Dean, School of Information Studies (iSchool)

Posting Details

Posting Details

Job #
039585

Department Code
0000000000

Department
Information Studies-Dean

Job Title
Dean, School of Information Studies (iSchool)

Location
Syracuse, NY

Pay Range
Commensurate with Experience

Staff Level
00

FLSA Status
Exempt

Hours

Standard University business hours

8:30am – 5:00pm (academic year)
8:00am – 4:30pm (summer)

Hours may vary based on operational needs.

Job Type
Full-time

Campus
Syracuse, NY

Unionized Position Code
Not Applicable

Job Description

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, the Dean will provide leadership and vision for the iSchool as it continues to adapt to a changing educational landscape. As a convener of many interdisciplinary programs, the Dean will work to push for innovation while maintaining synergy among all stakeholders and push toward growing the research enterprise of the institution as a whole. The Dean will also play a key role in community outreach and economic development programs to support economic growth and support the University’s educational mission. The next Dean will collaborate with the 12 deans of the other schools and colleges and with senior leadership of the University. The Dean will oversee 50 tenure-track faculty members, professors of practice and teaching faculty, and a staff of 50 and will be responsible for an operating budget of $62 million.

The School of Information Studies – known as the iSchool – is a globally recognized leader in advancing knowledge and developing creative, thoughtful, and technically capable leaders in the information field. The mission of the iSchool is to expand human capabilities by connecting people, information, and technology. The faculty and staff of the iSchool are committed to preparing students to become leaders in the information field and using information to solve problems faced by individuals and organizations. Together, the faculty, staff, and students of the iSchool impact research and the information profession through interdisciplinary scholarship, rigorous education opportunities and commitment to service that advances science, improves professional practice, and contributes to society.

Syracuse University has retained Korn Ferry, a national and global executive search firm, to assist in this search. All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, are invited. Application review has begun and will continue until the position has been filled. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae, a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s interest in the role and relevant experience, and a diversity statement describing interest or efforts in furthering diversity and inclusion. Applicants are urged to submit their materials as soon as possible, using Syracuse-ischool@kornferry.com .

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Qualifications

An earned Ph.D. or equivalent experience in a relevant field is required.

Job Specific Qualifications

The next Dean will be a leader in the field of information with the academic and/or professional experience needed to lead one of the top schools in its field during a time of rapid progress in the iSchool’s disciplinary areas of expertise. The Dean will be expected to demonstrate excellence in the following:

• Reputation as a consultative, thoughtful, and inspiring facilitator of change.
• Leadership towards building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive scholarly environment.
• A record of fostering innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial risk-taking.
• Advocacy on behalf of the iSchool, both within the University and to external audiences.
• Appreciation for and support of faculty, staff, and alumni, all of whom contribute immeasurably to student success.
• Collaboration with the senior leadership of the University, the board of trustees, and deans of the other schools and colleges.
• Connections in practice and/or research and a willingness to leverage those networks on behalf of iSchool constituents.
• Understanding of the competitive higher education marketplace and a drive to promote the iSchool’s many distinctive strengths.
  
  

Responsibilities

The next Dean will lead the iSchool at a time when its disciplines are in increasingly high demand by undergraduate, professional, and graduate students. The Dean will have the opportunity to capitalize on this exciting information age by focusing particularly on the following priorities:

Build institutional capacity:

• Manage structural changes needed to support future growth while remaining aligned with the mission, vision, and goals of the iSchool.
• Sustain a culture that encourages innovative and entrepreneurial thinking by students, Faculty, and administration.
• Build bridges across the iSchool, unifying constituents toward common objectives.
• Strengthen enrollment and explore other revenue opportunities to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the iSchool.
• Raise visibility and resources.
• Articulate the distinctive strengths of the iSchool to increase awareness of its excellence and relevance among external stakeholders such as prospective students, donors, and corporate partners.

Advance the research agenda:

• Foster leading-edge research, demonstrating excellence in faculty visibility, and achievement in addressing fundamental research questions in information studies.
• Support professional engagement, demonstrating excellence in faculty presence, and leadership in bringing leading edge research and practice to professional communities.
• Advance the field of information science through engagement with academic and professional organizations and the iSchools organization ( www.iSchools.org ).
• Drive the integration of research into teaching and curricula and engage students in research at all levels.
• Encourage doctoral and post-doctoral engagement in the School, advancing the visibility, achievements, and career successes of graduates of these programs.
• Spur research collaborations and connections with other academic units on campus, including the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Maxwell School of Public Policy.

Foster academic excellence:

• Assess the curriculum to ensure relevance in a rapidly changing field so that students develop the broad set of foundational skills that prepare them for employment immediately after graduation and for meaningful careers beyond.
• Nurture long-standing programs while seizing opportunities to offer new courses and programs in emerging subjects, responding to demand with urgency while adhering to the high level of quality and excellence for which the iSchool is known.
• Assess the data and digital course and program offerings across the University to identify opportunities for synergy and collaboration.
• Lead ambitious fundraising efforts, including strengthening relationships with alumni, foundations, and corporations.
• Continue the growth and excellence of research by expanding partnerships both inside the University and externally.
• Explore opportunities for the iSchool to align its objectives with the University’s through collaborative efforts such as contributing expertise toward the University’s ongoing digital transformation.

Physical Requirements

Not Applicable

Tools/Equipment

Not Applicable

Application Instructions

Syracuse University has retained Korn Ferry, a national and global executive search firm, to assist in this search. All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, are invited. Application review has begun and will continue until the position has been filled. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae, a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s interest in the role and relevant experience, and a diversity statement describing interest or efforts in furthering diversity and inclusion. Applicants are urged to submit their materials as soon as possible, using Syracuse-ischool@kornferry.com .


About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.

The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit www.syracuse.edu.

About the Syracuse area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.

EEO Statement

Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.

Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans

Syracuse University has a long history of engaging veterans and the military-connected community through its educational programs, community outreach, and employment programs. After World War II, Syracuse University welcomed more than 10,000 returning veterans to our campus, and those veterans literally transformed Syracuse University into the national research institution it is today. The University’s contemporary commitment to veterans builds on this historical legacy, and extends to both class-leading initiatives focused on making an SU degree accessible and affordable to the post-9/11 generation of veterans, and also programs designed to position Syracuse University as the employer of choice for military veterans, members of the Guard and Reserve, and military family members.

Commitment to a Diverse and Inclusive Campus Community

Syracuse University maintains an inclusive learning environment in which students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all other aspects of campus life reflect a diverse, multi-cultural, and international worldview. The University community recognizes and values the many similarities and differences among individuals and groups. At Syracuse, we are committed to preparing students to understand, live among, appreciate, and work in an inherently diverse country and world made up of people with different ethnic and racial backgrounds, military backgrounds, religious beliefs, socio-economic status, cultural traditions, abilities, sexual orientations and gender identities. To do so, we commit ourselves to promoting a community that celebrates and models the principles of diversity and inclusivity.

Quick Link
https://www.sujobopps.com/postings/98466

Job Posting Date
03/24/2023

Application Deadline

Full Consideration By

Job Category
Staff

Message to Applicants

Syracuse University has retained Korn Ferry, a national and global executive search firm, to assist in this search. All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, are invited. Application review has begun and will continue until the position has been filled. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae, a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s interest in the role and relevant experience, and a diversity statement describing interest or efforts in furthering diversity and inclusion. Applicants are urged to submit their materials as soon as possible, using Syracuse-ischool@kornferry.com .