Dean, College of Business

Dean, College of Business

 

The University of Wyoming (UW) invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean, College of Business. In its next Dean, UW seeks an entrepreneurial, innovative, collaborative, and principled leader who will reinforce and strengthen the College’s national reputation, enhance recent strategic initiatives, and create a compelling and forward-thinking vision for the College’s future. After recent budget shifts and restructuring, the University of Wyoming is facing both challenging and exciting times as it embarks on a new growth path. The new Dean of the College of Business will have an opportunity to forge new partnerships, build on innovative academic programs and initiatives, and otherwise identify creative pathways for fulfilling UW’s land-grant mission. It is expected that the Dean will make a long-term commitment to the University and work closely with a passionate faculty and staff that are eager to continue to build a dynamic future for the College.

 

Overview of the College of Business

 

The College of Business is one of ten academic colleges/schools at UW. Fall 2021 enrollment includes 1,058 undergraduates, 234 master’s degree students and 34 PhD students in the College’s four areas of study: Accounting and Finance, Economics, Management and Marketing and the MBA program. Undergraduate degrees are offered in Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Sales. Master’s degrees are offered in Accounting, Economics and Finance and PhDs are offered in Marketing and Economics. MBAs are offered both on campus and on- line (UW’s on-line MBA is ranked the best value on-line MBA) and include an Energy Management MBA, an International MBA (in partnership with Pforzheim University in Germany) and three dual MBAs with Law, Engineering and Pharmacy. The College currently has 50 faculty and a staff of 25, which include teams of recruitment, advising, and career services staff housed in the newly formed Green-Johnson Student Success Center. The College has an annual budget of approximately $17.8 million and also benefits from possessing the largest amount of endowed funding of any college or program at the University. As of July 2017, the value of the College’s endowments was just over $61 million, of which $23 million is in mostly unrestricted Dean’s Excellence Funds which generate over $937,000 per year, most of which is available for discretionary use by the Dean to achieve the vision, goals and objectives of the College through existing and innovative new programming.

 

Among the College’s strategic objectives is to serve the needs of the state and the broader Rocky Mountain region through outreach and engagement. The College has a reputation of meaningful outreach, including high-quality applied research, and recently founded two new engagement-focused centers—the Center for Business and Economic Analysis and the Center for Professional Selling. Further engagement is planned through the establishment of the Center for Principle-Based Leadership and Ethics in Fall 2022. Student involvement in outreach and engagement is emphasized through curricular and co-curricular programs. The Green-Johnson Student Success Center, in collaboration with the College’s Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, manages a business partnership program that provides numerous real-world learning opportunities for students through their coursework. To create a broad foundation for engagement and outreach, the College emphasizes ethics, entrepreneurship, innovation, and natural resources in its courses, programs and scholarship and collaborates closely with the University’s other colleges and schools. The new Dean will be expected to maintain and create dynamic programming leading to direct and indirect stakeholder impact.

 

Furthermore, the College and the new Dean will be critically important players in the new, university-wide, cross-disciplinary Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship which encourages high quality research, world class science and technology development aligned with the needs of the state and regional economies. The Institute will be an engine for technology transfer at UW and economic development and diversification in the State of Wyoming and the College’s newly developed Center for the Advancement of Professional Selling will complement the Institute. The College will also be an important partner in the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality (WORTH) initiative, which aims to bolster Wyoming’s second-largest economic sector (i.e., tourism) by creating training opportunities and conducting applied research.

 

UW’s College of Business is accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). For more information about the College, please visit http://www.uwyo.edu/business/index.html.

 

UW College of Business Vision

 

The College of Business at the University of Wyoming strives to be the business college of choice for people who value enriching experiences and the integrity of a handshake.

 

College of Business Advisory Board (COBAB)

 

The UW COBAB consists of industry leaders from throughout the Rocky Mountain region and across the United States who serve in a working partnership with the University and College of Business administrators, faculty, and students to promote the growth and development of the College and UW. The activities of the COBAB encompass a wide range of advisory and proactive undertakings that advance the goals of the College and UW as well as positively impacting the economic development of communities throughout Wyoming.

 

Board members advise on academic programs, promote the College’s visibility around the nation, identify internship and career opportunities for students, and assist the College through development efforts and their own financial support. Such support has been demonstrated in the COBAB’s contribution to fund a classroom in honor of a recent Dean, a faculty summer support program to reward and retain outstanding faculty, as well as numerous scholarships, internship opportunities, and classroom and club presentations.

