Dean of Art, Design & Liberal Arts

Reporting to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer the Dean of Art, Design & Liberal Arts provides academic, managerial, artistic and scholarly leadership to the students, faculty, and staff of the Division. The Dean assists the Provost/CAO with administering academic programs, management of divisional budgets, program review and accreditation activities, supervising faculty, maintaining the integrity of the academic offerings, and building the reputation of the College. They serve on the Provost’s leadership team working collegially and collaboratively alongside leadership within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs.

The Division of Art, Design, & Liberal Arts includes the Departments of Art, Design, and Humanities and Sciences. It houses the following degrees and areas of concentration: BFAs in Art, Design, Interaction Design (UX), Interior Architecture, and Illustration; a BA in Studio Art; and the Visual Arts Foundations Program and General Education Program. The General Education Program houses First-Year Seminars, the First-Year Writing program, Writing-Intensive Curriculum, Professional Practices in the Arts, and breadth of learning requirements including Histories of the Arts, Biological and Physical Sciences, Integrative Learning and Global Learning.

Cornish College of the Arts has, for over 100 years, dedicated itself to educating aspiring artists in the vibrant creative community of Seattle.  Classes at Cornish are primarily taught by working artists and dancers with strong ties to the local and national professional dance community.  

The mission of Cornish is to provide students aspiring to become practicing artists with an educational program of the highest possible quality, in an environment that nurtures creativity and intellectual curiosity, while preparing them to contribute to society as artists, citizens, and innovators. Cornish realizes this mission by offering baccalaureate studies in the performing and visual arts and by serving as a focal point in the community for public presentation, artistic criticism, participation and discussion of the arts.

Our programs provide depth and breadth of training, freedom to experiment, and the space to develop a unique creative identity. Students develop healthy and sustainable practices necessary for working artists. Join Cornish and be a part of the growth and development of our talented students.

Responsibilities:

 Academic Leadership

• Act as primary academic and administrative officer for the Division of Art, Design, and Liberal Arts and all its constituent programs, strengthening the departments and programs within while continuously ensuring innovation and mission fulfillment.
• Work with faculty and department chairs to develop and support the Division’s distinctive identity, and also to ensure that the Division is well integrated into Cornish’s institutional structure.
• Work with faculty and College governance and other committees to ensure high-quality academic programs and up-to-date curricula for all programs.
• Promote interdisciplinarity through programming, projects, and connections across disciplines both within the Division and with other Divisions and their departments.
• Create ongoing opportunities for pedagogical advancement and innovation, with attention to the multiple modes (in person, hybrid, online) in which courses and programs may be offered.
• Engage in fundraising and development activities in collaboration with Institutional
• Engage in service at various levels (Academic and Student Affairs Division, College, professional community, and community service).

Administrative Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage both divisional meetings and cross-divisional meetings with the Dean of the Division of Sound, Stage, and Screen.
• Develop and manage annual work plans and goals in collaboration with divisional members and key institutional stakeholders.
• Lead, manage, and evaluate administrative
• Appoint, evaluate, and collaborate with departmental chairs and program leads and others to ensure excellent leadership of academic programs.
• Oversee Divisional budget and ensure proper financial stewardship, including the ongoing review of academic programs for fiscal sustainability and within the context of the College’s overall academic
• Oversee all Divisional communications, including web and print
• Lead or facilitate efforts to enhance Divisional facilities, including technological systems, and facilities and resources for the advancement of teaching, learning, research, and creative work in collaboration with Information Technology, the Center for Teaching and Learning, Career Services, Student Affairs, and Creative and Academic Space Management.

Faculty and Student

• Working in collaboration with the Provost and the Dean of the Division of Sound, Stage, and Screen lead the development and mentorship of a strong and diverse faculty, overseeing hiring, recruitment, development, and promotion activities in accordance with the faculty union contract and faculty
• Support faculty research and creative activities within the Division and through partnerships with the Provost’s Office leadership team.
• Oversee the recruitment, admission, and retention of a strong and diverse student body, in collaboration with the Office of Admissions and Enrollment.
• Provide leadership and oversight for annual and multi-year academic program and course review in collaboration with faculty and Institutional Research, the Accreditation Liaison Officer and Institutional Effectiveness team.
• Supervision of faculty effectiveness within assigned programs, including review of faculty evaluations (annual and in support of the faculty promotion processes) facilitating the resolution of faculty-student conflict, and support for faculty with regard to classroom management, teaching strategies, and curriculum
• Planning and implementation of cross-Divisional New Faculty orientations and new faculty onboarding in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning.
• Participation in continuous improvement of the Faculty Self-Evaluation, annual review, and promotions process in collaboration with the Faculty Senate Executive.
• Attendance at faculty Meetings and departmental meetings at

Curriculum

• Oversee the delivery of instruction within the Division, including curriculum review and development for designated programs in collaboration with faculty and Faculty Senate governance committees.
• Teaching per annual consultation with the Provost/CAO - 0-6 WUs per academic year depending on institutional needs, divisional size, and other factors.
• Participation in College’s leadership committees as defined by the Provost and
• Participation in accreditation activities, for the institution and academic

Planning, Assessment and Accreditation

• Advance the work of academic and learning-support systems in close collaboration with the leadership and staff of the Office of Student Life, Center for Teaching and Learning, Writing Center, Library Services, Academic Advising and other pertinent units.
• Lead data-informed College and Divisional work planning efforts that address stakeholder needs, as well as continuous assessment of outcomes, adjusting plans as needed.
• Ensure ongoing program assessment and use of assessment data for continuous
• Ensure ongoing assessment of student learning and use of assessment data to strengthen student
• Practice transparency and openness in communications and decisions with stakeholders as it relates to work plans, strategic institutional goals and plans, and needed areas of improvement.
• Participate in accreditation efforts at the institutional and program-

Faculty Appointment

Deans retain their faculty positions and rank while serving in the administration positions, but are not members of the faculty (therefore, not members of the bargaining unit, Cornish Federation of Teachers) during their time as Dean.

Dean of Art, Design and Liberal Arts Department: Office of the Provost
Reports To: Provost/Chief Academic Officer
Supervises: Divisional faculty, staff and work study students
Pay Grade: Exempt; Full-time, $95K - $105K
Appointment: The Dean position is Full Time, 12 months

Application Procedures

Please submit the following materials to Careers@Cornish.edu:

• Cover letter addressing the requirements of the position description
• CV/Resume
• Cornish College of the Arts Employment Application
• Position to start January 2, 2022, or earlier

Equal Opportunity Statement

Cornish commits to demonstrating respect for individual expression and integrity; to promoting the equality of opportunity and rights of all persons within the community and to actively encouraging and maintaining the representation and inclusion of diverse cultures and backgrounds within the student body, faculty, staff and curricula.

We believe that diversity refers to a number of human qualities and characteristics. National origin, race, gender, age, socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation and disabilities are characteristics that combine in unique ways, forming the multiple identities we all hold. Those diverse characteristics contribute positively to the environment of Cornish and to an education that accurately reflects and contributes to the complex interplay of art, culture and society.

We hold ourselves responsible to fulfill the mission of Cornish by preparing students “to contribute to society as artists, citizens, and innovators,” and believe that the mission is best served by actively cultivating a positive environment in which to explore and express the diverse perspectives of a pluralistic society.

Cornish College of the Arts is an equal opportunity employer intent on enriching the diversity of its faculty, staff, and students. Our goal is to create an intercultural community comprised of people with varied experiences and perspectives. We strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups for all open positions.