Dean, College of Liberal Arts

Online application must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a list of three references with contact information, and transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate degrees and degrees in progress. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be received no later than January 18th.

Position Overview:

Designs, develops and executes academic policies and programs for the college. Develops strategies to achieve educational goals and objectives. Determines scheduling of courses and recommends implementation of additional courses. Participates in activities of faculty committees, and oversees the departmental budget. Establishes academic goals for the department to achieve and maintain high standards in academic and teaching processes. Serves as liaison officer with accrediting agencies which evaluate academic programs. Initiates academic integrity and quality education in the college by articulating University policy and procedure to department or college. Responsible for maintaining effective communication between students and faculty within the college. Responsible for hiring faculty members, evaluating staff, fundraising, budgeting, and setting academic rules and policies. Directs and coordinates activities of deans and chairpersons of individual colleges.

Department Specific Essential Job Functions:

The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), in its 132nd year of existence, seeks an outstanding leader for the College of Liberal Arts. UCO’s main campus is in the community of Edmond and just north of Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area is experiencing a period of unparalleled growth and development while UCO serves proudly as Oklahoma City's Metropolitan University with several facilities in downtown Oklahoma City. This includes the CHK/Central Boathouse, the Academy of Contemporary Music, and two UCO Downtown teaching facilities. Oklahoma City was chosen as one of only two cities in the nation by the Brookings Institution to work with in developing the Oklahoma City Innovation District and UCO is working to support that development with teaching facilities near the District. The UCO campus is very diverse with most of its student population from the culturally and ethnically diverse Metropolitan Area and with one in twenty students being international in origin. UCO is an institutional member of the Council on Undergraduate Research and hosted the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in the year 2018. UCO is a leading advocate for involving students in experiential education through an active on-campus student grants program in the Office of High-Impact Practices.

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) is a vibrant community of around 150 full-time faculty and staff in eight academic units: the Departments of English, History and Geography, Humanities and Philosophy, Mass Communication, Modern Languages, Political Science, Sociology, Gerontology, and Substance Abuse Studies, and the School of Criminal Justice. The CLA ranks first among the five campus undergraduate colleges in credit hour production, generating more than one-quarter of the total, a credit to its hard working and innovative faculty and staff. Nearly 2,000 students are currently pursuing a combined total of more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in the CLA, with around another 700 students pursuing a wide range of minors. The CLA vigorously supports undergraduate research and creative activity, with the college signature event, the Annual Student Symposium, currently in its 35th year. Proudly promoting the institutional goal of global competency through its language degrees, several departments have additionally developed robust study tours in locations across China, Europe, India, and Korea. The CLA is home to the New Plains Review, UCO Debate, and strong master’s programs in English, Criminal Justice, History, Political Science, Public Administration, Strategic Communication, and Substance Abuse Studies. A major renovation and expansion of the Liberal Arts building was recently completed, adding an additional 15 classrooms, a new 235-seat lecture hall, and an atrium. The successful candidate will join an experienced college administration that is creating exciting new initiatives with remodeled and expanding facilities.

The Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the College and provides leadership, planning, coordination and management for all academic, fiscal and personnel matters in the College. The Dean reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Department Chairs, the Associate Dean, and Assistant Deans report to the Dean.

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Utilizes long-range strategic planning to develop, integrate, facilitate, and accomplish the College and Departmental goals, in alignment with the mission of the University and College, and in collaboration with the Associate and Assistant Deans and the Department Chairs.

Serves as a spokesperson for the College and as a liaison between the College and other divisions of the University, including interacting with other deans within the Division of Academic Affairs to build a strong collaborative culture.

Represents the College in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, the state, and other professional venues to uphold and promote the image of the College.

Maintains a broad vision for the College regarding campus-wide academic programs, developing faculty, staff, and student outcomes, rewards, and growth plans in collaboration with Academic Affairs and assisting department Chairs in the fulfillment of departmental responsibilities to ensure progress.

Fosters excellence in teaching, scholarship, and research, including supporting the professional growth and development of faculty and staff and encouraging the development of the teacher-scholar model.

Serves as an advocate for the faculty, working with UCO administrative offices to provide fiscal/physical resources and support.

Encourages cooperative utilization and sharing of resources among departments, initiating team-building among department chairs, faculty, and staff.

Encourages diversity and equity.

Administers policies of the university and college, responds to faculty concerns, and evaluates employee performance.

Supports, advocates for, and enables high-impact educational practices, including UCO’s Central Six of Transformative Learning.

Pursues policies and practices that include the enhancement and integration of curricular and co-curricular activities.

Uses competitive and comparative procurement practices.

Supports and encourages grantsmanship through faculty development mechanisms within the college and at other venues, including pursuing external funding possibilities, especially federally funded grants.

Represents and advocates for the College and UCO to external constituencies, devoting a minimum of 25% of College effort to fundraising.

Directs capital projects and building maintenance in the college, working with departments to project and prioritize space needs and responding to technology and equipment needs.

Works with UCO Administration to provide a safe environment for all faculty, staff, students, and guests, including working constructively with the UCO Environmental and Safety Office and practicing emergency preparedness.

Maintains high visibility in the profession through maintaining personal scholarship and grantsmanship activities.

Accepts leadership positions in the community and serves as a professional consultant.

Oversees assessment processes in the College and integrates assessment into planning, decision-making, and resourcing of allocations, including supporting accreditation compliance.

Assists the departments in making curriculum decisions and setting priorities based on assessment data.

Serves as a role model academically, professionally, and personally.

Comfortable and skilled in conflict resolution and decision-making.

Maintains confidentiality.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Qualifications/Experience Required:

Earned doctorate and experience as a full-time faculty member. At least three to five years of progressively responsible academic administrative experience at department-level or higher. A distinguished record of teaching, scholarship and service to qualify for tenure in a College department including recent evidence of presentations at national conferences and publication in proceedings and/or journals. Demonstrated, and current evidence for, success in obtaining public and private funding in support of student-centered learning outcomes. Demonstrated ability to provide leadership in strategic planning, program and personnel assessment, budget management, and technology applications. Recognizable vision of and commitment to higher education and the College disciplines. High energy level, dynamic leadership ability, and demonstrated outstanding facilitation, communication and interpersonal skills. Strong ethical, moral and professional values. Commitment to diversity.

Preferred Qualifications:

Evidence for the development of policies that promote high-impact educational practices, including student-centered research.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of organizational structure, workflow, and operating procedures. Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management. Knowledge of human resource concepts, practices, policies, and procedures. Knowledge of applicable legislation, standards, policies and procedures within specialty area. Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures. Effective interpersonal and community relations skills and the ability to communicate and work effectively within a diverse community. Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments. Ability to develop, plan, and implement short- and long-range goals. Ability to supervise and train employees to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments. Program planning and implementation skills. Employee development and performance management skills. Knowledge of student development theory and student personnel administration. Knowledge of student support programs and services. Strong interpersonal skills with a commitment to support public and private fundraising.

Physical Demands:

Reasonable accommodations (in accordance with ADA requirements) may be made, upon request, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.