations and activities, including the Center for Instructional Media.  The Director sits on the Academic Council.

1.8.1.4  University Registrar and Director of Records and Registration

The responsibility of this office is to assure the accuracy and integrity of student academic records.  The office operates registration services, drop/add, resignations, class rosters, and enrollment verification.  The Director sits on the Academic Council.

1.8.1.5  Director of Research and Sponsored Programs

The Director initiates and disseminates research grant activities and other sponsored programs, serves as a liaison with the Board of Regents Research Council and with staff of other universities with regard to research grants, assists in grant writing for faculty and staff, and works in conjunction with the university’s Coordinator of Grants to disseminate funds

1.8.1.6  Director of Athletic Academic Services

The Director of Athletic Academic Services works with student-athletes, coaches, academic advisors, faculty and staff to ensure that student-athletes are meeting university and NCAA academic requirements on the path to graduation.

1.8.1.7 Groups Reporting Directly to the Vice Provost

1.8.1.7.1 Commencement Committee

Purpose: The Commencement Committee reports to the provost and vice president for academic affairs and is responsible for assisting in the coordination and execution of the commencement ceremony each semester (Fall/Spring), and making recommendations related to commencement.

Reports to: Vice Provost

Membership: The committee is composed of representatives from each academic unit and the library in a number sufficient to complete the work of the committee. Once appointed to the committee, membership is ongoing until such time that the member separates from the university or requests to be removed. New members are nominated by the college deans, Director of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, or Library Director and approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Duties:

  • Assistance to the Office of Academic Affairs with ceremony planning.
  • Organization and coordination of the graduates prior to the ceremony to include ordered seating, provision of honor cords, survey data gathering, regalia appropriateness checks, delivery of ceremony instructions.
  • Arrangement and direction of the graduate processional and seating in the venue. 
  • Arrangement and direction of the graduate walk to receive degrees. 
  • Management of the recessional post-ceremony. 

1.8.1.7.2  Honors Committee (See Section 1.13.2.7)

1.8.1.7.3  Distance Learning Committee (See Section 1.13.3.11)

1.8.2  Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success

The Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success oversees accreditation issues as related to the university.  The Assistant VP serves as SACSCOC Liaison, therefore, reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on academic issues relative to planning and assessment. The Assistant VP directly supervises various university directors, namely the Director of Academic Services, Executive Director of Enrollment Services, Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Director of Institutional Research, Director of International Student Services, and the Director of Student Success and Retention (QEP). 

1.8.2.1 Director of Academic Services

The Director manages academic services meant to provide students with the tools necessary to understand the dynamics of higher education and to make a successful transition to college life. Services include the following: Academic Advising Center; Academic Testing Center; Transfer Student Resource Center; Tutorial and Academic Enhancement Center; and the University Honors Program.

1.8.2.2 Executive Director of Enrollment Services

The Executive Director of Enrollment Services oversees the Department of Enrollment Services providing a high-quality support service to the academic units that carry out the university’s instruction and service programs, and to provide high-quality services to students. 

1.8.2.3 Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness

The Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness will support assessment efforts at the university and program levels. The position will support accreditation efforts and assist in maintaining reporting requirements. The Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness will work with various units to build and maintain assessments and reporting of such efforts and will serve as administrator of any software used to facilitate the process.

1.8.2.4 Director of Institutional Research

The Director of Institutional Research conducts research and studies on the institution, including design of studies, data collection, analysis and reporting. Also responsible for accomplishing the institution’s Federal reporting requirements (e.g., IPEDS) as well as those of the state governing boards.

1.8.2.5 Director of International Student Services

The Office of International Student Services (ISS) promotes student success by providing support to Nicholls State University’s international graduate, undergraduate and exchange students.

1.8.2.6 Director of Student Success and Retention (QEP)

The Director of Student Success and Retention oversees the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) of the university. The QEP endeavors to empower students to have more ownership in directing their academic career through developing their skills to use the tools and resources and teaching them to value their academic and co-curricular experiences.

