Dean, College of Liberal Arts

Position Announcement

Dean, College of Liberal Arts

Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CoLA). The Dean is the chief administrative and academic officer of CoLA and reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The successful candidate is expected to offer strategic leadership, a focus on innovation, and a vision for the future that will inspire the faculty, students, and staff to greater academic excellence, including protecting and expanding the role of the liberal arts at SIU;

building a strong sense of community and enhancing morale; increasing the number of students served while elevating the quality of their academic experience; and providing mentoring and support that enables college staff, school directors, and faculty to reach their full potential.

The College of Liberal Arts consists of six Schools: the School of Africana and Multicultural Studies, the School of Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology, the School of Communication Studies, the School of History and Philosophy, the School of Languages and Linguistics, and the School of Literature, Writing, and Digital Humanities. CoLA offers a wide range of academic programming including 12 undergraduate, 11 master’s and 7 doctoral degree programs.

The College offers courses both on-campus and online and its curriculum works across fields, bridging multiple disciplines.

Through the Center for Virtual Expression, CoLA facilitates access to current technologies for research and teaching in the liberal arts. Students select—or even design—majors to suit their preferences and needs, and student‑faculty research collaborations are encouraged. The college features teacher education and second‑language acquisition programs, and several research Centers: the Center for Archaeological Investigation, the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), and the aforementioned Center Communication for Virtual Expression (CVeX).

We provide outstanding academic experience to students with diverse interests and career and professional goals. Additional information is available at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Nestled in the beautiful hills of Southern Illinois, SIUC is one of only 21 institutions nationwide classified by Carnegie as both an R1 and an Opportunity institution. With an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students from throughout the nation and the world, SIU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in seven colleges and schools, as well as professional practice degrees in the Schools of Medicine and Law.

SIU embraces a unique tradition of access and opportunity, inclusive excellence, innovation in research and creativity, and outstanding teaching and services focused on student success. The University is committed to a mission of successfully educating and graduating a diverse student population including minority students, international students, first‑generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities.

Carbondale is located in an area of great natural beauty, just north of Giant City Park and the Shawnee National Forest. The city is a hub for the region, yet maintains a small town feel with college town amenities. It is also easily accessible to a host of midwestern (e.g., St. Louis, Indianapolis) and southern (e.g., Nashville, Memphis) cities within a 2 to 4‑hour drive.

The local airport offers a direct flight to Chicago’s O'Hare International airport.

The Dean’s primary roles are centered around academic, fiscal, human resources, management, and development matters. It is expected that the Dean will:

• Provide visionary leadership for the College in the spirit of shared governance.
• Enhance and support high‑quality undergraduate and graduate academic programs.
• Strengthen scholarship and research activities and the infrastructure that supports them.
• Lead strategic planning, budgeting, and continuous program improvement initiatives.
• Support a culture of degree completion and career placement through coordinated student recruitment, advisement, service and retention efforts.
• Provide…