Director of Academic and Library Resources

Job Summary

The Director of Academic and Library Resources provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for Oklahoma Panhandle State University's academic support services, including the McKee Library, Academic Resource Center (ARC), El Centro, Writing Center, tutoring services, career readiness initiatives, peer mentoring initiatives, and other student academic support programs. This position combines administrative leadership with direct student engagement through academic advising, intervention, and support services. The Director advances OPSU's mission of cultivating and empowering learners, leaders, and innovators by developing integrated academic support systems that promote student success, retention, persistence, and academic achievement. This position works collaboratively across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, faculty, and community partners to align services with OPSU's strategic priorities, particularly Student Success and Retention, Academic and Operational Excellence, and OPSU Identity and Regional Brand. The Director reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and vision for academic resource and support services that align with OPSU's strategic plan and institutional mission.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and initiatives that enhance student learning, engagement, retention, and completion.
• Foster a student-centered culture focused on accessibility, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Utilize institutional data and assessment practices to evaluate effectiveness and guide evidence-based decision-making related to student success initiatives.
• Collaborate with university leadership to strengthen cross-functional approaches to advising, tutoring, mentoring, and academic support services.
• Provide administrative oversight for the Academic Resource Center (ARC), El Centro, Writing Center, tutoring services, peer mentoring programs, and related academic support initiatives.
• Provide direct academic advising to students, assisting with academic planning, course selection, degree progression, referrals, and student success strategies.
• Assist students in navigating academic policies, institutional processes, and support resources.
• Coordinate student support services designed to improve persistence, academic performance, and degree completion.
• Support the development and implementation of proactive intervention strategies for at-risk students.
• Collaborate with faculty advisors, deans, student support personnel, and community partners to coordinate student intervention and retention efforts.
• Support career readiness initiatives through collaboration with faculty, employers, and campus partners.
• Assist students with connecting academic planning to career and workforce goals.
• Coordinate or support student access to career exploration resources, resume support, internship opportunities, and career preparation programming.
• Ensure academic support programs are accessible, responsive, and aligned with the needs of OPSU students, including first-generation students, adult learners, transfer students, veterans, and concurrent enrollment students.
• Promote collaboration among academic support units to provide integrated and efficient student services.
• Oversee the operation and strategic direction of the McKee Library.
• Supervise library services, collection development, instructional resources, and learning technologies that support teaching, learning, and research.
• Ensure library resources remain current, accessible, and aligned with academic program needs.
• Collaborate with faculty and academic departments to support curriculum development, information literacy, and research initiatives.
• Explore innovative approaches to library and learning resource services that enhance the student experience.
• Assist in the development of institution-wide student success and retention efforts aligned with OPSU's strategic priorities.
• Coordinate programs that support academic preparedness, study skills, time management, and student engagement.
• Support early alert and intervention efforts through collaboration with advisors, faculty, and student support personnel.
• Collaborate with academic and community partners to support career-connected learning and student workforce preparation.
• Contribute to retention and persistence reporting, assessment, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Promote a welcoming and supportive learning environment where all students feel valued and supported.
• Develop and deliver workshops, instruction sessions, and educational programming related to information literacy, research skills, academic success, and student learning strategies.
• Provide individualized support and consultation for students, faculty, and staff regarding research and academic resources.
• Partner with faculty to integrate academic support and research instruction into coursework and co-curricular programming.
• Develop, manage, and oversee budgets for academic resource and support areas.
• Monitor expenditures and ensure effective stewardship of institutional resources.
• Identify and pursue grant opportunities and external partnerships that support academic resource initiatives and student success programs.
• Recommend operational improvements that increase efficiency, effectiveness, and service quality.
• Serve as a liaison between academic support services, faculty, administration, students, and community stakeholders.
• Promote awareness and utilization of academic resources through outreach, programming, and campus engagement initiatives.
• Build partnerships with regional employers, schools, and community organizations to strengthen career readiness and experiential learning opportunities for students.
• Support partnerships with regional schools, libraries, and community organizations that align with OPSU's mission and strategic goals.
• Represent academic resource areas on university committees and at institutional events.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Commitment to student success and serving diverse student populations.
• Reasonable business ability to prepare budget requests and administer library budgets as well as negotiate with various vendors for discounts for services.
• Master's degree from an accredited institution in Library Science, Higher Education, Educational Leadership, Student Affairs, or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in academic support services, library administration, student success, or higher education leadership.
• Experience using data to support assessment, planning, and decision-making.
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in rural higher education or regional public universities.
• Experience overseeing tutoring, advising, retention, or academic support programs.
• Familiarity with learning management systems, student success technologies, and library systems.
• Experience with grant writing, budget management, and program assessment.
• Teaching or instructional experience in higher education.
• Doctoral degree from an accredited institution in Library Science, Higher Education, Educational Leadership, Student Affairs, or a related field.

About Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU): OPSU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is the first public Hispanic Serving Institution in Oklahoma. The university is a baccalaureate degree granting institution located in Goodwell, Oklahoma. Rooted in "Progress through Knowledge," OPSU is committed to promoting excellence in the preparation of students for success in a global community. Our university achieved multiple rankings by the 2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings: #3 Best Value Regional Colleges West; #8 Top Public Colleges for the Western Region; and #17 Best Regional Colleges West. U.S New and World Report also recognized OPSU as one of the top ten universities in Oklahoma, standing out of our affordable tuition rates.