Associate Dean for Faculty of Business and Strategic Communication

Arkansas State University Campus Querétaro (Mexico) is seeking an Associate Dean for Faculty of Business & Communication.  The campus opened for classes in August 2017 and focuses on degrees in Business, Communication, Engineering, Science and Technology.  

This is a unique opportunity for a pioneering and inspirational leader to initiate and influence an innovative academic culture.  The Associate Dean will collaborate with the Deans of the College of Business and the College of Liberal Arts on the Arkansas State University Jonesboro campus and the Vice Rector of the Querétaro campus to manage and supervise the following degree programs:

• Business Administration (BS)
• Global Supply Chain Management (BS)
• International Business (BS)
• Marketing (BS)
• Strategic Communication (BS)

These additional degree programs will be added August 2020:

• Accounting (BS)
• Finance (BS)
• Economics (BA)

Strategy

Additionally, the Associate Dean will be responsible for establishing the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree program.

With the business programs entering their third year, the Associate Dean will play a critical role in hiring faculty in the areas of marketing, management and finance who have teaching and professional experience, particularly in areas pertaining to international business.  Evidence of building relations with businesses to provide greater educational opportunities for students is also important.  Experience with industries in the Queretaro area and Mexico is highly desirable.

The Associate Dean will be a 12-month appointment responsible for administering the course offerings, developing faculty and conducting annual reviews, preparing academic budgets and maintaining equipment and supplies for the faculty of Business & Communication. While reporting to the Vice Rector of the Querétaro campus for operational purposes, they will coordinate with the Dean of the College of Business and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts on issues of assessment, curriculum development, hiring, faculty credentials, course offerings and accreditation.

Preference will be given to candidates with previous administrative experience at the department or college level.  Additional preference will be given to candidates who have experience with U.S. colleges or universities.  Professional administrative or managerial experience will also be considered, particularly related to managing AACSB accreditation.  The Associate Dean must meet all qualifications for a faculty appointment in one of the business disciplines of the college and is expected to teach a reduced load.  

While all instruction is in English, a reasonable level of Spanish is preferred for this position.

 Specific activities expected of successful candidate:

1. Hiring Faculty. Coordinate with faculty search committees to recommend qualified faculty to the Vice Rector to hire in these areas.  This includes initiating searches, seeking out diverse candidates, setting up interviews and making recommendations to the Vice Rector. Scheduling Courses. Work with registrar to schedule courses and sections for the programs listed above.  This includes making sure faculty have submitted textbook orders for classes. Curriculum Development. Keep current with curriculum developments on the Jonesboro Campus and to work with Educational Liaison to the SEP to have programs approved in Mexico.  Promote currency and best practices in pedagogy and subject matter. Work with the Assessment Directors on the Jonesboro Campus to collect appropriate data from Gen Ed courses listed above to meet HLC requirements for assessment.  This includes gathering syllabi for each course each semester. Prepare business and communication programs to successfully receive CACECA accreditation at the earliest possibility. External Relations. Work with the office of Development and External Relations to recruit participation from government, industry and business operations with the STEM programs on campus.  This would include building relationships with industries and research centers that would allow students to work on innovative projects.  Also support with fundraising and solicitation of scholarships for students. Other Activities. Be a leader on campus and work with and support the Vice Rector to promote academic and scholarly excellence among faculty and students. 

About Querétaro, Mexico

Located in the highlands of central Mexico two hours north of Mexico City, Santiago de Querétaro (1.2m) is a UNESCO World Heritage city and one of the fastest growing and safest in Mexico.  Home to more than 1,200 multi-national corporations, international interest in Querétaro has increased because of its economic growth, high quality of life, social progress and year round temperate climate.

About Arkansas State University Campus Querétaro

The Querétaro (Mexico) Campus of Arkansas State University is the first “American Style” comprehensive residential campus in Mexico.  Through a multi-national public-private partnership, Arkansas State University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, will be responsible for all academic and curricular matters while a private sector foundation in Mexico will construct and maintain the campus, ensure its official status and serve as the operating partner.

A-State Querétaro will operate as a private university in Querétaro with all degrees valid in the U.S. and Mexico and enrolling primarily Mexican nationals. The campus is located 6 miles from the region’s rapidly developing international airport (QRO) and 20 miles from the historic heart of Querétaro.  More than 370 acres are devoted to the campus, with the first phase occupying 87 acres.  Academic and residential buildings are state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to creating a “living-learning community.” The campus is envisioned as the center of a master planned community for 70,000 inhabitants.

A-State Querétaro employees, including Associate Deans, are not employees of Arkansas State University – instead, they are employed by a private sector foundation registered in Mexico for this purpose.   All non-Mexican national faculty members must qualify for employment as a foreign worker in Mexico, with this process being managed by A-State Querétaro at no cost to the employee.

Compensation in pesos will be guided by prevailing Mexican rates for university faculty adjusted by discipline with the expectation that A-State Querétaro intends to be a preferred employer among institutions of higher education in Mexico.

The academic calendar will be very similar to most institutions in the United States, approximately August 15 – May 15 annually. 

Applications:  Please send your CV, letter of application and a list of five references to Dr. David Ray, Vice Rector of A-State Campus Querétaro, dray@astate.edu AND Roberto Romero Garcia, HR Director, rromero@astate.edy,mx.  For more information about the campus and its programs, please visit our website: www.AState.edu/CQ

Review of applications will begin:  October 1, 2019

Position will begin:  Ideally, January 1, 2020, but no later than June 1, 2020.