1.8.2.7 Groups Reporting Directly to the Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Access, and Success

1.8.2.7.1  Enrollment Planning and Retention

1.8.3 University Directors

University Directors report directly to the Vice Presidents, Vice Provost, or Assistant Vice Presidents. The Director of Graduate Studies, the Director of Chef John Folse Culinary Institute and the Director of the Library are examples of a University Director.  

1.8.4 The Academic Deans

For the purpose of this document, all references to deans also include the director of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute.  Likewise, all references to academic colleges, include the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute (a degree granting institute).

The academic deans are administrators holding faculty rank.  The Dean, as the chief academic and administrative officer of the College, provides leadership in developing academic programs and promoting high standards of teaching, scholarship, and service.  The Dean is expected to represent the College within the larger University structure, and to lead the College in maintaining academic distinction and accreditation.  The Dean is under the supervision of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and sits on the Academic Council.  There are six academic divisions at Nicholls State University; five academic colleges and one institute. These are the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Sciences and Technology, the College of Business Administration, the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Nursing, and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute.  Associate Deans and Assistant Deans report directly to the various Academic Deans.

Academic procedures, guidelines, and processes relevant to all academic administrators and faculty are published in the Nicholls University Catalog.

1.8.4.1 Academic Administrators Reporting to the Deans

1.8.4.1.1  Associate Dean

The Associate Dean within an academic College is appointed by the College Dean with the approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and is given a defined scope of responsibilities with greater breadth than that of the assistant dean appointment that may include the authority to act for the Dean in a broad range of specified areas upon the Dean’s absence. The associate dean is assigned a reduced teaching load and receives a salary stipend commensurate with the level of assigned duties.

1.8.4.1.2  Assistant Dean

The Assistant Dean within an academic college is appointed by the College Dean with the approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and is given a defined scope of responsibilities specified by the College Dean that may include lower-level decision making, signature authority on specified university documents, and other duties as appropriate. The assistant dean is assigned a reduced teaching load and receives a salary stipend commensurate with the level of assigned duties.

1.8.4.1.3 The Department Heads

The Department Head is the academic leader of the department and collaborates with the faculty and the Dean in the development of programs that are most suited in meeting student and academic needs. The Department Head is responsible for mentoring of junior faculty.  Mentoring of students is an important responsibility of the Department Head.  The Department Head also assigns faculty regarding academic advising; manages departmental resources for the attainment of departmental, college, and University objectives; allocates the departmental budget; and determines course offerings and time schedules. Teaching at the graduate or undergraduate level is required of Department Heads.  Department Heads report to the Dean of their academic colleges.

1.8.4.1.3.1  Department/Program Coordinators

Faculty are sometimes awarded alternate responsibilities involving oversight of special departmental programs and other assignments.  Faculty serving in these interdepartmental positions shall be called Coordinators. Assignment examples include coordinators for individual curricular programs within a single large department, for undergraduate and graduate program in a single department, for programs requiring specific academic expertise different from the department head’s, for special service units, and for special initiatives. 

1.8.4.1.4  Faculty Directors

Faculty Directors are full-time ranked academic faculty who receive alternate work time from teaching to administer programs outside the area of an academic department.  Faculty Directors report directly to the Deans. The Director of the Center for Dyslexia and Related Learning Disorders and the Director of Nursing Continuing Professional Development are examples of a Faculty Director.  Faculty Directors should not be confused with University Directors (see Section 1.8.3)

1.8.5 Director of University Graduate Studies

The Director of University Graduate Studies focuses on the development of graduate programs and the concerns of graduate students.  The Director coordinates all graduate programs and sits on the Academic Council.

1.8.5.1 Groups Reporting Directly to the Director of University Graduate Studies

 

1.8.5.1.1 Graduate Council (See Section 1.13.2.5)

 

1.8.6 Groups Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Councils and committees listed in this section are those performing functions directly related to Academic Affairs and who report directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the proceedings of some of these groups, they do not report to or through other entities. The purposes, membership, and duties/responsibilities are detailed for each. Changes to the purpose, membership, reporting procedures, and duties/responsibilities will stem from the Office of Academic Affairs.

