Mission Statement

The Office of the Vice Provost - Academic Affairs leads and serves a vibrant, inclusive, and internationally renowned and preeminent academic community. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Office of the Vice Provost – Academic Affairs develops resources, delivers programs, and provides services and support in the following areas: 

  • Recruitment, appointment, advancement, retention, recognition through campus, UC, and national and international honors and awards, and compensation of academic appointees in accordance with University policies, procedures, and best practices.

  • Academic Personnel policy development and implementation.

  • Professional and leadership development of deans, department chairs, and academic appointees on themes important to their success, including managing personnel, budget, space, faculty recognition, and stewardship of resources. 

  • Advising academic leaders on conflict management, and engaging in problem-solving to help reduce potential liability.

  • Training and support of academic personnel staff throughout the university.
  • Work/Life programs and resources for academic appointees in such areas as maternity/childrearing leave, career reviews, part-time status, stop-the-clock policies, the Partner Opportunities Program, and the Capital Resource Network.
  • Performance management and allegations of misconduct by academic appointees.
  • Management of academic labor relations and resolution of grievances filed by non-Academic Senate academic appointees.

GOALS

  • To promote diversity, success, and excellence at UC Davis through academic personnel programs, policies, and procedures;
  • To ensure that academic officials are trained and supported regarding policies affecting academic appointees;
  • To interpret personnel policies correctly and consistently;
  • To develop excellent working relationships with colleagues;
  • To facilitate the prompt and thorough investigation of complaints alleging misconduct or policy violations by academic appointees.

STRATEGIC FOCUS

To achieve these goals, we will focus on five areas: 

Service: Communicate regularly with colleagues in order to understand and meet their academic personnel needs, and develop relationships based on mutual respect and the University’s Principles of Community.

Training and Development: Develop and deliver valuable programs contributory to a flourishing academic environment.  Develop web-based resources as well as in-person workshops for deans, department chairs, faculty, academic appointees, and staff who work in academic personnel. 

Business Practices: Develop clear policies and efficient processes for implementation.  Review existing policies and practices on a continuing basis.

IT Capacity: Develop and enhance IT capacity to reduce redundancy in Academic Affairs administrative processes (recruitment, hiring, change in status, advancement, retention, separation).  Gather and evaluate data to support sound decisions, and produce analytic reports for internal and external uses.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Conduct evidence-based research and develop best practices and policies to ensure that our academic environment promotes success and well-being, where all members of our academic community are inherently welcomed and valued as individuals, and treated with respect, dignity, fairness, and equal opportunity.