SMC Appoints Bradley Lane VP of Academic Affairs

SMC Appoints Bradley Lane Vice President of Academic Affairs

As Chief Instructional Officer, Bradley Lane will Lead Santa Monica College’s Instructional Programs and Services

SANTA MONICA, CA—Santa Monica College (SMC) has announced the appointment of Bradley Lane, Ph.D. as SMC’s new Vice President of Academic Affairs, effective July 1, 2021. Selected after a nationwide search, Dr. Bradley’s appointment was unanimously ratified by the SMC Board of Trustees during their June 1 meeting. Dr. Lane will step into the role left vacant by the retirement of current VP of Academic Affairs Dr. Jennifer Merlic at the end of June.Dr. Lane—who most recently served as Executive Vice President of Instruction and Planning at Seattle Central College—has over 15 years of experience in guiding academic affairs, strategic enrollment management, equity and inclusion, and continuous improvement projects at complex higher education institutions like SMC. Prior to his current role, Dr. Lane was Seattle Central College’s Vice President of Instruction, Executive Dean for Academic Affairs, and its Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.  As a faculty member in the Seattle Colleges District since 2009, Dr. Lane taught English, Humanities, and Gender and Women Studies courses. Previously, he also held faculty positions at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Indiana University, and Vanderbilt University. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Lambuth University; a Master’s Degree in Teaching, Learning, and Diversity from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University; and a Ph.D. in Gender Studies, Communication & Culture from Indiana University.

“A first generation college student who went on to lead in expanding educational access and advancing equity, Dr. Bradley H. Lane’s personal life story and career trajectory is one that resonates and inspires,” SMC Superintendent/President Kathryn E. Jeffery wrote in a college-wide memo on June 3, 2021. “Deeply committed to and passionate about the community college mission, Dr. Lane’s wide range of progressive leadership experience in a diverse institution with similar student demographics to SMC positions him to lead with a strong equity focus and a dedication to student success.”

“I am excited to join an institution with the legacy and national reputation of Santa Monica College at such a pivotal time,” said Dr. Bradley H. Lane. “As we work to reconnect students to education after the pandemic, I want to work with the entire SMC team to achieve big goals as we lead with our commitments to equity and student success. Together we are going to build enrollment, create new programs, and steward the strong systems of collaboration and participatory governance already in place at the College. I cannot wait to join such an inspiring community!”

Under the direction of Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery and alongside the rest of SMC’s senior leadership team, Dr. Lane will provide leadership and oversight for the college’s broad array of instructional programs and services. He will also provide collaborative, data-driven leadership and support for SMC’s crucial efforts towards closing racial equity gaps. Dr. Lane’s portfolio encompasses academic policy, accreditation, curriculum and program development, class scheduling, program review, and more.

He will oversee traditional/classroom-based, online, and hybrid academic programs including degrees and certificates (both transfer and career education); noncredit instruction including the Emeritus Program for older adults; not-for-college-credit professional development, personal enrichment, and workforce training offerings through the SMC Office of Workforce & Economic Development; Athletics; the college library; tutoring and other learning resources.

A few highlights from Dr. Bradley H. Lane’s career:

• Distance Learning/eLearning: He received a fellowship on digital learning from the Association of Chief Academic Officers (ACAO), where he worked alongside national thought leaders on adaptive and competency-based learning, and flexible teaching and learning modalities for the 21st century. He has implemented multiple online and hybrid degree programs and a badge-based faculty development program on eLearning and instructional design.
• Equity and Inclusion: He implemented a popular equity and social justice degree, increased the diversity of full-time and part-time faculty hires, designed a faculty fellows program, developed affinity groups and mentoring programs for faculty of color.
• Guided Pathways: At Seattle Central College, he led with an equity-based approach to guided pathways—a highly structured approach to student success that provides all students with a set of clear course-taking patterns to promote better enrollment decisions and prepare students for future academic and career success—that centers the experiences of Black and Latinx students. This included establishing a Black Solidarity Think Tank for the theoretical foundation for guided pathways and instituting a Student Voices committee to solicit ongoing feedback about pathways redesign efforts.

“I have confidence that the knowledge, skills, and abilities Dr. Lane brings to SMC and this institution’s existing culture of excellence and collaboration will greatly benefit both the college, its students, and communities both internal and external,” Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery added.

For fun, Dr. Bradley H. Lane enjoys running, yoga, photography and film, learning new languages, and culinary adventures in the kitchen and around the world.

# # # #

About Santa Monica College:

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). For 30 consecutive years, SMC has been California’s leading transfer college to UCLA, UC Berkeley, and other University of California campuses. The college also tops in transfers to the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University, and is also the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University. More than 110 career training degrees and certificates at SMC—in fields ranging from the traditional (Accounting, Early Childhood Education, Nursing) to the emerging (Interaction Design, Sustainable Technologies, Technical Theatre)—offer professional preparation for students interested in directly entering the job market, transferring to a four-year school, or upgrading specific skills. SMC provides news and cultural enrichment through its NPR radio station KCRW (89.9 FM), the Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center and lifelong learning through distinctive programs such as its Emeritus College for older adults.