Working at PCA&D

The Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design announces the search for the College’s next president and invites nominations and applications for this leadership opportunity. The position of president at PCA&D is an exciting one as the institution considers its role in the region and beyond. The College recently completed successful re-accreditation and is currently in the last year of its five-year plan. Enrollment has grown substantially, partnerships have flourished, a new major has been added, and institutional finances have been strengthened. Accelerating this opportunity will require a forward-thinking, accomplished individual who leads the College with a strategic sensibility, ensuring relevance and long-term sustainability.

Founded in 1982, PCA&D is a private, professional college of art and design, offering BFA, BA, AFA, and AA degrees, as well as certificates, credentials, and curricula to enable students of all ages to pursue a creative life. Innovation has served the College well in recent years with the introduction of leading-edge initiatives that promise to place the College at the forefront of art and design education. In the fall of 2021, PCA&D was one of the nation’s first colleges to add Live Experience Design to its art and design majors. Its location in downtown Lancaster is well-suited to this endeavor as it is home to nearby Rock Lititz, a campus for the world’s premier live events industry and designers. In March of 2023, the College entered into a partnership with the Academy of Live Technology, a U.K.-based school focusing on live events production, to offer a combined instructional program at Rock Lititz. In addition, PCA&D is currently poised for continued growth across all its art and design programs.

Qualifications include: a terminal degree in a related discipline or an advanced degree with significant senior-level experience; a substantial record of administrative leadership and accomplishment; substantial financial and business skills; experience in leading, developing, and implementing strategic plans; experience in furthering academic growth; demonstrated ability to sustainably grow enrollment working in partnership with admissions and others; successful track record in fundraising; experience in building significant partnerships with the public and private sectors and universities and colleges; excellent communication skills; and a genuine understanding of the role of the visual arts today and a commitment to art and design education and the success of students at a small college.

PCA&D and the Position

Read the prospectus for additional information about PCA&D, the priorities and qualifications for the next President, and instructions for application.
Download the Prospectus

Application Deadline is October 24, 2024

The Presidential Search Committee will begin the review of applications immediately and continue work until an appointment is made. To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by October 4, 2024.

Application materials should be submitted through the AGB Search portal system specified under: Pennsylvania College of Art & Design – President

Please direct any nominations, expressions of interest, or questions to PACollegeArtDesign@agbsearch.com or the AGB Search Team below.

Ellen L. Meyer, M.A. 
Executive Search Consultant 
AGB Search 
ellen.meyer@agbsearch.com

Concetta M. Stewart, Ph.D.
Principal
AGB Search
concetta.stewart@agbsearch.com

OVERVIEW

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) seeks an experienced, collaborative, and accomplished full-time administrator to serve as the Student Success Advisor. The Advisor works closely with the Student Affairs team, which is led by the Interim Dean of Student Affairs and includes the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Director of Housing and Residence Life, and the Student Engagement Coordinator.

The Student Success Advisor provides support and leadership for the Completion, Persistence, and Retention team and leads the strategic planning and implementation of programming designed to holistically support student success. Focusing on topics such as time management, community enrichment, health and wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and financial literacy, the Student Success Advisor provides targeted guidance and helps to remove boundaries for students when they encounter challenges to their success. In this role, the Student Success Advisor identifies and refers students to critical resources, tracks student success indicators, and facilitates the academic accommodations process in consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs. 

The Student Affairs division’s student engagement goals are to:

• Create co-curricular opportunities for community awareness and action, identity and belonging, and civic engagement,
• Provide students with the tools and platform to build a vibrant and engaged community through student council, student club infrastructure, and residential communities, 
• Empower students to problem-solve challenges within their own community, and
• Provide the infrastructure and associated resources to support student health and wellness.

The Student Success Advisor duties include the following:

• Plans and implements strategic student success programming development, delivery, and quality assurance,
• Provides support and leadership for the College’s Completion, Persistence, and Retention team, diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic pathway, and crisis management systems and resources,
• Refers students to resources that support students’ mental health, physical health, financial health, and persistence,
• Tracks student success indicators by gathering and recording relevant data,
• Facilitates the academic accommodations process in consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs, completing accommodations paperwork and distributing it to faculty in the first week of each semester as indicated by student release forms
• Manages the food pantry program,
• Provides support to the Barriers to Academic Success Committee, the Director of Financial Aid, and Bursar as it relates to student persistence issues and financial literacy,
• Provides support to Student Clubs and Student Council as needed,
• Supports division and College compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and Middle States Commission on Higher Education requirements, and
• Contributes to the division’s responsibilities for all signature and campus-wide events including, but not limited to, Commencement, Welcome Week and recruitment events.