1.8.6.1 The Academic Council

The Academic Council meets regularly to discuss issues common to all of the academic programs at the University. The Director of the University Library and the Deans of all colleges serve on the Academic Council, which is chaired by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. At the discretion of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, other units such as Graduate Studies, and Records and Registration may also be invited to sit on the Council.

1.8.6.2  The Deans Council

Purpose: The Deans Council exists to foster upward and downward communication from the academic units through the Deans to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs through the Deans to the academic units. The Deans Council also considers strategic matters relevant to the academic operations of the university and makes recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs related to the interests of the faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders. 

Membership: The Deans Council is made up of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice Provost, the five Academic Deans of the colleges, and the Director of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Other guests relevant to the Deans Council’s agenda may be invited on an as-needed basis.

Duties/Procedure:

The Deans Council will be chaired by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and will schedule meetings on a monthly basis. Call meetings may occur on an as-needed basis. 

  • A call for agenda items will be submitted one week prior to the scheduled meeting. If there are no agenda items, the meeting may be canceled until the next regularly scheduled meeting. Minutes of the meetings will be kept by the Administrative Office Manager for Academic Affairs. 
1.8.6.2.1 Council of Deans

Purpose: The Council of Deans is a strategic body that focuses on university-wide issues that may or may not lie within the academic arena, but impact the academic operations of the university and affect the interests of faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders. The Council independently considers these issues and makes recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Membership: The five Academic Deans of the colleges, and the Director of the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute.

Duties/Procedure:

  • The Council of Deans will elect a chair from within its membership.
  • The Council will meet on an as-needed basis as issues or concerns arise. 
  • The chair will report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on the Councils meetings, deliberations, and recommendations. 

1.8.6.3  Academic Affairs Integrity Committee

Purpose: To review student cases in which multiple incidents of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) have been recorded with the Office of Academic Affairs, and to recommend academic sanctions on those students to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Membership: 

  • one tenured faculty member from each college, 
  • one Academic Dean, and 
  • one student representative to be appointed by the SGA president. 

Note: Faculty members will be nominated by the Academic Deans of each college and approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will appoint the Academic Dean.

Duties/Procedures: 

  • The appointed Academic Dean will serve as Chair of the Committee.
  • The Committee will convene on an as-needed basis when any student has amassed more than one report of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) recorded in the Office of Academic Affairs.
  • Following a thorough review of all documents in the Academic Affairs Integrity student file, the committee will make recommendations for academic sanctions to the Provost and Vice President for Academic affairs. At its discretion, the committee may elect to call the student before the committee for interview purposes. 
  • The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the committee’s recommendations with the student file and render a final decision to be communicated to the student.
  • More detailed information on the complete process may be found in the Academic Affairs section of the Student Policy and Procedure Manual. 

1.8.6.4  Honorary Degree Committee (See Section 1.13.3.19)

1.8.6.5  Academic Appeals Committee (See Section 1.13.2.1)

1.8.6.6  Courses and Curricula Committee (See Section 13.2.3)

1.8.6.7  General Education Committee (See Section 1.13.2.4)

1.8.6.8  Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (See Section 1.13.2.8)

1.8.6.9  Research Council (See Section 1.13.2.10)

1.8.6.10  University Required Education Committee (See Section 1.13.2.12)

1.8.6.11  Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (See Section 1.13.3.5)

1.8.6.12  Scholarship Committee (See Section 1.13.3.7)

1.8.6.13  Student Media Committee (See Section 1.13.3.9)

1.8.6.14  Policy and Procedure Manual Committee (See Section 1.13.3.13)

1.8.6.15  Research and Sponsored Projects Committee (See Section 1.13.3.14)

Changes to Section of Manual
Section Effective Date Origin Change Form
1.8 06.01.2018 President’s Office Organizational Chart 6.2018
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