Dean of the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies

We collectively acknowledge that we gather at NDSU, a land grant institution, on the traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda) and Anishinaabe Peoples in addition to many diverse Indigenous Peoples still connected to these lands. We honor with gratitude Mother Earth and the Indigenous Peoples who have walked with her throughout generations. We will continue to learn how to live in unity with Mother Earth and build strong, mutually beneficial, trusting relationships with Indigenous Peoples of our region.

North Dakota State University (NDSU) is seeking a collaborative and accomplished leader to serve as the Dean of the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies in support of the university’s land grant mission. Reporting to the Provost, the Dean is responsible for the oversight of all matters in the College. The Dean will:

• Ensure the quality of graduate education at NDSU continually meets the highest standards at the national level;
• Serve as the university-wide leader and advocate for graduate education;
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in all dimensions;
• Work collaboratively with the academic colleges to enhance all facets of graduate education, including graduate research, creative activity and teaching;
• Manage the operations and budget for the college, including management of fifteen professional staff members;
• Oversee and advocate for the Graduate Professional Skills Academy in order to promote professional development for diverse career paths and graduate student success;
• Oversee teaching, research and service activities related to interdisciplinary graduate programs;
• Develop new strategies and opportunities to enhance resources for graduate assistantships and fellowships, including grant writing and fund raising;
• Communicate the value of NDSU graduate education to external stakeholders, in order to support graduate level programming;
• Work with faculty members from across the campus serving on the Graduate Council to enhance graduate education;
• Collaborate with the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and the Dean of Libraries to advance the status of NDSU as a Research University;

• Serve as a member of the Deans Council and other committees as assigned; and

• Serve with integrity and transparency.

Required Qualifications:

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness;
• Commitment to transparency in prioritization and decision making;
• Commitment to ethical standards and conduct in all areas;
• A record of research/creative activity and teaching meriting an appointment as a tenured full professor in an academic department at NDSU;
• An earned terminal degree from an accredited institution;
• Successful supervision and mentoring of graduate students;
• Experience managing budgets and personnel; 
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide spectrum of constituents;
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to secure additional resources through grant writing and fundraising efforts;
• An understanding of national trends in graduate education;
• Demonstrated advocacy skills;
• Demonstrated experience with strategic planning and implementation;
• Demonstrated ability to manage, mentor and evaluate professional staff.

Application Process:

Questions about the search can be directed to Dr. Jim Deal [Jim.Deal@ndsu.edu], chair of the search committee. While applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled, optimal consideration will be given to those candidates that submit application materials by July 9, 2021.  A curriculum vitae and cover letter addressing the required and preferred qualifications should be submitted to  ndsu.provost@ndsu.edu. The search is confidential until the finalists are identified.

About the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies:

The College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies has fifteen professional staff members. It serves approximately 2,500 professional/graduate students across 50 doctoral degrees, 86 masters’ degrees, one education specialist degree, and 12 certificate programs. The Dean oversees these programs as well as professional development through the Graduate Professional Skills Academy and the Center for Writers. In addition, the Dean is directly responsible for the seven graduate programs that are organized into interdisciplinary clusters focused on Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Food Safety, Genomics, Materials and Nanotechnology, Natural Resources Management, and STEM education.

About North Dakota State University

Proud of and committed to its historic land-grant mission, North Dakota State University (NDSU) is ranked 94th among all public research universities by the National Science Foundation. NDSU has attained the Carnegie Classification of “Research Universities/High Research Activity” and may aspire to regain “Very High Research Activity” status.

NDSU is located in the vibrant and growing city of Fargo, North Dakota. North Dakota has been one of the fastest growing states in the country over the past decade with the Fargo area in the vanguard of that growth, with a metropolitan population of more than 257,000. Residents of Fargo enjoy a fantastic quality of life with the City continuously earning numerous national awards. Residents enjoy a wide range of cultural and entertainment options from live theater, ballet, opera, galleries and museums. The area also includes an array of restaurants, craft breweries, wineries, as well as shopping options. The area is abundant with natural beauty and activities for the outdoor lover. Fargo offers a lower unemployment rate, favorable tax structure as well as a cost of living that is 8.1% less than the U.S. average. With higher than the national average investment per student, Fargo is proud of its public school system.

 The NDSU community prioritizes and values diversity and inclusion, and take collective responsibility for ensuring a sense of belonging, respect, and justice that support the success of each person. NDSU especially encourages applications from women, members of racial/ethnic minority groups, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and other underrepresented classes.

 Moreover, Fargo is an increasingly cosmopolitan metropolitan area, with steady and notable growth over the past few years in its racial, cultural and ethnic diversity. Considering these consistent trends, NDSU is actively engaged in attracting candidates from diverse backgrounds. NDSU genuinely values and encourages their contributions to making the campus reflect, embrace and meaningfully promote this diversity.

North Dakota State University is an Equal Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable. NDSU is committed to diversity and encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented groups. This position is exempt from North Dakota Veterans’ Preference requirements.