Dean, School of Nursing

About Curry College:

Founded in 1879, Curry College is a private, four-year, liberal arts-based institution in Milton Massachusetts. In addition to the main campus classes for adult learners are also offered at our campus at Cordage Park in historic Plymouth.  Curry College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), and the new England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Curry College offers 27 undergraduate majors, over 60 minors and concentrations, as well as five graduate programs. 

Curry College School of Nursing provides a caring and innovative educational environment that promotes intellectual and social growth, synthesis of knowledge, and interpersonal and clinical expertise. The vision of the School of Nursing is to develop leaders who use evidence-based knowledge to practice nursing with compassion, commitment, and creativity.  Our faculty educate nurses to apply knowledge humanely, intelligently, and effectively in a complex changing world. Curry College School of Nursing offers several programs: Traditional BS in Nursing; Accelerated Second-Degree BS in Nursing; RN to BS completion; and an MSN with two tracks: education and administration. The curriculums are based on Quality and Safety Education in Nursing competencies. The Curry College Baccalaureate Nursing Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). For more information on the history of the Curry College Nursing Program, please click here

Job Description:

Job Summary:

Under the direction of the Provost, the Dean is the chief academic administrative and fiscal officer of the School of Nursing (SON). The Dean will provide academic and strategic leadership and ensure the quality and integrity of the mission, vision, values, and academic curriculum of the School within the framework of the College. The Dean will be a scholar of national and international prominence who will foster faculty research, education and service. The Dean will represent SON to educational, clinical, research, and policy partners at the local, national, and international levels.

The Dean will provide and manage effective support mechanisms for faculty and students and assist in the development and implementation of the School's long-range strategic plan and diversity initiatives.

The Dean provides leadership and management for the School in the areas of the quality and content of the curriculum, program development, successful student outcomes, budgeting, external relationships and resource development, faculty and staff recruitment and development.

Essential Functions:

1. External Relationships and Resource Development:

• Fosters innovative, collaborative, and sustainable professional relationships with external healthcare community partners, policy regulators, and other key stakeholders.
• Responsible for monitoring and insuring compliance with all Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) regulations and all accreditation requirements.
• Represents the SON at meetings, conferences, and internal and external events.
• Collaborates with the Office of Institutional Advancement to support fundraising for the SON in the context of the College Annual Fund and development campaigns.

2. School Operations: 

• Provides direct supervision and coordination in support of the Associate Dean, Department Chair, Directors, Coordinators and Staff a cross campuses.
• Serves as a member of the Provost's academic leadership team, advises the Provost on issues related to the continued development and accreditation of the School. Advocate for the SON and provides in the context of the College's Mission and Strategic Plan.
• Collaborates on potential healthcare-related academic programs (degrees, credit/non-credit certificates) being considered by the College.  This includes leveraging resources to pursue opportunities between Nursing. 
• Develop, implement, and administer the School's budget expenses and revenue including, but not limited to fiscal guidance, ensuring compliance with expenditure controls, participating in the college-wide capital budget process, budgeting for the simulation program, and allocating resources to ensure their most efficient utilization.
• Monitors the simulation program to ensure adequacy of resources and adherence to state and national guidelines and accreditation standards. 
• Leads retention and persistence efforts for programs offered by the SON in cooperation with the Vice President for Enrollment Management.
• Monitors, identifies and articulates developing trends in School disciplines locally, nationally, and internationally that may affect the School and/or College. Facilitate curriculum development. Aid in attaining/maintaining program accreditations.
• Collaborates on the design and publication of promotional materials in concert with Public Relations, Admissions and the Division of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies.
• Manages the School's administrative office functions.
• Oversees procedures for the preservation of the history of the SON.
• Reviews the results of the Department/Division Evaluation Committee (DEC) process and makes recommendations to the Provost.

