Dean, College of Arts & Letters (FA211A1)

Old Dominion University (ODU) seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader who will play a central role in shaping the success, growth, and future of the College of Arts and Letters. The dean will lead efforts to promote liberal arts education; support a culture of artistic expression and creative excellence; promote excellence in research, scholarship, teaching, student learning, and community engagement; demonstrate an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice; attract external resources; and support the university’s leadership role in regional economic development.

Role and expectations:

• Articulate a vision and develop and implement a strategic plan consistent with the institutional strategic plan and priorities
• Demonstrate commitment to the recruitment, retention, and mentoring of faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds
• Represent the College in its external relations with alumni, donors, and the community, at national and international venues, and in relevant professional bodies
• Develop and implement innovative initiatives to advocate for and foster the arts to enhance the reputation of Old Dominion University as a cultural center
• Develop and implement innovative initiatives to foster the internationalization of the College and the University through curriculum development, study-abroad, and faculty Fulbright applications
• Provide leadership in fundraising, revenue generation, external grant acquisitions, and resource allocation to support the College’s aspirations and priorities
• Develop and implement strategies to create innovative and market-driven academic programs aimed at increasing on-campus and online undergraduate and graduate student enrollment
• Ensure a highly engaging and rewarding student experience and implement strategies to facilitate student success
• Represent the College in its internal relations with central administration and with other colleges and units within the University
• Conduct regular review of the alignment of departments, programs, institutes, and centers with the mission of the College and University and regional workforce and labor market demands
• Determine and oversee collegiate administrative structure and activities, including the associate deans, chairs, and nonacademic staff
• Embrace and facilitate shared governance by working with the established committee structure and adhere to approved policies and procedures
• Exercise control over the internal budget of the College, allocating and reallocating faculty and staff lines and other resources, and overseeing the allocation of graduate teaching assistantships
• Strengthen existing interdisciplinary research and scholarship to promote excellence in education and scholarship

Minimum Qualifications - knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Prior successful administrative leadership (i.e., budgetary and supervisory) experience at or above department chair, including work across disciplinary boundaries
• Demonstrated record of success at attracting and retaining underrepresented faculty, students, and staff
• Knowledge of strategic planning process and alignment of college’s plans with university goals and priorities
• Evidence of a participatory leadership style
• Strong and effective communication skills across diverse audiences and media
• Record of facilitating interdisciplinary and cross-campus collaboration, and ability to take decisive action when necessary
• Understanding of leading-edge methods and instructional technologies to support teaching and learning
• Experience in program assessments
• Experience in implementing strategies to expand partnership with businesses and other organizations to create opportunities for experiential learning
• Record of promoting student success (i.e., retention and graduation)
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and adeptness to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, and campus administration

Minimum Qualifications - Education or training: An earned doctorate or terminal degree in one of the disciplines in the College of Arts and Letters, as well as a combination of distinguished scholarship, teaching and professional accomplishments meritorious of appointment as a full professor with tenure

Special Instructions to Applicants / Additional Materials Required:

Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2022 and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Please submit nominations or expressions of interest (including a current resume/CV, a letter of interest and a DEI statement) to our consultant at the address below:

ODU College Of Arts and Letters Search
R. William Funk & Associates
2911 Turtle Creek Blvd., Suite 300
Dallas, Texas 75219
Email: krisha.creal@rwilliamfunk.com
Fax: 214/523-9067

Conditions of Employment: In accordance with Executive Directive #18 issued by Governor Ralph Northam effective September 1, 2021, all Old Dominion University employees who enter the workplace or work remotely must disclose their vaccine status to the designated university personnel.  Employees who are not fully vaccinated or who refuse to disclose their current vaccine status, must undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and disclose weekly the results of those tests to designated university personnel.

It is the policy of Old Dominion University to provide equal employment, educational and social opportunities for all persons, without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation or genetic information. Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.