Vice President for Enrollment Management

SEARCH PROSPECTUS:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Search 3Albion's History Albion's Campus 4The Community

Accreditation and Memberships 5Recognition

Faculty Profile 6

Academic Programs 7

Students and Student Life 8Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation

The Role of Vice President for Enrollment Management 9

Qualifications 10Desired Attributes

Application and Nomination Procedure 11

2SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

3SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

President Mauri Ditzler announces the search for the Vice President for Enrollment Management (VPEM) at Albion College in Albion, Michigan. He invites nominations and applications for this exceptional opportunity as he seeks a Vice President who will provide dynamic, proven leadership for recruitment, retention, and financial aid at the College. The position is currently vacant, and it is expected that the new VPEM will be announced by August 2019 with the office to be filled as soon as possible afterward.

This is an especially attractive position because of the breadth of responsibility and authority given to the position. This Vice President will report directly to President Ditzler and will lead all aspects of enrollment management, as well as serve as a member of the leadership team that assists with oversight of the College’s mission and management.

THE SEARCH

Albion College has a pioneering heritage, originally serving the educational needs of settlers’ children and Native Americans alike. Albion also is one of the earliest Midwest schools to introduce coeducation.

Thanks to the efforts of Methodists who were early settlers of Michigan Territory, the College was awarded a charter by the Michigan Territorial Legislature in 1835. In 1850, the legislature approved the founding of the “Albion Female Collegiate Institute,” and in 1857 the two institutions merged under the name of “The Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Albion.” On February 25, 1861, Albion was fully authorized by the State legislature to confer a full four-year college degree upon both men and women.

Emphasis on excellence in liberal arts education became the Albion College hallmark through the years, and in 1940 Albion was the first private college in Michigan to be awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Today, the College remains true to its liberal arts commitment while addressing the desires of many of its students who seek career options. The College challenges its students to embark on an educational journey that prides itself on real-world experiences and community outreach, and gives its graduates a distinct advantage when applying to graduate or professional school, or in landing their first job.

“Albion has a rich academic history and ... continues to attract an ambitious, involved group of students.” Fiske Guide to Colleges 2019

ALBION'S HISTORY

4SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Albion’s campus is a beautiful, well-maintained living-learning environment in the friendly community of Albion, Michigan. From the time the first permanent building was constructed in 1840 to the present, the College has remained in the same location, built around and continually expanding beyond “The Quad,” that was its original campus. The main campus has 225 acres with more than 30 major buildings. Included in that footprint is the 140-acre Whitehouse Nature Center, known as the “greenest classroom on campus” and used by students and community alike who enjoy its miles of trails and many species of plants and birds. In addition, a few miles from the town of Albion, the College owns the 350-acre Held Equestrian Center which provides opportunities for instruction and competition in hunt seat, western, and dressage as part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) and Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) athletic competition.

Since 2000, the College has built the Mae Harrison Karro Residential Village; the Ferguson Student, Technology, and Administrative Services Building; and Bruce A. Kresge Hall as part of a fully integrated four-building LEED-certified Science Complex. In addition, many older campus buildings have been thoroughly renovated. In 2017, a College-and-community collaboration space - the Ludington Center – opened in a fully renovated 20,000-square-foot corner building in downtown Albion just a half-mile from campus. Back on campus, recent major gifts are leading efforts to build a 200-seat music recital hall as well as a major expansion of the student-fitness experience at the Dow Recreation and Wellness Center.

ALBION'S CAMPUS

Albion College is located in Albion in the southcentral region of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan at the confluence of the north and south branches of the Kalamazoo River. This historic community with many handsome Victorian homes and Georgian buildings, once a factory town, is now known more as a college town with a strong interest in technology and sustainability. Albion, Michigan, was a booming industrial town during much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Foundry workers poured molten iron that formed parts for Detroit’s automobile factories. When those plants closed two and three decades ago, the local economy collapsed. In very recent years, President Ditzler, Albion College faculty and alumni, and local leaders have combined their efforts to make changes. The shuttered Bohm theatre, with all the glamour of the 1920s venues and a 500-seat capacity, has been renovated and reopened. In the place of unsightly closed buildings, a handsome Courtyard Marriott Hotel has opened across the main street from the theatre. Other architecturally significant buildings

nearby have been renovated. Albion College has purchased some of these and is moving two of its highly desirable programs downtown. A new microbrewery-restaurant opened a year ago, and faculty members provide music on weekend evenings. The opening this spring of a new bakery and deli has drawn immediate buzz. Meanwhile, the College has initiated a generous program to assist faculty and staff to purchase houses near the College and renovate them or to purchase lots and build. The result is visible to anyone driving from I-94 to the campus. Change is taking place and projects are in the works to bring new business and industry to Albion.

Transportation options are outstanding as Albion is located on U.S. Interstate 94 midway between Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo with several airports and train service within easy driving distance. Faculty and staff at Albion College note that within an hour’s drive one can find any kind of cultural, athletic, or entertainment option one could wish—except skiing! And that is not far away.

