Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

About the position

The Search Committee invites applications, inquiries, and nominations for the position of Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Reporting directly to the Provost, the Dean is responsible for providing the academic leadership and vision necessary for setting strategic, operational and financial directions. This includes strategic planning, personnel hiring and evaluation, student success, academic program development, professional accreditations, interdisciplinary collaborations, and fiscal management and efficiency. The Dean has overall responsibility for developing an effective collegial environment that supports excellence in teaching, research, and service. The next Dean will have a remarkable opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from across campus to foster innovative teaching and research, build regional and international connections, foster industry collaborations, and develop internship opportunities and educational initiatives, addressing the needs of students and faculty with a global perspective. As the Chief Academic and Administrative Officer of the School, the Dean oversees all matters related to educational, budgetary, and administrative affairs.

Responsibilities

• Thoughtfully manage financial resources and budget allocations
• Provide leadership and oversight for strategic planning and analysis of School operations
• Support and enhance high quality, relevant, and innovative curricula
• Encourage and incentivize research, scholarship, and creative activity among faculty
• Forge new partnerships, while fostering existing relationships, and articulate a vision that promotes investment support from the community, private donors, and alumni
• Shepherd academic program development and enrollment management at both the graduate and undergraduate levels
• Promote and track student, faculty, and staff success and achievement
• Positively represent the School to College administration and external stakeholders
• Foster a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment within the School, positively contributing to student life
• Oversee the hiring and development of faculty and staff within the School

Requirements

• Ph.D. or relevant terminal degree
• Record of scholarship and creative activity commensurate with the appointment to the rank of Full Professor with tenure
• Proven track-record of progressive and effective leadership within an academic setting

Nice-to-haves

• Progressive academic administrative experience, such as associate/assistant dean, department chair, or equivalent position
• Cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary administrative experience including significant budgetary, personnel, and programmatic innovation and experimentation
• Demonstrated experience overseeing large, complex budgets, fiscal matters, enrollment management, strategic planning and personnel management
• Comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the humanities and social sciences and how they fit more broadly into the mission of the College
• Demonstrated accomplishment in fostering excellence in undergraduate and/or graduate teaching, learning and student success, including retention and graduation rates
• Experience promoting the growth of research, scholarship, and creative activity amongst faculty
• Commitment to encouraging and fostering an environment of collegiality, collaboration, and shared governance
• Ability to foster external relations activities by cultivating relationships with alumni, individual donors, corporations, and other stakeholders while collaborating with local, statewide, national and international professional communities
• Aptitude for and commitment to successfully initiating and managing fundraising activities for the School
• Proven capability to formulate a bold vision and build consensus around the School's direction
• Capacity to effectively interface and collaborate with other academic leadership including Deans of other schools across campus
• Oversee and maintain coordination between the School and College Facilities Management pertaining to allocation, renovation, and creation of physical space
• Intimate understanding of the current higher education landscape and trends
• Strong communication skills and a commitment to openness, collaboration and transparency
• Visionary leadership skills needed to propel the School into its next phase of development and growth