Associate Vice Chancellor - UMN Crookston

The University of Minnesota Crookston is one of the University of Minnesota's five campuses. UMN Crookston offers students an exceptional, hands-on learning experience in a safe, close-knit community. Known for its #1 best value ranking, NCAA Division II athletics, affordable tuition, #1 ranked dorms, and a supportive environment, UMN Crookston provides personalized attention and mentorship to help students thrive academically and professionally. UMN Crookston offers more than 75 programs to choose from, including both on-campus and online options. Degree-seeking enrollment is comprised of 1100 online and 750 on-campus students. UMN Crookston serves the highest proportions of first-generation, Pell-eligible, and adult learner populations within the University of Minnesota. As a part of its commitment to comprehensive equity and inclusion, UMN Crookston prides itself as a leading educational provider for college students from rural communities.

UMN Crookston is looking for an effective, inclusive, action-oriented, creative, and collaborative leader to build on strengths, capitalize on opportunities, and take its portfolio of academic programs and operations to the next level. The ideal candidate will have a can-do work ethic and demonstrated capacity to scale up prior experience in engaging faculty, professional staff, and students in achieving measured results. The associate vice chancellor will have a strong commitment to enhancing collaboration and mutual respect, along with the ability to recruit outstanding new faculty as well as to retain and promote high-achieving current faculty.

This position is a compelling leadership opportunity that could serve as a stepping stone for an emergent leader who aspires to move on to a senior academic officer role at a small college or an academic dean position at a larger university. It could also serve as a landing spot for a seasoned academic leader who wishes to champion growth, development, and advancement of faculty, academic programs, and student success over an extended period of time or as the final chapter in their career. The following are opportunities for measured accomplishments in the next five years:

• After receiving its 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission in 2025, UMN Crookston looks ahead to participating in development of the University's strategic plan. This process offers opportunities for strong academic leadership to assess and analyze current curriculum and support structures while generating innovative strategies for future growth and improvement.
• As a smaller regional public university, UMN Crookston depends on enrollment to fund program development and enhancement. A key opportunity for UMN Crookston is extending greater educational access by strengthening and expanding both dual-enrollment programs with local and regional high schools and dual-admission programs with nearby community, technical, and tribal colleges.
• UMN Crookston pioneered online degree programs and continues to be a leader in serving non-traditional adult learners through online programs that are flexible and responsive to student needs. Eighty-seven percent of students in Business department majors and more than half of those in HSSE department majors complete their degrees online. Liberal education requirements, which are heavily supported by HSSE faculty and courses, can be completed through either in-person or online modalities. Future growth for these programs in an increasingly competitive market will require continuous improvement in high-quality pedagogy, engagement with emerging technologies, and curriculum development and review.
• Since UMN Crookston became a four-year institution in 1993, baccalaureate alumni are now sending their children to college and entering critical years for philanthropic engagement. The associate vice chancellor will have opportunities to help develop and strengthen legacy programs supporting enrollment growth, to create opportunities for meaningful engagement and giving, and to provide evidence of return on philanthropic investment to donors.

• Provide leadership to Academic Affairs as part of a collegial team reporting to the senior vice chancellor
• Lead the division in a manner consistent with the principles of shared governance and the negotiated collective bargaining agreements
• Facilitate the development of a culture that recognizes, affirms, and helps faculty, staff, and students draw upon cultural, communal, and identity-based assets to achieve educational outcomes
• Promote and maintain a high-quality learning environment for diverse on-campus and online students
• Provide instructional leadership in curriculum development, review, and improvement that emphasizes student learning and responsiveness to regional and national workforce needs
• Support faculty in pursuit and maintenance of required regional and license-based accreditations as well as existing voluntary program accreditation
• Recruit, hire, and mentor new faculty
• Provide general oversight of tenure, promotion, and advancement in rank processes for faculty
• Oversee annual performance evaluation and merit increase processes for faculty and staff
• Generate a unit culture that supports and promotes active scholarly and creative work including pursuit of grants and external funding
• Work with department chairs to establish, enact, and evaluate annual department goals, objectives, and plans
• Prepare, prioritize, authorize, and monitor budget requests and expenditures
• Engage with the regional community, both on and off campus, to foster strong campus-community relationships
• Collaborate with colleagues in University and Alumni Relations on philanthropic efforts including assisting in the identification and development of relationships with potential significant donors
• Represent the division on administrative groups
• Provide supervisory leadership for and oversight of the Early Childhood Development Center
• Communicate and implement campus and broader University policy
• Support enrollment management efforts, including international and domestic articulation agreements
• Keep current with new developments in their field
• Maintain an agenda for scholarly research and creative activity related to one’s academic discipline as well as involvement with professional organizations relevant to the associate vice chancellor role
• Help advance the outreach mission of the University in additional ways as mutually agreed upon with the senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs

• Doctoral or terminal degree in one’s academic discipline
• Professional achievement in teaching and scholarship commensurate with the awarding of tenure at the rank of associate or full professor within either the Business or the HSSE department
• Experience in administrative leadership, new program development, and/or institutional and program accreditation processes
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the UMN Crookston, especially as related to access and student success
• Evidence of leadership abilities, exceptional communication skills, and excellent interpersonal and team-building skills
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students

• A record of achievement in advancing culturally responsive teaching practices in both distance and on-campus modalities, and narrowing opportunity and achievement gaps among students served
• Experience administering online educational programs
• Experience in supervising and evaluating faculty and staff including union-represented faculty and staff
• Experience planning and managing complex budgets
• Proficiency in a second language, preferably Spanish

Appointment: The position is a 12-month, full-time, annual renewable position starting July 1, 2026. (A different start date could be negotiated.) 

Starting salary range: $120,000–140,000

Benefits: As a professional and administrative (P&A) employee, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with low-cost health coverage, professional development opportunities, and retirement plan with 10% employer contribution. (See our benefits page for more information.)

To apply, upload a CV, a cover letter, unofficial transcripts showing highest degree earned, and a list of 3-5 professional references to the University's application site.

Apply now 

Review of applications will begin February 9, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Job ID: 371901