The Academic Director of the Academic Essentials (AE) Program provides strategic and operational leadership for this fully online summer program designed to support incoming UBC students in their transition to university. AE consists of three short, non-credit courses focused on key academic skills and competencies. The Academic Director plays a crucial role in overseeing course development, staffing, program logistics and evaluation and ensuring that AE aligns with UBC’s broader student success initiatives.
Key responsibilities
The Academic Director is responsible for overseeing the AE working groups for each course. They recruit and manage program assistants, course coordinators, and student facilitators, to support delivery of the program and coordinate with UBC Extended Learning (ExL) for seamless deployment on Canvas and for supporting content development.
Managing program finances, tracking expenditures, and approving budget allocations are key aspects of the role. At the end of each offering, data collection and assessment support program evaluation, and the Academic Director collaborates with the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT) to design surveys and analyze student engagement and outcomes. The Academic Director participates in strengthening the program’s integration within UBC’s suite of student success initiatives.
Application process
The position is open to all full-time faculty at UBC, and is for a three-year term. There is no teaching release associated with the position, but it carries an annual stipend to the postholder.
Those interested in being considered for the position should send a copy of their UBC CV with covering email to b.macedo@ubc.ca and provost.vptl@ubc.ca by March 17, 2025. Informal enquires about the scope of the position can be directed to Gabriel Potvin, at gabriel.potvin@ubc.ca, who completes his term as Academic Director at the end of April.
This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the AE Program’s impact on student success by fostering academic preparedness and building a strong foundation for first-year students at UBC.