The Student Success Advisor serves alongside staff in participating in on-call responsibilities, participating in the College governance process, assessing program quality, and contributing to PCA&D’s culture of collaboration, inter-divisional support, open and collegial communication, and transparency.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Exceptional communication skills in all written and oral communication
• Maintain strict confidentiality of student records and information,
• Demonstrated proficiency with various platforms including presentation software and social media,
• Experience contributing to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community with a demonstrable understanding of how diversity, equity and inclusion concepts, practices, and systems impact the student experience.  
• Understanding or experience of the opportunities and challenges facing current student populations,  
• Demonstrate a positive attitude, courtesy, and discretion in dealing with faculty, staff, students, high-level college officials and the public.
• Work independently as well as function effectively in a team and within a diverse group of people,
• Experience with student activities and event planning, 
• Exercise independent judgment in complex and new situations,
• Manage multiple, concurrent projects, and meet strict deadlines,
• Broad knowledge of Title IX, Clery, ADA, and FERPA guidelines,
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a personal vehicle for crisis response and support to housing communities in the city,
• Requires use of personal cell phones for out-of-office communications,
• There are on-call responsibilities with this position — coverage will require flexibility including some evening, overnight, and weekend hours, and
• Must consent to, and pass, PA ACT 153 clearances.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Master’s degree desired. PCA&D may accept a combination of relevant education and management experience in higher education, human services, or social service in lieu of a master’s degree.
Experience: Minimum of five year’s experience in student affairs divisions in higher education.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements

• The employee will work in a well-lighted, ventilated, office/academic environment.
• Position requires seeing, hearing, speaking, grasping, sitting, standing, walking.
• Must navigate stairs and elevators.
• Employee will be expected to enter student housing communities to perform duties. 
• Must be able to lift 20 pounds. 

APPLICATION MATERIALS AND DEADLINES

• Cover Letter 
• Curriculum Vitae 
• Unofficial Transcripts 
• One-page statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion as it directly relates to your approach to student life work 
• Name and contact information for 3 professional references, including one supervisor.
• Send application materials to dos@pcad.edu.
• Applications received by August 1, 2024 will be given priority. Open until filled.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is an exempt, full-time position, based on our Lancaster, PA campus. PCA&D offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision, Life insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability, and a 403(b) retirement plan plus match after qualifying period.

The Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in compliance with all applicable laws in the admission of students, administration of programs, employment of faculty and staff, and any terms of instruction and employment. We strongly encourage people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, women, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) and gender non-binary persons to apply. 

PCA&D is a private, independent college of art and design with just over 300 students. The College is distinguished by its interactive classes, one-on-one attention from exceptional faculty, a culture of creative exploration, and interdisciplinary learning opportunities. The College values diversity and has a growing record of academic achievement with first-generation students, students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, and other underrepresented students. PCA&D values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the college community and invites candidates who through their administration and leadership will contribute to our shared commitment to a diverse and inclusive academic art and design community.

STUDIO

The Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is seeking a pool of qualified applicants for possible future adjunct credit teaching positions. Positions will be filled on an as-needed basis. The college has BFA programs in Animation & Game Art, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Live Experience Design & Production, and Photography & Video. Additionally, we are seeking resumes for our studio Foundation program.

General Responsibilities:

The adjunct faculty member shall be responsible for the following: teaching assigned classes under the supervision of the Department Chair; helping students fulfill their maximum potential in mastering course content; assessing student learning outcomes; maintaining a thorough and up-to-date knowledge in his/her regular teaching field; continuing professional development; utilizing current technology in the performance of job duties; maintaining standards of professional conduct and ethics appropriate to the professional position; assisting with articulation and curriculum development and review; fulfilling other duties and responsibilities of an adjunct faculty member as outlined in the college faculty handbook.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree (Masters degree preferred) from an accredited institution or equivalent professional experience
• College-level teaching experience highly preferred
• Experience designing curriculum and measuring student performance preferred
• Commitment to the highest level of academic standards and integrity
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• Active affiliation and participation in relevant professional organizations.
• Active online presence with current examples of professional and personal work

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of 3 references to jobs@pcad.edu with the position title written in the subject line.

LIBERAL ARTS

The Liberal Arts Department at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design invites applications for adjunct and full-time faculty with specialized knowledge in the general humanities, art history, verbal and visual communications, social sciences, math, and sciences fields. Candidates must have a Masters degree in a field related to the subject being taught. At least two years of teaching experience at the higher education level preferred.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of 3 references to jobs@pcad.edu with the position title written in the subject line.

The Center for Exploration at PCA&D is always looking to expand our educational offerings and introduce new ideas and skills to our students and community. 

We invite artists and creatives to submit resumes and propose classes and/or workshops in areas such as drawing, painting, creative writing, printmaking, video, professional writing, photography, animation, social media and digital marketing, graphic design, web design, and more. We are interested in instructors with extensive professional experience and advanced degrees as well as creatives who have taken non-traditional paths in their practice. 

Interested in joining us? Please complete this form.