 

Position Summary

 

The Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the College of Business and is responsible for the academic leadership of the College and the management of its resources. The Dean will work closely with faculty, staff, students, alumni, the business community, and governmental leaders to achieve the College’s mission and vision. The Dean will serve as a catalyst for innovation and research and must be a tireless leader in the development of curricular offerings that serve the evolving needs of students and inspire faculty and staff. The Dean will play a lead role in the development and implementation of a new strategic plan that builds on successes achieved as part of the previous plan. In addition, the Dean will oversee revenue generation, budget formulation and execution, and alumni relations. The Dean will also work with the College’s leadership team to maintain recent program innovations, as well as develop new educational programs and initiatives, that will deepen the College’s revenue streams. The Dean also participates in campus-wide policy development through membership on the Council of Deans.

 

The Dean will provide strategic direction in realizing the College’s vision, identifying areas for future growth, further enhancing its academic and research portfolio, and supporting its focus on continued excellence with students and external stakeholders. The Dean will also lead the development of College policy and process directing faculty and staff efforts toward the College Mission and Vision. The Dean’s role will be pivotal in serving as a strong and dynamic advocate on behalf of the College and UW to internal and external stakeholders.  As a leader of the College, they will champion its interests in leading external relations and fundraising efforts. The Dean will also partner with the College of Business Advisory Board and other statewide business leaders to increase the College’s and University’s economic impact. Serving as its spokesperson, the Dean will build strong relationships with, and generate support amongst, key stakeholders in the local region, the state of Wyoming, and globally.

 

Moreover, the next Dean of the College of Business will be responsible for:

 

1. Providing leadership in the implementation of the UW’s recently developed strategic plan and enhancing and implementing the College’s strategic plan.
2. Collaboratively developing a clear vision for the College consistent with those plans and establishing goals, objectives, success metrics and timelines for achievement for all departments and programs in the College.
3. Identifying the best allocation of faculty resources that will result in successful recruitment and retention of the most highly qualified individuals.
4. Working with faculty to generate new programs, both academic and otherwise, to further raise the reputation, reach, and impact of the College of Business— and generate new financial resources for the College.
5. Identifying new opportunities to develop partnerships and collaborations with faculty located within other Colleges and Schools within the University.
6. Overseeing the College’s fundraising program and further enhance the culture of philanthropy within the College.
7. Overseeing the operations of the College and managing and developing resources to sustain the College’s excellent programs.
8. Representing the College’s interests to the campus and the business community, and providing academic vision and support for program development efforts.
9. Identifying and developing new partnerships with industry.
10. Fostering a supportive and inclusive environment among the College’s faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders and advancing the College’s existing commitment to making the University of Wyoming a leading institution where people of all identities, perspectives, and life experiences encounter a welcoming community.
11. Ensuring that the College meets accreditation standards set by the AACSB and maintains its accreditation.

 

UW plays a huge leadership role in the State of Wyoming and enjoys strong public support and unparalleled statewide presence. It combines major university benefits and small school advantages, an outstanding faculty and world class teaching, research and support facilities. The College of Business is one of the most visible and high profile units at UW and will be even more so with the rollout of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Center for the Advancement of Professional Selling and the Center for Business and Economic Analysis.  In addition to his/her significant, traditional internal responsibilities and work with the President and Provost, the new Dean will have an exciting opportunity to work with key external stakeholders, including the Governor, the Wyoming Legislature and influential business leaders, throughout the state and region.

 

Opportunities and Challenges

The University of Wyoming is a dynamic and rapidly ascending institution. Building on the University’s current momentum, the Dean will join a College of Business whose future holds significant potential for growth and increased excellence. The next Dean will partner with UW’s President and Provost in aligning the College of Business with the University’s strategic plan, Breaking Through: 2017 – 2022, focused on breaking through barriers and exploring new frontiers of teaching and learning.

