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DEAN, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Employer
University of the District of Columbia
Location
District of Columbia, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
Feb 24, 2021

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Position Type
Administrative, Deans
Employment Level
Executive
Employment Type
Full Time

University of the District of Columbia

DEAN, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Aspire. Accomplish. Take on the World. 

The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) invites nominations and applications for Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and Director of Land-Grant Programs. UDC is an 1862 Land-Grant institution and is the Capital's only public institution of higher education. The University’s mission and strategic vision support its unique designation as an urban public land-grant and historically black college and university (HBCU). The Dean reports to the Chief Academic Officer and Provost.

Founded in 1851, the University has a student population of 3,200, and comprises the flagship campus, the University of the District of Columbia Community College with 21 associate degrees and several certificate programs, and the David A. Clarke School of Law, one of only six accredited HBCU law schools in the nation. Over 200 full-time and approximately 300 adjunct or visiting faculty support students in 81 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in CAUSES, the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and Public Administration, and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 

CAUSES offers degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. Its architecture programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, and its online Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (RN-to-BSN) is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Additionally, the undergraduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. The Ph.D. in Urban Leadership & Entrepreneurship equips students to become scholar-practitioners through doctoral-level empirical research and practical application to solve urban problems. The Land-Grant Programs of CAUSES offer research-based community education and professional certification programs that are delivered through five centers and three institutes: the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education; the Center for Sustainable Development and Resilience, which includes the Water Resources Research Institute; the Center for 4-H and Youth Development; the Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health, which includes the Institute of Gerontology; and the Center for Architectural Innovation and Building Science, which includes the Architectural Research Institute. In addition, CAUSES oversees the 143-acre Firebird Farm and four award-winning Urban Food Hubs that operate in four of the eight Wards of the District of Columbia. These urban agricultural operations serve as living laboratories for faculty scholarly and applied research, students’ experiential learning, and community outreach through Cooperative Extension Programs to improve quality of life and economic opportunities for residents in the District of Columbia and beyond.

The University seeks an innovative, energetic individual with strong communication and team-building skills. The new Dean must bring thoughtful, forward-thinking leadership to CAUSES and arrive with a proven record of the transformational skills required to meet the needs of the students, community, and market being served. The Dean provides a focused view of CAUSES' immediate and long-range future, along with a strategic understanding of how to advance the College in conjunction with its mission to discover, share, and disseminate knowledge of integrated urban agricultural practices and environmental systems to students, the urban agriculture community, and society as a whole. Further, the Dean will champion the University's core values: excellence, collaboration, sustainability, innovation, and integrity.

The Dean is responsible for the college's academic policies, administration of instructional and research resources, fiscal and personnel management, student recruitment and retention, and promotion of alumni, corporate, and community relations. The Dean will collaborate with faculty and program coordinators to promote shared governance and supervise an administrative team, including associate and assistant deans, program heads/chairs, and center directors. This position will offer exciting new opportunities to help shape the future direction of the College in partnership with University leadership, including the establishment of the new School of Health and Clinical Sciences, to be housed in CAUSES.

The ideal candidate will foster a positive and collegial environment and exhibit a collaborative leadership style, encouraging a culture of innovation and excellence within the college and partnering with other deans and center/institute directors to advance UDC’s Strategic Vision and Values. Of primary importance will be the Dean's ability to give leadership to undergraduate and cross-disciplinary graduate programs with a strong commitment to research and teaching excellence. Additional expectations include the following:

EXPECTATIONS

  • Significant leadership at the department chair level or above;
  • Administrative experience with financial management, budgeting, and fundraising;
  • Engagement in competitively funded research in agriculture and natural resources, urban sustainability, architecture, nursing, human health and nutrition, or related areas;
  • Success with submission and management of USDA, NSF, NIH, and other research grant processes;
  • Knowledge and experience with Land-Grant programs, including USDA regulations, cooperative extension, and applied research (preferred);
  • Knowledge of enrollment strategies to increase student success metrics, retention, and graduation rates;
  • Proven ability to provide leadership of assessment and discipline-specific accreditations and certifications;
  • Excellent written, spoken, and listening skills to sustain and build relationships with internal and external CAUSES stakeholders;
  • Ability to form strong partnerships with alumni, regional producers, industry stakeholders, government agencies, and the diverse Washington, DC community;
  • Earned doctorate/terminal degree in architecture, agriculture and natural resources, health-related professions, plant or environmental sciences, urban sustainability, or closely related fields; and
  • Tenure with a record of achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service appropriate to Associate Professor rank (preferably Professor).


APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS 

The Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences will demonstrate an admirable work ethic, authenticity, and integrity. To ensure best consideration, applications and nominations should be received by March 31, 2021. The application should include a letter of interest addressing the qualities described (not more than 3 pages); a current résumé (or curriculum vitae); and the names of at least five professional references with each person's position, office or home address, e-mail address, and telephone numbers. References will not be contacted without prior authorization from the applicant. The new Dean will assume office by or before August 2, 2021.

The search is being assisted by James McCormick, jim.mccormick@agbsearch.com, 651-238-5188, and Janice Fitzgerald, janice.fitzgerald@agbsearch.com, 717-580-0663, AGB Search. Nominations and applications should be sent electronically (MS Word or PDF Format) to udcCAUSESDean@agbsearch.com.

In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code §§2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. 

 

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