3. Academic Leadership of Faculty:

• Teaching: In collaboration with the Department Chair, recommend semester teaching schedules, assign faculty to classes and ensure they are available for students. Support, mentor, supervise, train and evaluate full-time and part-time faculty in conjunction with the Provost.
• Recruitment and Management: Accountable for the recruitment of faculty applicants in a manner that promotes academic excellence through a variety of activities including attending conferences, lectures, and meetings for academic professionals, participating in related events, and being an active leader in the local, regional and national arenas. Recommends faculty reappointments, promotions, sabbatical leaves, committee appointments and other teaching program assignments to the Provost within the parameters of the collective bargaining agreement. Provides oversight for the promotion and reappointment review process.
• Program Development: Leads periodic reviews and related re-accreditation requirements of academic programs and presents recommendations for continuous program improvement, development, and evaluation. Leads and initiates new program development and facilitates the review process and approval of new programs. Supports continuous quality improvement in curriculum development including the use of learning outcomes assessment on an annual basis.  Leads a culture of innovation and change consistent with best practices in professional nursing and public health education. 
• Research: Promotes, encourages, and expands faculty involvement in research and scholarly activities and increase the number and quality of research publications and presentations; Promotes professional activities such as scholarly lecture series and other continuing education or certificate programs.

4. Student Recruitment and Retention:

• Oversee the School's involvement in admissions with activities, including orientation sessions, open houses, accepted student days and other programs for prospective students;
• Work with department chairs and faculty to identify concerns and issues regarding student progress, curriculum design, and Learning Outcomes Assessment matters and then take appropriate steps to address them.

5. Staff Management:

• Direct, coordinate and evaluate the activities of School of Nursing staff; manage work allocation problem resolution and motivate staff to achieve results;
• Direct the selection, employment, compensation, training and evaluation of staff.  Encourages School of Nursing staff professional growth.  

6. Committee Participation:

• Contributes to and supports institutional policy and procedure development, implementation and assessment, outside of the direct area of responsibility;
• Participate in faculty and College committee activities at the direction of the Provost (e.g. Strategic Planning Steering Committee). 

Additional Functions: 

Respect and maintain confidentiality, parameters of operation, professional protocols, and individual privacy.

Perform other administrative/instructional duties assigned by the Provost or his/her designee.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications: 

• An earned Doctorate in related field of study and teaching experience in higher education and Master of Science in Nursing.
• Possess a minimum of five years full-time nursing experience, or its equivalent, within the last eight years, with at least three years experience in nursing education.
• Two to four years of administrative and budgetary experience, and experience and qualifications commensurate with the rank of Associate/Professor in undergraduate and graduate programs at an accredited college or university.
• Demonstrated experience in Nursing accreditation, curriculum development and evaluation, learning outcomes development and evaluation, and online program development and evaluation.
• Eligible for an unrestricted Massachusetts RN license.
• Demonstrated record of an active and ongoing record of scholarly work.
• Demonstrated record of professional mentorships; active involvement in professional organizations.
• Possess a strong awareness of the needs of students, faculty, the College and the community.
• Ability to relate to and work with students in various aspects of their academic pursuits.
• Proven ability to provide program leadership and development.
• Good interpersonal, management and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to establish organizational priorities and make difficult choices among competing demands.
• Ability to foster continuous and open communication for faculty, non-faculty and student success.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• A documented scholarly agenda including on-going research and publications.  Successful grant writing for significant projects.  Demonstrated ability to formulate and implement strategic planning within a given unit's mission and goals.  Demonstrated ability to foster an environment characterized by excellence and quality improvement.
• Experience with simulation based learning as a complement to clinical education. 
• Experience working with faculty in a collective bargaining environment.

Additional Information:

At the College's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be excepted where the candidate can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the College, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Employment in this position is contingent upon the successful completion of all required pre-employment background checks.

Curry College is an equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse workforce. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sex identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable state and federal law, including Title IX.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be directed to the College's Title IX Coordinator, Rachel King at Rachel.king@curry.edu, (617) 979-3516, or King Academic Administration Building, 55 Atherton St, or US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") - Boston Office, 5 Post Office Square, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02109-3921, (617) 289-0111.

Application Instructions:

Please apply online at https://www.curry.edu/about-us/community-resources/employment/job-opportunities for consideration.  Interested Applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of three professional reference names, one of which must be a former or current supervisor, including complete contact information and professional titles.