Dean, College of Engineering and Science

Slippery Rock University (SRU), a regional public comprehensive university and member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Engineering and Science. SRU’s strategic plan emphasizes enhanced recruitment and retention, quality and diverse faculty, quality curriculum, and transformative educational experiences to prepare students for vibrant careers.

The Position: The Dean of the College of Engineering and Science is responsible for the academic leadership of the College and reports to the Provost. The successful candidate will be a visionary, dynamic and industrious leader; an advocate for all the fields of knowledge represented in the College; and have strong oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. The Dean will practice a collegial administrative style and will work collaboratively with students, faculty and staff, and the wider community in leading the College to its fullest potential while advancing the institution’s strategic plan. Specific duties include academic planning, program enhancement, service learning, maintaining and acquiring discipline-specific accreditations, faculty recruitment and development, alumni relations, and resource allocation. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (including race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and sexual orientation), as well as experience in as many of the following areas as possible: planning, budgeting, assessment, fundraising, internationalization, undergraduate research, accreditation, distance education, general education curriculum review and development, and working in a collective bargaining environment.

Qualifications: The Dean must have administrative experience at the department chair level or above and a distinguished record of teaching, scholarly achievement, and professional accomplishments sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of full professor. A terminal degree is required.

The College: The College of Engineering and Science has approximately 1,200 students, 60 full-time and five part-time faculty and nine staff members. The College consists of six departments: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Geography, Geology and the Environment; Mathematics and Statistics; and Physics and Engineering, which comprise 16 academic programs (Biology, Parks, Conservation and Resource Management, Environmental Education, Chemistry, Computing, Cybersecurity, Health informatics, Environmental Geosciences, Geography, Mathematics, Data Analytics, Physics, Civil Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering). It also includes the Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainability Education and Research, the Center for Cybersecurity and Advanced Computing, and the Statistical Consulting Center. Programs in the College are accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).

The Institution: An institution committed to the success of students, Slippery Rock University opened in 1889 as Slippery Rock State Normal School with the original purpose of training teachers and now boasts a network of over 70,000 alumni. Since its founding, the institution has dramatically expanded and now operates as one of the 10 institutions in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. SRU serves to transform the intellectual, social, physical, and leadership capacities of students to prepare them for life and career success. Slippery Rock’s nearly 8,500 students have the opportunity to pursue more than 150 undergraduate programs and 40 graduate programs in five colleges: the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Science, the College of Health Professions, and the College of Liberal Arts. The University employs 950 faculty and staff, 92% of SRU professors hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree, and students enjoy a 24:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Slippery Rock University holds institutional accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and 19 programmatic accreditations.

With strategic data-driven planning, the University has streamlined existing academic programs and added new programs that reflect job-market trends and societal needs. The University values and invests in the professional development of its faculty and staff. SRU consistently places in the top two on the System’s financial dashboard, which assesses a variety of metrics across the areas of market demand, operating efficiency, and financial performance. The University has received high ratings for stewardship of its physical assets. SRU is ranked among the best regional universities in the North by U.S. News and World Report. To learn more about the University, please visit www.sru.edu.

Location: Slippery Rock University’s campus comprises more than 600 rolling acres in one of western Pennsylvania’s beautiful areas. Slippery Rock offers historic charm in a small-town setting. The borough is home to approximately 3,500 residents. The University offers an abundance of cultural enrichment opportunities throughout the school year, and the region provides numerous year-round outdoor activities. Slippery Rock is also a convenient drive to major metropolitan centers such as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Erie.

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume/CV to RPA Inc., at SlipperyRockEngineering@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please contact Kendra Mozug, Search Consultant, or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email above. The first review of candidates will begin on February 8, 2023 and first-round interviews will commence thereafter.

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, religion, age, disability, or veteran status in its programs or activities in accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and University policies.