Department: School of Graduate and Professional Studies
Reports To: Dean of The School of Graduate and Professional Studies
Status: Exempt
The Assistant Dean of Education and Accreditation provides strategic leadership and operational oversight in support of academic excellence, accreditation compliance, and continuous improvement across educator preparation and academic programs within the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. This role works closely with the Dean, department chairs, faculty, and university leadership to ensure programs meet institutional, regional, state, and specialized accreditation standards while advancing Fresno Pacific University’s Christ-centered mission.
The Assistant Dean serves as the Education Unit Lead for all educator preparation programs, providing leadership and coordination to ensure alignment with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) standards, institutional policies, and state and federal regulations. In this capacity, the Assistant Dean oversees accreditation processes, supports program quality and continuous improvement, and ensures the integrity and effectiveness of the university’s educator preparation programs. This role also serves as a key institutional representative to accrediting bodies, school districts, and external partners, advancing the university’s mission and strengthening partnerships that support candidate success and program effectiveness.
- Education Unit Leadership
- Serve as the Education Unit Lead for all educator preparation programs, ensuring alignment with California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) standards and institutional policies.
- Provide leadership and coordinator across credential and educator preparation programs to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance.
- Collaborate with department chairs, program coordinators, and faculty to support program effectiveness and continuous improvement.
- Ensure integration of clinical practice, candidate assessment, and program evaluation systems across the education unit.
- Support strategic planning, program development, and innovation within educator preparation programs.
- Develop and evaluate faculty for all educator preparation programs
- Contribute to recruitment of new faculty for all educator preparation programs
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement grounded in data-informed decision making.
- CTC Accreditation Leadership and Compliance
- Provide leadership and coordination for all aspects of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) accreditation, including Initial Program Review, Common Standards, Program Standards, Preconditions, and Accreditation Site Visits.
- Maintain documentation systems to ensure compliance with CTC standards and educator preparation requirements.
- Coordinate accreditation site visit preparation, including evidence collection, stakeholder preparation, and institutional response.
- Monitor changes in CTC regulations and communicate implications to leadership and faculty.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with all educator preparation requirements.
- External Representation and Partnership Development
- Represent Fresno Pacific University as the Education Unit Lead in meetings with PK-12 school districts, educational agencies, and community partners.
- Serve as a primary liaison between the university and district partners to support clinical practice placements, supervision, and program partnerships.
- Represent the university at CTC meetings, accreditation convenings, and professional organizations.
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with school districts and educational stakeholders.
- Promote Fresno Pacific University’s educator preparation programs and mission within the broader educational community.
- Support other accreditation and assessment processes in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies as needed.
- Demonstrate a commitment to serving and inspiring students and colleagues in a context of a Christian University, integrating your Christian faith into your role and responsibilities.
- Embrace the mission, vision, and values of Fresno Pacific University, affirm the FPU Faith Expectations, and support the ideals and practices articulated in "The Fresno Pacific Idea”
- Uphold and advance Fresno Pacific University’s commitment to Christ-centered higher education, holistic student development, and serving diverse communities.
- Complete tasks timely with work that is comprehensive, complete, and accurate
- Communicates clearly, listens attentively, and seeks to understand others
- Collaborates productively with colleagues of varying skillset
- Other job duties as assigned
Required:- Doctoral degree (EdD, PhD, or other terminal degree) from an accredited institution
- Accreditation and Regulatory Experience in California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) CAEP, WSCUC, or other regional/programmatic accreditors
- Demonstrated knowledge of accreditation standards, reporting, and compliance requirements
- Minimum 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, such as: Program Director, Department Chair, Accreditation Lead, Faculty leadership role, Assistant/Associate Dean or equivalent
- Experience working with faculty, academic programs, curriculum, assessment and student learning outcomes
- Experience in educator preparation programs or credential programs
- Knowledge of clinical practice, fieldwork, and candidate supervision
- Understanding of PK-012 systems, credentialing pathways, and district partnerships
- Leadership and administrative competencies
- Ability to support faith and learning in higher education
Preferred:- Experience serving as Accreditation Liaison, Education Unit Lead, Program Accreditation Coordinator, or Site Visit Lead or Team Member
- Direct experience with CTC accreditation cycles
- PK-12 leadership experience
- Experience supervising faculty, staff, or program coordinators
- Experience leading academic initiatives or strategic planning efforts
- External partnership experience
- Assessment and data systems experience
Environmental Conditions:- Indoors in a normal office environment with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, fumes, vibrations, and temperature changes at least eighty percent (80%) of the time.
- Frequent computer use at a workstation, up to eight hours per day.
- Frequently work at a fast pace with unscheduled interruptions.
- Drive personal or University vehicles to appointments.
- Public contact position requiring professional apparel, personal hygiene, and grooming.
Physical Demands:- This position typically functions indoors in an office environment with light to moderate noise associated with business office equipment. The position may involve travel for meetings and events.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: remain in a stationary position 80 % of the time, be able to move about inside the office to access file cabinets/office machinery etc., operate a computer and keyboard and other office productivity machinery such as calculators/copy machines/printers. The employee is occasionally required to position self to reach items on the floor and in high cabinetry.
- The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Employee must be able to communicate with others to exchange information including both over the telephone and in-person communication with callers and community members and be able to read a computer screen and paper documents.
- Reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities will be provided in accordance with law.
$95,000 to $120,000 is the annual salary for this role and reflects what Fresno Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition to compensation, FPU offers a competitive benefits package.
Reserving its rights as a religious institution, Fresno Pacific University is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age or disability, or other classes protected by applicable law. Committed to excellence and actively supportive of cultural diversity, FPU invites individuals who contribute to such diversity to apply. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you should contact FPU’s Human Resources Department athr@fresno.edu. As a religious institution, the University will administer the equal opportunity employment policy consistent with the Fresno Pacific University statement of faith, the FPU Idea and the University’s governance by the Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.*This information, including salary, is accurate as of February 23, 2026.