THE COMMUNITY

5SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Albion College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, American Chemical Society, National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and Michigan Department of Education. The College’s athletic affiliations are the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (participating continuously since its founding in 1888), NCAA Division III, and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.

Albion College is a charter member of the Annapolis Group, which consists of 130 leading national independent colleges dedicated to liberal arts education. It is a founding member of the Michigan Campus Compact, dedicated to encouraging student volunteerism. Along with 12 other outstanding private colleges, it has been a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association since the consortium was established in 1961.

ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIPS

Albion College has received recent recognition in national publications, as follows:

Albion is one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the United States (No. 84, tie), according to The Wall Street Journal and the U.K.'s Times Higher Education (2019)

Albion is No. 1 in graduate earnings among Michigan small colleges, based on College Scorecard data (Zippia, 2018)

Albion is one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges in the national liberal arts category (2019)

Albion is one of The Princeton Review's Best 384 Colleges (2019)

Albion is included in Money magazine's list of Best Colleges for Your Money (2018-19) and its list of best colleges for merit aid (2017-18).

Albion is listed as one of America's Top Colleges by Forbes and included in its Grateful Grads index of the top 200 institutions "with the happiest, most successful alumni" (2018).

Albion is listed among national liberal arts institutions in Washington Monthly's College Guide, which ranks schools based on their contribution to the public good (2018).

RECOGNITION

6SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Currently, there are 117 full-time and 32 adjunct faculty members. Among the full-time faculty, 10 percent are minority, 51 percent are men with 49 percent women; 94 percent hold terminal degrees; 69 percent are tenured and another 21 percent are tenure-track. All of Albion College’s classes are taught by fully qualified professors. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1; an average class size of 19, and a teaching load of three units per semester, faculty members can challenge, mentor, and know their students in a personal environment that enables sustained interaction on a regular basis. It would be hard to overestimate the satisfaction both faculty and students feel regarding their close and cooperative relationship in the educational enterprise.

Over the years, Albion College has been wholeheartedly dedicated to the education of undergraduate students who attend full-time in a

residential setting. There are no graduate degrees, no branch campuses, and no online degrees. For the first time in the summer of 2013, there were four courses offered online to the College’s students; online and on-campus summer course offerings continue today.

In addition to dedicated attention to quality instruction, faculty members are engaged in research, writing, and publication. Many regularly compete for grants to enhance their research and equipment and in recent decades have gained support from the following: American Chemical Society; Beckman Coulter, Inc.; Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Hewlett-Packard; Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Science Foundation; Pew Charitable Trusts; U.S. Department of Energy; Fulbright Program; NCUR/Lancy Initiative; and National Endowment for the Humanities.

FACULTY PROFILE

7SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Albion College prides itself on and is highly regarded regionally and nationally for the quality of its liberal arts offerings. The College offers two degrees: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). In order to graduate each student must have a major in one of the 42 academic programs or have an individually designed major. In addition, there are 16 concentrations that are options for graduation. Each one of those includes a major plus additional credit leading to teacher certification, certificate programs, or pre-professional programs. Many of the majors as well as other programs also are available as minors, and the students have the option of adding minors or double majors. Pre-professional programs are available for many fields of advanced study.

The College offers specialization by way of focused course work, independent research, and internships through the following:

Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management

Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service

Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine

Center for Sustainability and the Environment

Fritz Shurmur Center for Teacher Development

Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program

Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

The quality and success of the academic programs are recognized in many ways, including these examples of awards for graduates:

Since 2000, 15 Fulbright Award recipients, three Morris K. Udall Scholars, a Goldwater Scholar, a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, and an EPA Environmental Management Fellow.

In 1993, Albion College produced a Rhodes Scholar.

Recent graduates have been named National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellows, RISE Scholars, a National Institutes of Health Scholar, a Gilder Lehrman History Scholar, and a George J. Mitchell Scholar.

At commencement in the spring of 2018, a total of 280 BA and BFA degrees were awarded. Within six months of graduation, 92.2 percent of graduates are employed or are accepted to universities where they will continue their education.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

8SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

Albion College’s campus is highly residential with 90 percent of full-time students living on campus. This creates a vibrant living-learning environment that is rich not only in academic programs, but also in co-curricular and extra-curricular offerings that encourage the development of strong individuals prepared for leadership in their civic and professional lives. A vibrant student life program engages students in more than 100 clubs and organizations, including two academic honor societies, six fraternities and six sororities. In addition, the College’s top 10 percent of seniors is eligible for Phi Beta Kappa membership. One of the great benefits of small liberal arts colleges is that many students have the opportunity to be leaders in the campus organizations and that they can begin that leadership in the early years of their college careers. All students are encouraged to participate in volunteer activities that serve their community and their campus.

