University Life Division

Curriculum Vita

Dr. Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum
University of Pennsylvania
Suite 201 - 3611 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6222
Telephone: (215) 898-5337

Serve as the University’s executive officer responsible to the President and Provost for the leadership of offices and services charged with integrating the academic, residential, co-curricular, developmental, and recreational activities of 22,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at the University of Pennsylvania.  Have administrative oversight for 400 staff and 28 department and services with annual division operating and associated budgets of over $50 million.  Provide leadership in the areas of long-range University Life strategic planning, student outcomes assessment, VPUL facilities planning and renovation, development and resource acquisition opportunities, program review, and staffing.  Develop, recommend, and implement long- and short-range VPUL goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.  Serve as a member of the President’s Senior Planning Group, the Provost’s Executive Staff, the Council of Graduate Deans, the Council of Undergraduate Deans, and the University Academic Planning and Budget Committee.  Oversight departments include Access and Achievement Programs (including TRIO and Tutoring programs), Career Services, La Casa Latina, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the Greenfield Intercultural Center, the Office of Health Education, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center, Makuu, the Pan-Asian American Community House, the Penn Women’s Center, Perelman Quadrangle and VPUL Facilities (including campus union buildings), Platt House (Student Performing Arts), Residential College House Financial Services, ROTC, Student Intervention Services, Student Volunteer Community Services (Civic House), Student Developmental Services, the Student Health Service, the Office of Student Life, University Classroom Facilities Management, University Life Technology and Student Information Services, and the Weingarten Learning Resources Center.   Development efforts have raised over $37 million in federal, state, foundation, corporate, and individual gifts.

Position Tenure:  September, 1995 – present

Served as a member of the President's Senior Planning Group, the Provost’s Council, the Council of Graduate Deans, and the Provost’s Council on Undergraduate Education.  Also, was responsible to the President and Provost for designated areas of institutional relations, academic planning, and diversity development programs.  Served as a spokesperson to internal and external constituent groups;  disseminated information on designated institutional initiatives;  helped devise program strategies and worked with the Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, faculty members, students, staff, and alumni to promote University cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts; worked with institutional community members to frame agenda issues, and recommended program implementation strategies to the President and Provost.  In addition, had coordinative oversight for additional institutitional advancement, government liaison, and other central University programs including Minority Permanence Development Funds, the Andrew W. Mellon Undergraduate Fellowship Program, and the William Penn Undergraduate Engineering, Mathematics, and Science Initiative.  Oversaw the presentation of applicable institutional research, program, training, and budget proposals, and served as liaison to appropriate individual institutional, foundation, federal, commonwealth, and city agencies and officials.

Position Tenure:  1992 – 1995

Note: Also served during this time as Chair of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania Educational Team to Restructure the School District of Philadelphia and developed nationally-known public education model. (1994-1995)

Served as chief executive officer of the University.  Lead in the development and implementation of all aspects of institutional policies and programs including academic affairs; faculty recruitment, promotion, tenure and development; staff development and human resources; capital facilities project construction and renovation; fiscal affairs; student affairs; alumni affairs; and community outreach in accordance with policies of the Board.  Administered a $20 million operating budget; reduced prior administration’s accumulated operating budget deficit of $6.8 million to $4.2 million during position tenure; and markedly increased institutional development receipts.   Established policies and procedures governing the maintenance and use of institutional facilities and property in accordance with guidelines established by the Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees and the State System of Higher Education Board of Governors.  Successfully completed the University’s Middle States Reaccredidation Review.  Determined, from appropriations, tuition fees, charges and other fees, and other available funds, the expenditures to be made for instructional, extracurricular, administrative, custodial and maintenance services, equipment, and supplies; reallocated such sums among the various expenditure classifications as were necessary for the effective management of the institution.  Worked collaboratively with, and developed grants and assistance from, federal and state agencies, local governments and other political subdivisions, foundations, corporations, private individuals, and other sources for all aspects of institutional advancement.  Developed and implemented, in active partnership with the Cheyney University Student Government Association, policies and procedures by which student organizations were created and operated.

Position Tenure:  1991 - 1992

Served as the Provost's chief space allocation officer; administered a $2 million annual minority central programs budget; and advised the Provost on institutional facilities allocation issues.  As Assistant to the President, supported the President in outreach programs to groups historically underrepresented in U.S. higher education.

Position Tenure:  1987 - 1991

Served as the Provost's chief deputy and liaison to the Deans of the University's twelve graduate and professional schools; served as chief staff officer of the University's Academic Planning and Budget Committee (the University group charged with advising the President and Provost on all matters pertaining to budget, resources, space allocation and academic planning priorities) and to the Council of Deans.

