Working/Functional Title

Ast/Asc/Full Prof - Fixed Term

Position Summary

The School of Packaging (https://www.canr.msu.edu/packaging/) in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University (MSU) is seeking qualified applicants for a Graduate Program Director at the Assistant, Associate or Professor rank.

This is a 100% time, 12 month fixed-term position with 90% administrative and 10% service/outreach duties.

Responsibilities: The Graduate Program Director (GPD) serves as the administrative supervisor and coordinator of graduate studies within the School of Packaging, overseeing all components of graduate education and promoting academic quality and integrity. The Packaging Graduate Program consists of MS thesis, MS non-thesis and Ph.D. options with a combined enrollment of approximately 60 students which will grow as new faculty are added. The GPD reports to the School of Packaging Director and functions as the primary liaison among the graduate faculty, the graduate students, MSU’s Graduate School (TGS) and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. As such, the GPD should be aware of developments in the program that affect the graduate faculty, should be available, present, and responsive to students, and should be familiar with TGS and College policies and procedures.  The GPD is responsible for fostering the academic strength of the program and supporting the educational and professional success of our graduate students. This charge must be carried out within the guidelines and regulations established by the program, the graduate faculty, the College and the TGS.

General Administration

• Serves as the central source of graduate information within the program; interprets and enforces relevant TGS and program policies; liaisons with the Graduate School and the Dean’s office of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
• Leads a standing committee of representative program faculty who review all substantive matters relevant to the program, and who advise and assist the GPD in decision-making related to program offerings, processes, and policies.

• Works closely with the School Director to develop external funding sources, new cross-disciplinary offerings, and collaborations with other institutions.
• Work closely with the School’s Industry Advisory Board and School Director to reformulate online MS program offerings.

Communication and Record-Keeping

• Leads program’s orientation for new students.
• Ensures clear communication to faculty and students of degree requirements, milestones, expectations, and probation criteria in an annually updated handbook, website, and all university information depositories. Ensures information aligns with TGS policies and keeps abreast of graduate policies and events; transmits pertinent information to graduate students and their advisers.
• Oversees data collection regarding the graduate program’s productivity, including student learning outcomes and up-to-date awards and career outcomes information

 Recruitment

• Employs strategies to recruit a diverse cohort of talented students, including leading the development of the School’s new “3+2 program” with HBCUs.

• Oversee the School’s summer programs including participation in MSU’s SROP and AGEP summer research programs, and other diversity recruitment programs.
• Oversee contact and recruitment for prospective students, including all communication and campus visits. Ensures appropriate and up-to-date information and materials are provided to prospective students. 

Application, Admission and Financial Administration

• Oversees the graduate student application process, facilitating prompt review of applications and financial awards, and timely communication of admission decisions

• Coordinates nominations for relevant fellowships and awards; works with School Graduate Committee to distribute scholarship funds
• Works closely with the School Director to develop funding sources from donors
• Ownership for assigning TA positions, with guidance from the School Director and faculty

Student Success 

• Oversees program orientation of new graduate students and assists them in their transition to graduate student life.
• Ensures program mentoring is functioning smoothly, regularly advises newly admitted students in arranging programs of study and monitors their progress quarterly (or more often if warranted). Acts as faculty advisor until students have confirmed a PI.
• Regularly monitors and updates, in partnership with program faculty, the progress of graduate students utilizing appropriate systems; approves student schedules, and ensures that students are aware of program and university requirements. 
• Facilitates provision of academic and professional development support for all graduate students in the program; notifies students of university-wide academic and professional development programs and services. Seeks support from TGS’s Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Training and Development as needed, including resources and requirements for Teaching Assistants.
• Addresses student grievances and is available when students are in academic or personal difficulty, updating TGS and other MSU services as necessary.
• Requests teaching allocations, advises on graduate teaching assignments, and coordinates the evaluation of graduate teaching.
• Works with TGS and the Registrar to ensure that degrees are awarded on time.
• For MS thesis students entering the program without a pre-committed professor of record, acts as the primary faculty advisor and professor of record until the student is sponsored by a faculty member. (PhD students are only admitted with a pre-committed professor of record. The GPD does not act as a student’s committee chair).
• May be part of a graduate student thesis or dissertation committee depending on relevant expertise and approval from The Graduate School processes.

Michigan State University - School of Packaging: As the premier Land Grant University, MSU has strong interrelated programs across the spectrum of food, health, and sustainability and is committed to linking food, environment, and human health. The School of Packaging (SoP), founded in 1952, is the leading institution in packaging education and research. As the only university offering a Ph.D. program in packaging, the School of Packaging at MSU attracts students from a variety of disciplines around the world. The school is poised for significant growth that will support MSU goals. Furthermore, the highly collaborative and productive faculty provides a very positive environment for professional growth and program expansion.

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University is committed to achieving excellence by creating and sustaining an accessible and inclusive culture that values cultural and academic diversity. We are an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion.

MSU enjoys a park-like campus with outlying research facilities and natural areas. The campus is located in the city of East Lansing, adjacent to the capital city of Lansing. The Lansing metropolitan area has a diverse population of approximately 450,000. Local communities have excellent school systems and place a high value on education. The University is proactive about its obligations under the ADA, and provides individual accessibility plans to students and employees with disabilities. Michigan State University is also proactive in exploring opportunities for employment for dual career families, both inside and outside the University, and respects all family forms. Information about MSU’s dual career and other support can be found at http://worklife.msu.edu/. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The university resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

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

Doctorate

Minimum Requirements

• Terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education
• Strong desire for student success in an administrative role
• Work experience in higher education assessing progress toward a degree, and understanding and knowledge of academic requirements to obtain a degree. 
• Analytical skills to evaluate and interpret complex policies and procedures that apply to graduate students.
• Highly effective interpersonal, customer service, and communication skills to interact with individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives clearly and effectively, and to make presentations to individuals and groups.
• Excellent organizational skills to collect, analyze and maintain data, create summary reports, and track student progress and enrollment trends.
• Strong written communication and analytical skills to develop informational materials, reports, memos, and correspondence.
• Experience maintaining confidentiality of student records and applying federal and state FERPA and Information Privacy Act regulations.
• Ability to execute planning and logistics for special events and programs.
• Strong technical skills to learn and use enterprise systems related to this position. Advanced skill in the MS Office Suite or equivalent.
• Ability to problem solve and find creative solutions in a fast-paced, student-centered environment.
• Exceptional collaboration skills, with proven ability to work, interact and solve problems with a diverse group of individuals at all organizational levels, both inside and outside of the University.
• Flexible schedule to work occasional evening and weekend hours to attend events and programs for job-related functions. Some travel may be required for recruitment purposes and events.

Required Application Materials

Application Procedure:

Qualified applicants should submit

a) a cover letter

b) a current curriculum vitae

c) a summary of experience with diversity in the classroom and/or research endeavors, any experience in mentoring diverse students, and an explanation of how you will contribute to our goals of inclusive excellence (limited to 1 page)

d) the names and email addresses of three references

Special Instructions

Review of applications will begin March 31, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled.

Inquiries about the position should be addressed to Matt Daum, Ph.D., Director, Professor and CANR Assistant Dean, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824-1325. e-mail: daummatt@msu.edu

Review of Applications Begins On

03/31/2023

Website

www.packaging.msu.edu

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

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About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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