“The Vice President of Academics (VPA) reports directly to the college president and provides innovative leadership for the college and faculty to ensure Butler’s mission is served…,” according to the Butler CC website.
Previous VPA, Tom Nevill stepped down from this role to pursue other opportunities.
The VPA position is currently being filled by two interim VPAs, Heather Rinkenbaugh and Phil Speary.
“When Dr. Nevill resigned, Dr. Krull had to decide what the possibilities were for an interim VPA,” Speary said.
Speary says both Rinkenbaugh and himself try and work with each other collaboratively as much as they can.
“There are tasks that one of us will take the lead on when needed, but we make decisions together and keep each other updated on any items we work on separately.” Rinkenbaugh said.
Rinkenbaugh and Speary attend meetings together, address concerns and challenges together and collaborate to serve the college and academics effectively.
“There are tasks that one of us will take the lead on when needed, but we make decisions together and keep each other updated on any items we work on separately.” Rinkenbaugh said.
Rinkenbaugh is responsible for leading the academic division as well as providing leadership for all academic deans and VPA direct reports.
Rinkenbaugh and Speary attend meetings together, address concerns and challenges together and collaborate to serve the college and academics effectively.
1) What is your background and experience in?
I have been at Butler for 12 years in various roles. I attended Butler after high school and graduated from both Butler and Wichita State, majoring in Psychology, and minoring in English. I attained my master’s degree in organizational leadership from Fort Hays State University and my Doctorate in Education in Higher Education Leadership from Baker University. I started at Butler as an administrative assistant in Student Life, working for the Dean of Student Life at the time. I served as the Director of Residence Life for three years before becoming the Director of High School Academic Partnerships and now serve as the Dean of Online, High School, and Community Learning. I have a very broad knowledge and understanding of higher education and specifically Butler as I’ve worked on both the academic and student services areas.
In my time at Butler I have had the opportunity to serve on various committees including Strategic Enrollment Management Team, Inclusion Council, Web Team, and have assisted in moving the college to 2 new websites. I have also been a volunteer with the Foundation, serving to help raise money for student scholarships.
2) What can you tell us about how the decision was made to serve as VPA?
Dr. Krull and Dr. Nevill discussed this in more detail, so Dr. Krull could provide more insight to this question. We know that they discussed the initiatives in motion currently, the work that needed to be done prior to hiring a new VPA. Those items, Dr. Speary and I’s areas of expertise, and involvement in those initiatives in our roles as deans all contributed to the decision. Again, Dr. Krull could provide more information on this.
3) What are your responsibilities as VPA?
Dr. Speary and I are responsible for leading the academic division. We provide leadership and oversight for all academic deans and VPA direct reports. We lead academic initiatives and budgeting, represent academics on Executive Council, Vice Presidents, and Board of Trustees, and lead Academic Deans Council. We also collaborate with all other areas of the college where academic collaboration is needed. This includes teams like Strategic Enrollment Management Team, working with Marketing and the Foundation, and student services.
4) What future influence might you have on the hiring process?
As a Dean, my influence on the hiring process is simply to provide feedback when asked about the key qualities and characteristics of a successful VPA. When asked by Dr. Krull, all of the deans shared feedback about those qualities and characteristics in preparation for the position to be posted.
5) Are you on the hiring committee? What sort of characteristic are you looking for as a VPA?
All hiring committee information is confidential at Butler. However, the qualities and characteristics I seek in a VPA include someone who is collaborative, understands and supports the mission of Butler and community colleges, someone who understands the challenges facing community colleges and is ready to bring innovative ideas to help us grow and succeed. We need someone who understands the great value our faculty bring to our institution and can build rapport both internally and externally. Additionally, this person needs to have a visionary mindset that can link arms with the faculty, staff, and administration to drive our institution forward amid fierce competition in our area. This requires strong communication, vision, and the ability to motivate and empower members of the academic and Butler team to act.
6) In the past one person worked as VPA; however the position was split between you and Dr. Speary. Since the duties have been split. Would you say that the position was split evenly why or why not?
Dr. Speary and I have both served this role fully. We attend meetings together, address concerns and challenges together, and collaborate to serve the college and academics effectively. There are tasks that one of us will take the lead on when needed, but we make decisions together and keep each other updated on any items we work on separately. Given that he and I are both still serving our full-time roles as deans, being able to do this work together has been helpful. Dr. Speary and I come from different backgrounds and have served in different roles at Butler. That diversification has helped us bring knowledge and perspective to the role. I am grateful for Dr. Speary’s insight, friendship, and leadership. It is an honor to serve in this role with him.
1) What is your background and experience in?
I have been at Butler for 36 years; I started as a speech/ theater and literature instructor. Around 2000, I transitioned to director of assessments and the coordinator college’s accreditation. About 12 years ago so many functions were at the Dean level, we were in a point of transition. I became the point of support for dean and effectiveness.
2) What could you tell us about how the decision was made for you to serve as VPA?
When Dr. Nevill resigned, Dr. Krull had to decide what the possibilities were for an Interim VPA (Vice President of Academics)
I was in the succession plan; previously when Dr. Nevill was not available I would step in for him. Both of our dean positions were different than other dean positions because we are not over specific departments, we are over programs that cross the other academic divisions. At the level Heather and I were already at it was not reasonable for us to do dean responsibilities and VPA. It made sense that the two of us were in the best positions to juggle these responsibilities.
3) What are your responsibilities as VPA since the position is split?
As time goes on we try to work with each other collaboratively as much as possible; however, there are some areas that I definitely take the lead and some areas Heather takes the lead. It really follows along with what we were already doing.
For example, I finished the whole revision of the AA (Associative Academics) and AS pathways. Dr. Nevill was already having to leave that, and when he left I entirely took over. Curriculum decisions that involve the state, I take care of, while the High School programming, the different sites and the prison programs, Heather was taking care of that as a VPA.
Anything that a VPA has to do we either come to a decision individually or jointly. If something has to be deferred to the president, then it is deferred.
4) What future influence might you have on the hiring process?
Heather is on the search committee. I am not.
5) Are you on the hiring committee? What sort of characteristics are you looking for in a VPA?
Because I am not on the committee, I do not know what is going on in the committee. It will be for a more extended period of time that Heather and I will have to keep doing this. I hope that it wouldn’t be as long as the whole semester but we won’t have a new VPA in the middle of the summer that we hoped for.
6) In the past one person worked as VPA; However, the position is split between you and Dr. Rinkenbaugh. Since the duties have been split, would you say that the position is better evenly split between two people? Why or why not?
I think that because it’s the two of us and we had a good working relationship and we are both good friends. We are able to bounce off each other. In terms of shared opinions or contrasting ones. But, I don’t think it’s something that should be maintained on a long time basis. I would never suggest a school has two VPA’s. It slows down the process a little bit
