Dean, Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health

Dean

Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Abilene, TX

The Opportunity

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is proud to announce the opening of its newest school, the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health (JJMSPPH); and appointment of its Inaugural Dean. This new school, located on the Texas Tech University campus in Abilene Texas is the epicenter of a strategic mission to enhance the current public and population health offerings in West Texas and will interface closely with the diverse clinical community the TTUHSC provides to West Texas through our broad practice plan and multiple partnerships with local and regional hospitals, community centers, and public health departments.

The Organization

Committed to teaching and the advancement of knowledge, Texas Tech University, a comprehensive public research university, provides the highest standards of excellence in higher education, fosters intellectual and personal development, and stimulates meaningful research and service to humankind.  Texas Tech conferred more than 8,000 degrees for the third year in a row during the 2019-2020 academic year. In the most recent Center for Measuring University Performance rankings, Texas Tech is listed No. 58 overall and No. 41 among public research institutions, with 390 doctoral degrees conferred in 2020.

Texas Tech is ranked in the top 10 percent nationally in full-time graduate student enrollment and in the top 14% percent nationally in research doctorates awarded.   Texas Tech students have won numerous national academic championships, including more than 100 in the College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources.  Law students have picked up 34 national championships in the last six years. In the last 10 years, 40 faculty members have received Fulbright Scholar recognition

TTUHSC educates students, provides patient care, and conducts biomedical and clinical research. The organization graduates the most health care professionals in the state of Texas. It is nationally recognized for innovative programs, academic achievement, and cutting-edge research.  They are proud to train the next generation of highly qualified health professional.  To date they have trained more than 28,000 health care professionals who are serving patients and driving medical discovery in tangible, life-changing ways – both for the in the immediate service area and around the world.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) includes campuses across West Texas. Working together, the five schools, institutes, centers and clinics are uniquely positioned to educate tomorrow's health care providers from many perspectives and disciplines. The educational programs connect research and patient care in innovative ways that lead to powerful discoveries.  The interprofessional education also leads to higher functioning health care teams. The collaborative environment at TTUHSC breaks down traditional silos of health care learning. Students from different professions work together to reach a common goal: improve patient health outcomes.

The Position

The inaugural Dean of the newly established School of Population and Public Health - the sixth school in the TTUHSC family of health professions schools - will provide academic, intellectual, and administrative leadership and promote quality in all facets of teaching research practice and service. The Dean will lead the ongoing development of the new school's vision and goals, integrate the school plans into the TTUHSC strategic plan, and effectively communicate the vision and goals to the constituencies within and external to TTUHSC. 

The successful candidate will work directly with the Office of the Provost to build on the nationally recognized and accredited MPH program to grow the new school to meet and exceed the Council on Education in Public Health standards leading to full accreditation. The Dean has direct leadership responsibility and provides support for School faculty and staff. The Dean oversees the academic integrity of the School and provides leadership for emergent issues and long-range planning, budgeting, curriculum, program development and leads efforts to expand interprofessional education (IPE) experiences across all school programs and campuses. The successful candidate will have national recognition and demonstrated leadership and substantial administrative experience, strong scholarly visibility within the population and public health communities, and the ability to exercise policy leadership at local, state, national, and international levels. The Dean will have a strong commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and clinical services and lead the School in its mission to improve the health of local, national, and international communities – with a priority for underserved and vulnerable populations.

Nominations and Applications

Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience. To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically in confidence, to:

Beth Ross, Beth.Ross@amnhealthcare.com