Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Description

The Dean of Undergraduate Studies provides leadership for all undergraduate academic programs, overseeing teaching, learning, curriculum development, academic advising, and faculty success within the undergraduate division. The dean ensures a high-quality educational experience for undergraduate students and effective support for undergraduate faculty.

The Dean of Undergraduate Studies reports directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and is a key institutional leader of the academic mission of the University.

Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities

Undergraduate Program & Curriculum Leadership

* Lead undergraduate curriculum development, review, and improvement.

* Support innovation in undergraduate program delivery, including high-impact practices.

* Collaborate with the Graduate Dean and VPAA on pathways and program alignment, development of non-degree certificates and credentials, undergraduate online courses, and College Credit Plus offerings.

Faculty Support & Academic Leadership

* Supervise undergraduate program chairs/directors and support faculty excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

* Select, support and evaluate undergraduate program Chairs/Directors.

* Oversee hiring and evaluation processes for undergraduate faculty and appropriate academic staff.

* Provide faculty development opportunities and connect faculty with institutional resources.

Undergraduate Student Academic Experience

* Oversee undergraduate advising systems, academic support initiatives, and policy implementation.

* Serve as an intermediary for unresolved academic concerns involving undergraduate students.

* Ensure that academic policies and procedures are understood by relevant constituents, and that policies and procedures are accurately and consistently applied.

Program Operations & Resource Management

* Manage undergraduate program budgets, positions, and operational resources within established frameworks.

* Collaborate with the Registrar and Institutional Effectiveness on scheduling, enrollment, and program assessment.

* Monitor data on faculty workload and make adjustments to teaching load, as needed.

* Monitor program-level efficiency and key performance indicators, recommending necessary adjustments to maintain academic and financial health.

Internal & External Collaboration

* Work with Marketing, Admissions, Advancement, and community partners on undergraduate academic initiatives.

* Participate in shared governance as an ex officio member on appropriate committees.

Other Duties

* Participate in undergraduate commencement ceremonies.

* Carry out additional responsibilities assigned by the VPAA.

Qualifications

* Qualifications:

* Doctorate or terminal degree in one of the disciplines in an academic discipline offered by the University.

* A distinguished record of achievement in the areas of research, teaching, and service with evidence of professional distinction that merits appointment at the rank of tenured, full professor.

* Administrative/leadership experience in higher education overseeing operations of sufficient complexity to prepare the candidate to be successful as Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

* Other Required Skills and Qualities:

* Strong leadership skills, especially the ability to develop and execute a strategic plan.

* Commitment to and appreciation of working with diverse groups of individuals.

* Excellent oral and written communication skills.

* Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to support and challenge a diverse population of high-ability undergraduate students.

* Ability to apply independent judgment and decision-making to issues related to university policies and procedures.

* Ability to assimilate and communicate information to a variety of audiences.

* Ability to collect, manipulate and analyze large data sets used to study complex phenomena.

* Acumen and ability to explain higher education finance and governance to all University Stakeholders.

Descriptive Information

The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job. When requested, reasonable…