Dean, College of Visual Arts and Design

REPORTS TO: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

LOCATION: Denton, Texas

THE POSITION

The Dean of the College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD) is responsible for strategically managing academic, fiscal, facilities, and personnel issues, and provides leadership for the College to foster excellence in teaching, research, creative activities, and service to the professions represented within CVAD and society more broadly.

The Dean represents the College to external agencies and constituencies, actively participates in fundraising initiatives, and advocates for the College in particular and the visual arts and design in general within and beyond the university.

The Dean reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and works closely with CVAD's Associate Deans, Department Chairs and Program Directors, as well as with the Deans and Directors of other university units. The Dean must be a leader with vision and imagination who will be credible to a diverse array of constituents and willing to work collaboratively at all levels. The Dean will support the University's commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and access.

THE COLLEGE

Considered one of the leading visual arts and design schools in the nation, UNT’s College of Visual Arts and Design offers educational opportunities including 29 degree programs and concentrations ranging from art history to new media art. We are ranked #42 Best Fine Arts Program by US News and World Report, our communication design program is ranked first in the Southwest, and we offer the state’s only Ph.D. in art education. The College of Visual Arts and Design facilities include a new, four-story, 133,000 square-foot addition, and a renovation of the existing 84,500 square-foot building. Planning is underway for additional studio space to house the ceramics facilities and graduate studios. With 2,155 undergraduate students and 141 graduate students, the NASAD and CIDA accredited programs include the BA, BFA, MA, and MFA in art education, art history, ceramics, communication design, drawing and painting, fashion design, interaction design, interdisciplinary art and design studies, interior design, metalsmithing and jewelry, new media art, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and user-experience design, with a PhD offered in art education. The College of Visual Arts and Design has three galleries on campus which allow for the display of both art and design, and is a center for artistic expression in the North Texas region and beyond. The Art in Public Places program is a program of the University of North Texas managed by the College of Visual Arts and Design. A nationally and internationally recognized faculty provides students with excellent mentors and role models upon which to pattern their careers. The College proudly claims a number of internationally known artists, designers, and scholars among its alumni. Additional information about the College and University can be found at cvad.unt.edu and www.unt.edu.

THE INSTITUTION

Established in 1890, the University of North Texas is a place where students transform their lives through education and opportunity. Today, nearly 41,000 students from across the state, nation and world are fulfilling their dreams and attaining an excellent educational experience. They choose from 230 programs — many nationally and internationally recognized — to pursue their goals of becoming teachers, artists, engineers and a variety of other professions. At UNT, students and their success are the utmost priority.

Ranked a Tier One research university by the Carnegie Classification (and one of only 16 R1’s that are an Hispanic Serving Institution), UNT has a long track record of excellence in education, music, the arts, business and social sciences with growing strengths in science and engineering. Students and faculty earn top awards for their academic, artistic, research and civic achievements. UNT is especially well known for its highly accomplished and respected arts programs. In addition to the 2,220 plus student College of Visual Arts and Design, UNT is home to the nation’s largest College of Music with almost 1,600 majors and, located within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the Department of Media Arts with roughly 1,300 majors and the Department of Dance and Theatre with nearly 350 majors. Opportunities for collaborations are truly exceptional at UNT. The university has been named one of America’s 100 Best College Buys® by Forbes for 25 consecutive years, a ranking based on having a high-achieving freshman class and affordable tuition. The Princeton Review continually names UNT as a “Best in the West school”, and Forbes has listed UNT as an American Top College for ten consecutive years.

As part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Denton offers access to rich cultural offerings and excellent research and professional opportunities for students and faculty. The Dallas Arts District is the largest contiguous arts district in the country and includes performing and visual arts institutions including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Crow Collection of Asian Art. The Fort Worth Cultural District includes the Amon Carter Museum, Kimbell Art Museum, and Modern Art Museum.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• An appropriate terminal degree and substantial record of artistic and/or scholarly achievement. The Dean must demonstrate qualifications meriting a tenured appointment as Full Professor in one of the College's academic programs;
• A compelling record of proven leadership experience and achievement at the level of Department Chair, Research or Center Director, Associate/Assistant Dean, Dean or above in higher education or its equivalent in an arts or design-related organization;
• A leader deeply committed to, and accomplished in, meaningful progress in matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education and the visual arts and design;
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and other resource development, including identification of new sources of support in order to build new and sustain ongoing initiatives; development of internal and external support for educational outreach and creative or scholarly work; and building of partnerships with community, state and national fine arts and design organizations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Positive growth in rank and accomplishment, demonstration of excellent managerial and organizational skills, and a record of achieving positive visibility for successful initiatives;
• Strategic vision, a sense of priorities, and the ability to provide focus and perspective in order to move CVAD forward, along with self-confidence in making decisions and creativity in solving problems to operationalize that vision;
• A proven record in recruiting and promoting talented people, encouraging teamwork and inspiring the best efforts among faculty, staff, and students;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills coupled with the ability to articulate the vision of CVAD to the university, the community and other cultural institutions.

ESSENTIAL COMMITMENTS OF THE DEAN

The Dean must be committed to:

• Appreciation of the range of disciplines and activities in the College of Visual Arts and Design in order to advocate on behalf of all of its parts and strengthen the whole College while balancing the needs and aspirations of its component parts and constituencies;
• Student success and degree completion;
• Shared governance and consensus building;
• Advancement of excellence and diversity among faculty, students and staff;
• Continuing to integrate multi-media and new technology across visual arts and design programs.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The Search Committee invites nominations, applications (this consists of a letter of interest describing relevant qualifications and experiences; curriculum vitae; the names of at least five references) to be submitted to Parker Executive Search. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The Search Committee prefers that all nominations and applications be submitted to Parker Executive Search prior to January 1, 2021.

Porsha L. Williams, Vice President

Jacob Anderson, Principal

Parker Executive Search

Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875, Atlanta, GA 30328

Phone: 770-804-1996 ext: 109 and 111

www.parkersearch.com

pwilliams@parkersearch.com || janderson@parkersearch.com

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practice.