Dean, School of Architecture

Dean, School of Architecture

The University of Virginia is seeking a principled, visionary, and strategically minded leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Architecture. This is a pivotal moment for design education, and the incoming Dean will extend the School’s strong foundation while navigating rapid change, seizing new possibilities, and shaping the future of design practice and pedagogy. The School of Architecture is committed to preparing the next generation of bold thinkers, creative professionals, and civic leaders who will confront the most pressing challenges of our time.

In this context, and reporting to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Dean will join the School at a pivotal time and will continue to strategically move the School into the future by building upon four strategic areas—Legacy, Impact, Engagement, and Innovation—that embody its values and help to shape the academic mission. Inherently multi‑disciplinary, these focus areas aim to capitalize on the strengths of the School as a global leader in scholarly practice, sustained design, and excellence and reputation.

The shared commitment to rigorous investigation and critical interpretation shapes the work of students and faculty across all disciplines, as well as the School’s robust public programming.

The deanship represents a rare opportunity to lead a School with exceptional faculty, ambitious students, and a global reputation for excellence in design and scholarship. The next Dean will have the platform to elevate interdisciplinary research, expand School’s influence, and chart a bold and inspiring vision for the next era of the A‑School.

The Dean of the School of Architecture serves as the School’s chief academic and administrative officer. The Dean provides strategic vision, and operational leadership for all aspects of the School’s activities—academic programs, faculty and staff affairs, fiscal management, institutional advancement, and external engagement. Importantly, the Dean is expected to be a visible and accessible leader whose presence is evident across the School, engaging regularly with students, staff, faculty, alumni, and advisory boards.

The Dean will recruit and support a world‑class faculty; oversee academic and operational planning; ensure sound fiscal and facilities management; and promote a vibrant, collaborative environment that supports excellence in teaching, research, and practice. The Dean will work closely with faculty and staff governance, University administration, and the School’s advisory boards to ensure that the School continues to thrive as a creative and intellectual cornerstone of the University of Virginia.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Build on UVA’s distinction as a pre‑eminent public university and the School’s century‑long leadership in design education.
• Lead a diverse academic community spanning Architecture, Architectural History, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning, strengthening interdisciplinary teaching, research, and experiential learning, and fostering a collegial environment in which faculty, staff, and students can thrive creatively and intellectually.
• Inspire a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation that prepares students to address the defining challenges of the 21st century—from climate resilience and housing equity to preservation, design justice, and urban transformation.
• Advance the School’s academic profile and visibility nationally and internationally through excellence in teaching, research, and creative practice.
• Promote innovation in pedagogy, design research, and interdisciplinary collaboration that aligns with UVA’s academic and public mission.
• Strengthen connections between design education and the University’s broader strengths in democracy, sustainability, civil and environmental engineering, data science, public policy, and the arts.
• Strengthen the School’s research enterprise by expanding access to public‑sector funding, foundation grants, and private‑sector partnerships that support applied, creative, and scholarly work.
• Serve as the principal advocate and…