Position Tenure:  1985 - 1987

Served as chief deputy of the Associate Provost to the Schools, Resource Centers, graduate deans, graduate group chairpersons, and graduate/professional students.  Helped develop and implement graduate academic policies, department and center reviews, and graduate student recruitment and retention strategies.

Position Tenure:  1983 - 1985

Was responsible to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and University Life for the development of all aspects of the programs, including recruitment, counseling, tutorial, retention, instructional, administrative, residential, and other academic support components.  Successfully competed for $1.2 million in grants to support the programs.

Position Tenure:  1978 - 1983

Directed undergraduate honors programs (Benjamin Franklin and University Scholars Programs) and served as Coordinator of the Delaware Valley Higher Educational Regional Seminar Program (Delaware Valley Seminars).  Was responsible to the Vice Provost for the development, implementation, coordination, evaluation, and supervision of applicable student life programs and a variety of additional co-curricular activities and programs.

Position Tenure:  1977 - 1978

Served as the senior faculty officer for the intellectual development of students in the residential program.  Supervised college house recruitment, admissions, curricular activities, and staff.  Coordinated educational symposia, guest lecture series, art and sculpture exhibitions, faculty/student panels and receptions, and in-house basic skills, career planning and placement, and honors programs.

Position Tenure:  1978 – 1980

FACULTY EXPERIENCE:

EDUCATION:

SELECTED MEMBERSHIPS: (Current memberships available upon request.)

1. Board Member, Center for Emerging Visual Artists (Appointed 2007).
2. Philadelphia Open Studio Tours Planning Committee (2006-Present).
3. Institutional Representative, American Council of Educational National Identification Program (1989-1992).
4. Board Member, The Philadelphia Urban League (1991-2001).
5. President, Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity (1983).
6. Chair, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania Educational Team for the School District of Philadelphia. (1994).
7. Member, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania House of Representatives Legislative Black Caucus Advisory Committee on Higher Education (1992-2002).
8. Chairperson, University of Pennsylvania Black Faculty and Administrators (1978-1979).
9. Member, ABAFAOILSSS (Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers, Ivy League and Seven Sister Schools) (1978-1980).
10. Pennsylvania Coordinator, Tri-State Council on Equal Educational Opportunity (1978-1981).
11. Eastern Region Chair, ACT-101 Directors Group (1979-1980).
12. Member, League of United Latin American Citizens Advisory Board (1979-1985).
13. National Council of Educational Opportunity, Executive Board Member and Mid-Atlantic Regional President-Emeritus (1982-1984).
14. Executive Board Member, Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity (1981-1983).
15. Board Member, School District of Philadelphia Latino Scholarship Fund (1993).
16. Philadelphia Economic Monitoring Project (1989-1991).

SELECTED AWARDS:

• Onyx Senior Honor Society, University of Pennsylvania (1979).
• National Merit Foundation Achievement Scholar (1968-1973).
• Temple University Doctoral Fellow (1976-1977).
• Dean's List, Pennsylvania State University.
• NAACP Achievement Award (1969).
• Pennsylvania Association of Educational Opportunity Outstanding Achievement Award (1983).
• Temple University Russell Conwell Center Award (1983).
• Pennsylvania State University Achievement Award (1983).
• Who's Who Among Black Americans (1988-Present).
• Fellowship to attend the Harvard University IEM Program (1988).
• City of Philadelphia City Council Achievement Citation (1992).
• Delta Sigma Theta Distinguished Service Award (1987).
• University of Pennsylvania Women of Color Distinguished Service Award (1991).
• University of Pennsylvania Sphinx Senior Honor Society (1991).

PRESENTATIONS SUMMARY:

Have presented at over 400 international, national, regional, state, and local symposia, conferences, and meetings including events sponsored by organizations such as the American Council on Education (ACE), Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, the Urban League of Philadelphia, the Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, the Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, Lincoln University, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, the Ivy League Affirmative Action Council, and many others.

MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (BOOKS):

Swain-Cade McCoullum, Dr. Valarie. Brickyard Notebook. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Northwest Artists Collective, 2008. 132 pp.

Swain-Cade McCoullum, Dr. Valarie. Chrysalis. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Center for Emerging Visual Artists, 2007. 201 pp.

Swain-Cade McCoullum, Dr. Valarie. POST Sampler: Philadelphia’s Emerging Visual Artists. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Lulu Press, 2007. 197 pp.

Swain-Cade McCoullum et al., Dr. Valarie. A Philadelphia Primer: The School District of Philadelphia Educational Team Report. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1994. 164 pp.

Swain-Cade, Dr. Valarie. Retention: A Developmental Model. Cheyney, Pennsylvania: Cheyney University Press, 1992. 103 pp.