Rona Smith Von Almen, M.Ed. Email & Phone Number

Greater Los Angeles Area

Deliver strategic leadership over the Office of Academic Affairs and the school’s four academic departments which serve 550 faculty, 3,300 master’s level students, and 140 doctoral level students. Provide guidance and support to Senior Leadership, faculty, staff, and students on administrative issues, policies and procedures, and problem resolution. Orchestrate assessment and accreditation reviews of both the MSW and MSN Programs. Supervise six professional staff members with oversight of recruitment, training, and annual performance reviews. Formulate administrative leadership for curriculum development, approval processes, and the implementation of four academic programs and eight dual degrees. Lead Management Council, a group comprised of managers working towards carrying out institutional and school goals. Oversight of annual meetings such as Bi-Annual New Faculty and Staff Orientation, Annual Faculty Performance Review Retreat, and Executive Vice Dean’s Academic Affairs Retreat. Key Accomplishments:• Earned a Promotion from Director of Academic Affairs to Assistant Dean in 2015. • Formulated the delivery of leadership and created innovative processes during the restructuring of the school including Faculty Annual Performance Review Processes and Staffing. • Annual development and oversight of $5M budget supporting Academic Affairs, Faculty Affairs, and four academic departments. • Steered the revision of the Master of Social Work (MSW) curriculum, development of a new professional Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program and brought back a previously phased out Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program and restructured requirements of eight dual degree programs.• Led two successful accreditation visits with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). • Commitment to shared governance as an elected member of the USC Staff Assembly and appointed as the Staff Liaison to USC Academic Senate.

Facilitated the management of faculty appointment, promotion and tenure cases, leaves of absence, sabbaticals, and administrative appointments for 300 full-time faculty members. Composed communication briefs including faculty offer letters, promotions, retention, phased retirement, housing agreements, administrative appointment letters, and memos to the Provost’s Office on behalf of the Dean and Executive Vice Dean. Supported the Engineering Curriculum Committee and Division of Engineering Education. Oversaw data collection and submission to ranking surveys to US News and World Report (USNWR) and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Presided as an information resource on academic affairs issues for 14 academic units, Viterbi Business Office and Provost’s Office.Key Accomplishments:• Delivered annual Faculty Salary Budget Proposal to the Provost in preparation for each new fiscal year.• Streamlined curriculum development and approval process as the Dean’s Designee. • Successfully managed expenses related to Faculty Recruitment, Academic Affairs, Junior Faculty Development, and the Division of Engineering Education. • Choreographed two successful accreditation visits with the Accreditation Board on Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Executed specialized projects requested by the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, Vice Provost of Academic Personnel, and Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Personnel, such as annual Pay Equity Study. Supervised and trained front desk receptionist and student employees. Managed internal Faculty Tracking Database and maintained Academic Personnel archives. Formulated statistical analysis and reports for the UC Office of the President, numerous administrators, labor relations, and equal employment opportunity groups on campus. Key Accomplishments:• Successfully audited payroll data for over 3,000 academic employees at the university on a yearly basis for accurate documentation in Faculty Tracking (FACT) shadow system.• Updated and maintained annual academic salary scales for all faculty ranks. • Organized and provided support for numerous Academic Personnel workshops, trainings and meetings with faculty and staff.

Master Of Education (M.Ed.), Postsecondary Administration And Student Affairs

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), International Relations And Communications

Activities and Societies: Alpha Phi