 

As Wyoming’s only public university, the Dean will join an institution with strong community and legislative support that is deeply committed to scholarship, outreach, and service that serves and supports the people in its communities, its state, the nation, and the world. Because of the role and importance of the College in the State, the new Dean will quickly become a highly visible and influential leader at UW and in the region. With this in mind, the Dean will have the opportunity to have a significant impact in the following areas:

 

Building New Partnerships – The next Dean will inherit an organization that is ready to identify new areas for enhancing partnerships both internally and externally. The Dean must be committed to communicating with varied stakeholders within the University and across Wyoming to actively seek new interdisciplinary research and collaborative opportunities. Open avenues of communication between faculty, staff, and administrators will assist the Dean and College of Business community to capitalize on new opportunities, such as the University’s Data Science and Entrepreneurship initiatives and the State’s ENDOW (Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming) initiative, and existing strengths in its current programs to further elevate the University’s stature locally and nationally.

 

Strategic Visioning and Organizational Enhancement – In aligning the College with UW’s strategic plan, the Dean will have the opportunity to implement a newly developed strategic plan that builds on the successes realized as part of the previous plan. As a part of this process, there will be an opportunity to consider further organizational enhancement as the Dean leads the College’s efforts in shaping a scalable structure for the future as it invests in key areas, reimagines degree offerings, and further defines its organizational identity.

 

Enhancing Brand Identity and Market Presence – The next Dean will play a lead role in the enhancement of the College’s existing brand identity and market presence in order to highlight its unique programs and strengths. Increasing the College’s visibility and reputation within the region and nationally will allow the Dean to capitalize on opportunities to define the College’s unique value proposition, engage business and governmental leaders, and recruit, support and retain high-caliber faculty in an increasingly competitive academic environment.

 

Student Recruitment and Enrollment Management – The next Dean must ensure the growth, retention, and successful graduation of students within the College of Business and serve as a thought leader and advocate for student recruitment, success, and retention. With student enrollments in Business programs declining nationally, the Dean must provide a clear vision and fervent voice for the College in fulfilling its mission to make a significant impact on the lives of students not only in the state of Wyoming, but regionally and nationally.

 

Faculty Hiring and Development – The College’s dedicated faculty is one of its central strengths as they bring energy, innovation, and positive perspectives to the College and UW community. Due to recent retirement incentives and cuts, the College is currently retooling and reloading faculty positions in ways that benefit the mission and goals of the College. The new Dean will play a lead role as the College works to fill 10 approved faculty positions as well as identifying and advocating for expected future positions. Additionally, the Dean will play a key role in providing guidance and securing resources for the further development of faculty, both individually and as members of the UW community. Finally, the Dean will oversee faculty evaluation, providing direction for the revision of standards, metrics, and processes to achieve strategic plans.

 

Fundraising – As the College’s strongest advocate, the Dean is expected to engage in fundraising and external relations efforts to secure additional resources to support students, faculty, and programs in addition to elevating the visibility of the College as a whole. Given UW’s reputation and stature within Wyoming, the Dean will be able to enhance the College’s impact within the local community and state by providing outstanding leadership in this arena.

 

The University

Established in 1886, the University of Wyoming is a land-grant, doctoral/research university, Division I member of the NCAA—Mountain West Conference. UW is the only four-year public university in the state and combines major-university benefits and small-school advantages. The Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls are Wyoming’s home teams in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports with a strong and passionate fan base throughout the state. There is considerable private and public support to expand the athletic facilities to ensure continued success in the conference.

 

UW had a fall 2017 enrollment of 12,397 students, evenly divided between male and female students, from all 50 states and 91 countries. 30-40% of our undergraduates are first-generation college students that the university is proud to support through initiatives like our First-Gen scholars peer mentoring program and the Tobin House living and learning community. UW offers 192 majors, 21 certificate programs, 78 bachelor’s programs, 57 master’s programs and 36 doctorate/professional programs. It is institutionally accredited, and four colleges hold specialty accreditation. External research funding was over $95 million in FY16. Annual private giving for the same period exceeded $63 million. With the support of the Wyoming legislature and private donors and through institutional bonding (UW currently enjoys a Standard and Poor’s rating of AA-, with a positive outlook), the University has received $925 million in capital construction and major maintenance funds over the past decade.

 

The University’s FY18 Operating Budget is $471.6 million of which 46% comes from State appropriations. Exceptional state support makes it possible for UW to offer one of the lowest tuition rates in the country - $5,217 for resident undergraduates and $16,827 for non-resident undergraduates. In addition to the operating budget appropriation, the State funds the Hathaway Scholarship program. In 2016, the last year for which there are records, 3,174 resident students received scholarships between $1,680 and $3,360 (amount is based upon high school achievement). An additional margin of excellence is provided by UW’s endowments, which rank among the highest per full time student in US public universities at over $500 million.

