Dean, College of Education and Human Development

Dean, College of Education and Human Development

The University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri

The University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou or MU), the flagship, land-grant, comprehensive research university of the University of Missouri System (UM System), seeks a proven leader and change agent to serve as Dean of the College of Education and Human Development. The new dean will join a nationally ranked college with a diverse community of talented scholars, students, and staff, committed to serving the citizens and communities in Missouri and beyond. This is an exciting opportunity to join at an inflection point, as the College expands its academic mission and seeks to leverage its breadth for greater impact for students, the community, and public scholarship. 

The College of Education and Human Development serves more than 2,700 students in degree programs spanning the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. In 2021, U.S. News and World Report ranked it in the top 50 colleges of education in the nation. Its degree programs in student counseling, special education, library and information studies, and its online graduate education program are recognized nationally as leaders in their field. The Learning, Teaching and Curriculum and Special Education programs garner significant research support and are highly regarded for teacher preparation. Graduates of these programs are in high demand. The College boasts an impressive research and outreach footprint, with over $45 million in externally funded grants and contracts, as well as outreach activities in every county throughout the state. 

The next Dean will find a college at a pivotal point in its over 150-year history, which also possesses the opportunity to ascend in prestige, performance, and impact. The College is poised to expand its academic, research, and outreach activities with the addition of the Department of Human Development and Family Science. This updated organizational structure aims to simplify and align student major choices, add research synergy to interdisciplinary collaboration, and foster curricular and programmatic innovation to respond better to workforce needs and student interests. The new Dean must work across the diverse breadth of the College and value the distinct contributions each discipline and unit make as well as find opportunities for greater cohesion and interdisciplinary collaboration. The College is also poised to progress on its strategic plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion with increased attention on recruiting and retaining under-represented faculty, staff, and students. 

The College of Education and Human Development seeks a dean who possesses the ambition, expertise, and experience to match the aspirations of the College and broader Mizzou community. Leadership at the University System offices and the Mizzou campus are in the process of restructuring the financial model of the campus to accelerate already strong philanthropy, spark innovation, and make MU the prestigious and honored university that the State of Missouri requires.  

The Dean will lead three associate deans and oversee over 100 faculty and 375 staff.  Key priorities for successful candidates include experience with strategic planning and implementation; an ability to form meaningful external partnerships and collaborations; experience advancing academic excellence and scholarly impact; dedication to elevating the importance of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; and a commitment to creating a culture of shared governance and transparency.

The University of Missouri System has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Please direct all inquiries, nominations, and applications, electronically and in confidence to: 

Donna Cramer, Partner

Elizabeth Dorr, Managing Associate

Raul Bernal, Senior Associate

Isaacson, Miller

263 Summer Street

Boston, MA 02210

https://www.imsearch.com/8032 

The University of Missouri System is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.