Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Job Summary Roosevelt University seeks an innovative, dynamic, future-oriented leader to advance the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) to new levels of prominence locally, nationally, and internationally. This is a transformative opportunity for a creative, energetic academician to lead the university's largest college during a period of significant change and potential growth at the university.
Founded in 1945 on the principle that higher education should be available to all academically qualified students regardless of class, racial or ethnic origin, gender, or age. Roosevelt is an independent, non-profit university that today enrolls 6450 students and is among the most diverse institutions of higher education in the country. In recent years, Roosevelt has rapidly evolved from a primarily part-time, commuter student body to a more traditionally aged, full-time population.
The university's urban campus, anchored by Chicago's historic landmark Auditorium Building by the renowned architect, Louis Sullivan, has expanded over the last decade to include four other sites: the newly opened 32-story vertical campus housing high-tech classrooms and labs, student residences, and faculty and administrative offices; another historic Louis Sullivan building (Gage Building), housing the Departments of Communication, Computer Science, and Psychology with CAS as well as two other colleges ; University Center, a residence hall jointly owned with two other Chicago universities; and an athletics center scheduled to open in December 2012. Since 1996, the university has also had a permanent presence in the Northwest suburbs at our Schaumburg campus, where the CAS and four other of Roosevelt's colleges offer many professionally-oriented programs. Since 2001, Roosevelt has offered a steady portfolio of online courses, as well.
The CAS (www.roosevelt.edu/cas) houses ten academic departments, five interdisciplinary programs, and nine institutes and centers, and offers more than 60 degree programs at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels, as well as providing much of the general education programs for the university's colleges. The faculty consists of 120 full-time professors and a sizeable part-time faculty. The Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the College and has the following responsibilities:
Aligning programs and activities with the university's social justice mission, values, and strategies;
Assuring the integrity of student learning, including both curricular and co-curricular activities;
Recruiting, developing, and managing faculty and staff;
Academic assessment, program review, and accreditations;
Fiscal oversight of such things as fundraising, grants and contracts, and advisory board management.
The Dean's ability to think strategically and work collaboratively is crucial as the College pursues increased external funding to support new program development and enrollment growth at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Dean must work collaboratively with faculty to develop and articulate a clear vision for all units of the College to students, faculty, and the larger community and provide a persuasive strategy that embodies the role and purpose of the liberal arts and sciences in contemporary higher education.
Minimum Qualifications A terminal degree in a discipline represented within the College and a record of professional accomplishments and scholarship that meets the qualifications for the rank of Professor in a department of the College;
Significant experience as a college administrator or department chair, including experience in shared governance;
A strong record of innovative leadership and increasing administrative experience and responsibility.
Preferred Qualifications Strong preference will be given to candidates with the following attributes and experience:
Evidence of recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty and staff, as well as teambuilding, supervision, and support for professional development;
Evidence of strategic leadership in enhancing student academic and co-curricular success;
Evidence of support for and enhancement of teaching excellence, including knowledge of and support for curriculum development, implementation of innovative pedagogies and learning models, and a commitment to global perspectives in the curriculum;
Demonstrated commitment to scholarly research and creative activities in the liberal arts and sciences;
Ability to secure external funding for the college and advance collaborative partnerships and relationships with college alumni and constituencies external to the University (e.g., individual donors; foundations; corporations).