 

Since UW serves as both Wyoming’s land-grant and flagship university, the continuing challenge is to meet the highly diverse academic needs of the state’s students and communities while focusing on areas of excellence. In addition to the main campus in Laramie, the University maintains the University of Wyoming-Casper, ten outreach education centers across Wyoming and Agricultural Extension Offices in the state’s 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. It also has strong relationships with Wyoming’s seven community colleges, economic and business development groups throughout the state, and the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne.

 

For more information about the University of Wyoming, please visit http://www.uwyo.edu/.

 

Laramie, Wyoming

The University of Wyoming is located in Laramie, on a high plain at 7,220 feet between 2 mountain ranges, about 20 miles west of a geologic feature known as the Gangplank, which forms a bridge between the Great Plains to the east and the Rocky Mountains to the west. This formation made it possible for the Union Pacific Railroad to lay track crossing the Laramie Mountains between Cheyenne and Laramie which, in turn, led to the establishment of Laramie as one of the “Hell on Wheels” railroad towns in the spring of 1868, a year before the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific connected at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10, 1869.

 

Today, Laramie is a small, vibrant university town with a population of about 33,000 people. The University campus covers 835 contiguous acres with 189 buildings containing a little over 7 million square feet. Laramie is 50 miles west of Cheyenne, the state capital, 65 miles from Fort Collins, Colorado, 130 miles from Denver and 2 hours from Denver International Airport. For those who love the outdoors, Laramie is minutes away from 2.9 million acres of national forests, more than 100 miles of trails, lakes, rivers and opportunities for hiking, climbing, camping, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.

 

Most importantly, Laramie is a friendly, close-knit college community with a vibrant downtown that boasts a broad range of local businesses and a thriving farmer’s market in the warmer months. The Laramie public school system is particularly strong, as Wyoming spends more per public school student on education than any other state in the union. It takes very little ttime for newcomers to become members of a community that welcomes people regardless of who they are or what they have.

 

Required Qualifications

Candidates for the Dean of the College of Business at the University of Wyoming must possess the following qualifications and experience:

 

• A demonstrable track record of leadership success and evidence of creative leadership and management.
• Experience in budget formulation and execution, including internal and external revenue generation, and success in the management of human and financial resources; experience working in a university environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with the business community and other constituents in resource development and advancement of a business college.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• A leadership style that demonstrates adherence to a personal set of ethical principles and encourages principled-based decision making.
• Ability to inspire, lead, and further collegiality among faculty and staff members coupled with the ability to attract and recruit world-class faculty and staff.
• An understanding of and appreciation for the breadth of the disciplines within the College and issues faced by those disciplines.
• An earned doctorate in a discipline appropriate to the College

           

 

Desired Qualifications

Additionally, the successful candidate will have the following personal qualifications and characteristics:

 

• A record of successful fundraising and interfacing with university advancement officers to secure external gifts, grants, and funding to support College programs
• Scholarly credentials consistent with appointment as a tenured professor in a discipline appropriate to the College.
• A leadership style that emphasizes complete transparency and encourages openness in dealings with others and acceptance of diverging perspectives.
• A collegial management style that promotes a sense of academic respect and collaboration with faculty, staff, and students in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Energy, enthusiasm, and passion for innovation in pursuing the College’s and University’s mission.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with constituencies both internal and external to the University; an effective communicator with a high level of integrity and emotional intelligence.
• The ability to build and foster a collegial working environment throughout all levels of the College among faculty, staff, and students.
• The skills and the capacity to bring individuals and groups with diverse views to consensus and common action.
• A commitment to shared governance.
• The ability to work effectively with alumni, donors, and members of the business community to cultivate relationships and build a collaborative culture of partnership to advance the College’s priorities and goals.
• A commitment to a student-centered learning environment.
• An understanding of the importance of communication and collaboration within the College and among Colleges and Schools across the University.

 

 

Nomination & Application Process

The Dean Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, full resume, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University; contact information is below. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred that all nominations and applications be submitted to the search firm by March 1, 2022.

 

 

Laurie C. Wilder, President

Porsha Williams, Vice President

Erin Raines, Senior Principal

Parker Executive Search

Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875

Atlanta, GA 30328

770-804-1996 ext.: 117

pwilliams@parkersearch.com || eraines@parkersearch.com