Position Summary:

WCU seeks a proven leader who understands the complexities of administering and leading an engaged College of Arts and Sciences in a context of shared governance. The Dean of Arts and Sciences is the chief administrative officer and academic leader of the College and is charged with promoting a student-centered culture of academic excellence, diversity, and inclusion in all programs. Candidates should demonstrate success in higher education administration and possess a record of distinction in teaching, administration, and scholarship. The Dean is responsible for overseeing multiple processes including, but not limited to, budgeting, scheduling and assignment of courses, faculty recruitment and hiring, program assessment, strategic planning, space allocation, infrastructure oversight, policy management, and personnel management (including the collegial review process). Other responsibilities include providing effective management and leadership to enable the College to provide excellence in student learning, scholarship, and public service; pursuing both internal and external development to support College initiatives; serving as an effective advocate for the College's students, faculty, staff, and programs; representing the diversity of programs within the College to foster the College's and University's mission of regional engagement; fostering inclusive excellence through recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff, particularly with regard to growing student, faculty, and staff populations from diverse and underrepresented populations in order to better reflect United States demographics; collaborating with other Colleges to develop well-qualified professionals, support Liberal Studies, and support continual personal development and lifelong learning; maintaining sensitivity to staff and faculty viewpoints and seeking appropriate means for addressing faculty and staff concerns in order to create a healthy, cooperative work environment for faculty and staff and to foster faculty and staff development; ensuring equity for staff, students, and faculty; and responding to institutional initiatives from the Office of the Provost.

The College of Arts and Sciences includes over 221 full-time faculty and 24 full-time staff who serve about 2800 undergraduate and graduate students in 12 departments: Anthropology & Sociology, Biology, Chemistry & Physics, Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice, English, Geosciences & Natural Resources, History, Mathematics & Computer Science, Modern Foreign Languages, Philosophy & Religion, and Political Science & Public Affairs. Its interdisciplinary programs include Cherokee Studies, International Studies, Global Black Studies, Latinx Studies, Environmental Sciences, Forensic Sciences, and a number of programs in secondary education.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum requirements include a terminal degree from an accredited institution with an academic record that qualifies for tenure at the associate professor or professor level in one of the departments within the College.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred requirements include a leadership history characterized by openness, collaboration, and shared decision-making; a demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups of faculty, staff, students, and community partners; successful experience leading an academic unit, for instance, as a Department Head, Dean, or Associate Dean; excellent communication skills; a proven record of teaching effectiveness; a solid record of scholarly achievement; demonstrated skills in budget management; a record of effective personnel management; experience in institutional change to promote inclusion and success of students, faculty, and staff from underrepresented groups; and a knowledge of challenges and opportunities emerging for regional state universities and an ability to lead and manage within this changing environment.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Please apply online and include the following: