La Salle University seeks a strategic and innovative leader with excellent managerial, administrative, interpersonal, and communication skills to lead the School and build upon La Salle’s momentum. The next Dean will create a strategic vision, propose new academic programs, enhance existing academic programs, increase the financial resources of the School, elevate the School’s reputation for quality liberal arts education, and nurture the strengths and passions of faculty, staff, and students.
Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School of Arts and Sciences at La Salle University. The Dean’s responsibilities include strategic planning, budgeting, fundraising, curriculum development, faculty recruitment, new student enrollment and student retention, program development and assessment, and general administration of the School.
Set the academic tone for the School, to promote and support a culture of excellent teaching, scholarship, service, and innovation;
Work with a dynamic leadership team to provide leadership to develop a vision and strategy for the School that supports and fosters the University’s new strategic plan;
Identify and establish innovative and strategic undergraduate and graduate curricular initiatives and collaborations that anticipate and mirror changing trends in higher education, the workforce and the global economy;
Establish and nurture relationships with alumni and other key external stakeholders, and leverage the Dean’s Advisory Board to seek opportunities, forge partnerships, identify career development opportunities, innovate programs, and expand School resources;
Grow undergraduate and graduate enrollment and enhance retention of students, faculty, and staff;
Maximize and promote strong undergraduate and graduate student outcomes;
Support and build on the University’s firm commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts, weaving this imperative throughout the work of the School; and
Ensure that the School has a sustainable business model with sound financial and administrative management, including oversight of the annual operating budget, creation of incentives to continue to drive quality and revenue growth, and anticipation and adaptation to competitive threats.
An earned terminal degree (Ph.D., Ed.D. or Psy.D.) with demonstrated accomplishments as a teacher and scholar;
An established record of teaching, scholarship, service, and outcomes (publications, funding, etc.) sufficient for a tenured appointment in the School of Arts and Sciences;
At least five years of demonstrated leadership and administrative experience in a higher education setting;
Proven record of innovation in curricular/ academic programming and growth in enrollment in similar roles/disciplines at other institutions;
Evidence of fostering excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service across academic programs;
Demonstrated experience with initiatives that develop and or maintain a fully inclusive, equitable, and diverse working and learning environment;
A commitment to strengthening teaching practice and technique and increasing student learning across the School by leading assessment and learning outcomes;
An openness and a growing commitment to La Salle University and the Lasallian mission of higher education; the mission and values of the varied programs of the School of Arts and Sciences; and the Catholic intellectual tradition;
Strong organizational, management, and leadership skills and a strong work ethic;
Commitment to shared governance and participatory decision-making;
Established in 1863, La Salle University is a private, Catholic university rooted in the tradition of the Brothers of the Christian Schools teaching order, which was founded by St. John Baptist de La Salle. Known as an academic community of excellence, one shaped by Lasallian, Catholic values, La Salle remains steadfast in the pursuit of its mission of faith, service, community, and social justice, with concern, too, for both collective values and the individual values of its students.
La Salle University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports a fully inclusive, equitable, and diverse working and learning environment. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. EEO/AA
