Academic Director, School in China (Kunming)

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General Information
Position Title:	Academic Director, School in China (Kunming)
Control Number:	ABK001
Reports To:	000570
Position Title	Department Name
Director of Off-Campus Study	Off-Campus Study
Department Name:	Language Schools
Location:	Language Schools
Date Prepared:	NOV-08
Exempt:	Yes

Primary Purpose

In conjunction and consultation with the Resident Director and CET Academic Programs, the Academic Director will be primarily responsible for administering undergraduate academic programs for U.S. students in Kunming, China and will work with the Chinese Department and the Office of International Programs and Off-Campus Study (IPOCS) in consultation with the appropriate Middlebury faculty, programs and departments, the School in China Faculty Advisory Board, the Director of the Chinese School, and the Vice President for Language Schools, Schools Abroad, and Graduate Programs (VPLSSAGP). Because this is a new program, the Academic Director will be required to develop and manage key relationships in a cooperative, strategic manner.

Responsibilities

Works cooperatively with others and accepts direction from supervisors.

Responsibilities will include:

I. Academic Program:

• Hire and train new teachers.
• Coordinate all language classes and tutorials.
• Supervise and evaluate teaching, solve day-to-day curricular problems.
• Conduct seminars concerning pedagogy to on-site faculty each semester.
• Maintain office hours for faculty.
• Develop systems for student examination and placement.
• Implement testing system to evaluate linguistic and cultural progress.
• Monitor class attendance and grading standards.
• With the Resident Director, design and implement activities to support academic goals.
• Report recommendations concerning curricula to the Chair of the Chinese Department and IPOCS, in consultation with the appropriate Middlebury faculty, programs and departments, the Faculty Advisory Board, the Director of the Chinese School, and the Dean of International Programs (DoIP).

II. Student affairs

• Serve as language and culture resource to students.
• Maintain office hours and meet individually with students to assess their progress and serve their needs
• Attend most activities and join students for some meals.
• Develop systems for enforcing a campus-wide Chinese-only language pledge
• Maintain student academic files and records.

III. Administrative responsibilities

• Represent Middlebury College and CET in dealings with local faculty and administrators.
• Represent student needs to Middlebury College, CET, and the host institution.
• Communicate regularly with IPOCS, the Chair of the Chinese Department, and the DoIP at Middlebury College, and, through them, other offices on the VT campus; and CET's head office, as appropriate, submitting regular, written reports.

IV. Teaching and Scholarship:

• Visit Middlebury College every summer to meet with VPLSSAGP, DoIP, staff of IPOCS, and the director of the Chinese Language School, as well as the relevant Chinese Department and area studies faculty, to review the academic program and, when appropriate, plan curricular and programmatic adjustments. During such visits, depending on timing, the Academic Director will also participate in any student orientations or other information sessions.
• Attend twice a year meetings of the directors of the C.V. Starr-Middlebury Schools Abroad.
• At the discretion of the Director of the Chinese Language School, the Academic Director may be invited to teach in the summer program in Middlebury, VT. Wherever possible, such teaching will be strongly encouraged and will be remunerated independently of salary for directing the School in China.
• He/she may also teach one Chinese language class, depending on interest.

III. Other responsibilities:

As assigned

Education & Training

Ph.D. in a relevant field strongly preferred.

Experience

Demonstrated teaching excellence in Chinese as a foreign language. Teacher-training experience. Administrative and managerial experience.

Knowledge

Familiarity with US-managed study abroad programs and the Chinese university system. Excellent people skills and an ability to cooperate, in both American and Chinese settings. Excellent communication skills in Chinese and English. Stress-management skills.

Other

Ideally, candidates should have studied, taught, and administered in both the U.S. and the host culture. Some prior contact with a Middlebury School Abroad or summer Language School also desirable but not a pre-requisite. In-depth knowledge of U.S. and local systems of higher education. Excellent written and oral communication skills; computer literacy. Director should be both firm and diplomatic, as well as kind and compassionate, as the circumstances require, and culturally adept.