“Corpus Fortis, Mens Fortis et Anima Fortis,” meaning strong body, mind, and spirit, has been part of the College’s mission for many years. The College’s athletic programs enable many students to continue to practice their athletic skills and develop leadership while playing as the Britons of Albion. The College, which is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division III, and of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), offers 22 sports, 11 each for men and women. The College has a history of producing successful scholar-athletes and the teams and players regularly achieve awards for their success on the playing fields and arenas as well as for their success as scholars. In addition to the intercollegiate offerings, the College supports a full range of club and intramural sports, as well as a fitness center, to enable students to participate in various levels of activity that support quality health and fitness.

STUDENTS AND STUDENT LIFE

In the fall of 2018, headcount enrollment was 1,512 degree seeking students with 54 percent women and 46 percent men. All were enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs taught in the classrooms at the College. Fifteen states and five countries were represented in the incoming class, and 41 percent were from diverse backgrounds, including racial, ethnic, and international. The median ACT for first year students was 24 and the new SAT equivalent was 1120.

ENROLLMENT, RETENTION, AND GRADUATION

9SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

The Vice President for Enrollment Management is the chief enrollment officer for the College and is charged with developing and implementing annual and long-range enrollment management strategy that complements and supports the overall strategic plans of Albion College. The VPEM is responsible for developing and implementing the annual recruitment operations plan to meet first-year and transfer student goals for the College. Additionally, the VPEM oversees the financial aid operation as it relates to student enrollment and develops successful financial awarding plans to satisfy institutional goals related to enrollment, net revenue, discount targets, academic quality, and

other student demographic and academic quality attributes. This is a cabinet-level position and requires working closely with the President, other cabinet officers and various campus constituents to successfully advance the College in a highly competitive higher education marketplace. Independent judgment is required to plan, prioritize, and organize a diversified workload with sensitivity and confidentiality. The VPEM must exhibit an appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse environment, inclusive of students, faculty and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

THE ROLE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

10SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

The following criteria will be used in evaluating applications:• An earned baccalaureate degree, a graduate

degree preferred• A minimum of five years of successful admission

experience in a college or university setting. Abackground of leadership and success utilizinga team approach to achieve enrollmentobjectives. Outstanding management,interpersonal, and organizational skills arerequired

• A background in the use of informationtechnology, combined with traditionalrelationship-building activities in student

communication, and demonstrated use of financial aid as an effective enrollment tool is required.

• Experience leading successful enrollmentmanagement operations with a holistic view ofthe admissions process and sensitivity to thecomplexity of enrollment

• An understanding of the role of retentionwhen building incoming classes and provenleadership in assessing the fit that will allowenable a student to persist to graduation

• A history of devising successful strategiesfor delivering clear, qualified objectives inapplication, yield, and retention rates

QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of the College’s mission, services,policies, and procedures

• An understanding of the value of a liberal artseducation, and a commitment to the missionand values of Albion College

• Knowledge and demonstrated successful useof admission and marketing strategies

• Knowledge and demonstrated understandingof financial aid as an effective enrollment tool

• Inclusive leadership skills including the abilityto recruit, motivate, and retain a diverse staff

• Interpersonal, communication, and presentationskills, both written and oral

• Organizational skills, including the ability todeliver information and services in a timelyfashion

• Strategic planning skills• Budget management and planning skills• The ability to collaborate across departments

and work successfully with a broad rangeof constituents, including faculty, students,administrators, coaches, trustees, and alumni,to develop and implement undergraduateadmissions strategy and policy

• The demonstration of a positive public image,strong interpersonal skills with a wide variety ofpeople, and the ability to engage the Collegecommunity in supporting admission efforts.

• Sense of humor

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES

11SEARCH PROSPECTUS: Vice President for Enrollment Management

The search committee is being assisted by Dr. Wanda Durrett Bigham, Senior Consultant of Academic Search, Inc., a firm with more than 40 years of successful experience of serving colleges and universities in their searches for executive leadership. Nominations and applications are encouraged.

The position is available immediately and President Ditzler hopes to complete the search by August 2019, with the successful candidate beginning in the role as soon afterward as possible. For best consideration, applications should be received by August 4, 2019, and should include a curriculum vitae,

a thoughtful letter addressing the requirements and desired attributes, and a list of five references with e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. All applications and expressions of interest will be treated in confidence. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission.

Nominations and applications should be submitted electronically in MS Word or PDF format to AlbionCollegeVPEM@academic-search.com. Confidential discussions and information regarding this opportunity may be arranged by contacting Dr. Wanda Durrett Bigham at wdb@academic-search.com for information or to schedule a conversation.

APPLICATION AND NOMINATION PROCEDURE

ABOUT ACADEMIC SEARCH

Academic Search, Inc. is assisting Albion College in this work. For more than four decades, Academic Search has offered executive search services exclusively to institutions of higher education. Academic Search was founded on the principle of strengthening higher education leadership through professional search services. We are the only search firm in the nation with a formal relationship to a premier leadership development program. As the subsidiary of the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), Academic Search provides substantial financial support to a number of leadership identification, development, and support programs across all sectors of public and private higher education. For more information, visit http://www.academic-search.com/.

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