Position Summary

Overview:

Reporting to the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Student Success, the Director of Pathway Programs will oversee four cohort-based programs that support retention and student success by focusing on our 5 areas of student success: Educational Success, Sense of Belonging, Community, Sense of Purpose, and Well-being. The Pathway Programs include Detroit M.A.D.E, Dow STEM, FLI Vanderploeg Scholars, and TRiO SSS. In collaboration with the program directors, this position will provide leadership and vision for the Pathway programs while fostering an environment that supports student success and advances Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This position will play a key role in meeting MSU's goal of closing opportunity gaps and reaching an 86% graduation rate by 2030.

The Pathway Program's mission is to serve as a coalition to promote academic proficiency, institutional navigation, and socio-emotional engagement for student success. Aligned with Undergraduate Education's mission, the unit empowers students to pursue knowledge, access resources, and develop skills. Its goals contribute to the broader institutional objectives of closing opportunity gaps for underserved students by enhancing persistence, retention, and graduation rates.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Create and implement the vision and strategy for the Pathway Programs and facilitate strategic planning for the unit and each program.
• Serve on the leadership team for the Undergraduate Student Success Unit including supporting the Assistant Provost to create and implement short- and long-term strategies, goals, and objectives related to persistence and student success.
• Utilize data to evaluate past interventions, guide future programming, and monitor persistence and student success outcomes to ensure that the programs meet current and future needs of all our diverse student populations.
• Research, develop, implement, and assess innovative policies and procedures related to persistence and student success.
• Serve as main point of contact for grants and donors; in collaboration with Program Directors create strategic plan and vision for grant and donor funds including leading requests for additional funds.
• Support and empower Program Directors in grant and donor reporting; ensure fidelity of programs in alignment with donor/grants
• Identify and implement opportunities for collaboration across the pathway programs
• Oversee collaborative programming and initiatives across the programs
• Oversee administrative functions for the pathway programs including fiscal and personnel planning; oversee a budget of $1.7 mil
• Supervise a team of 15 full time staff with 5 direct reports including overseeing all hiring, onboarding, professional development, and evaluation
• Work with state and local governments and partners on access, persistence, and completion initiatives
• Coordinate with campus partners related to Persistence and Student Success including: Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, Student Life and Engagement, Strategic Retention, Colleges, and others.
• Represent the unit in relevant spaces (Undergrad Ed leadership, USS leadership, CSSG, UAL, etc.)
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Provost

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters -student affairs, higher education, business, or related field

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which would be acquired by completing a master's degree in student affairs, higher education, business, counseling or other related field and