Position Description

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Texas A&M University at College Station is seeking candidates for the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. The Dean is the chief academic and executive officer of the College and reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics. The Dean has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the College meets its multiple missions of research, teaching and service. In fulfillment of this responsibility, the Dean provides intellectual and administrative leadership, coordinates College priorities and goals with faculty and department heads, supports faculty development, acts as an advocate for the humanities and social sciences in the University, implements quality educational programs, and participates in University-wide leadership initiatives.

Texas A&M University is in the ninth year of a long-range planning process entitled Vision 2020 (http://www.tamu.edu/vision2020/) with the goal of becoming a consensus "Top 10" public university. To date, the university has raised over $1.5 billion through a development campaign and has hired faculty for 442 new faculty lines, 64 of whom are in the College of Liberal Arts. The new dean will provide leadership in the College’s efforts to enhance excellence and assist in the University’s pursuit of consensus top-ten status among public universities by the year 2020.

One of the largest colleges in the University, the College of Liberal Arts consists of 12 departments, with 502 faculty (360 tenured/tenure-track, 142 lecturers) serving over 6,800 students (5,991 undergraduates, 356 master’s and 467 doctoral students). The College offers degrees in 10 doctoral, 10 master’s, and 24 undergraduate programs and has nine interdisciplinary programs. Almost all University undergraduate students take courses through the College of Liberal Arts. College of Liberal Arts faculty are engaged in a variety of international activities, including working at the branch campus in the state of Qatar, and centers in Mexico City, Costa Rica, and Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy.

Texas A&M University ranks as the nation’s sixth largest university in enrollment with over 48,000 students (38,430 undergraduates and 9,609 graduates) studying over 250 degrees in 10 academic colleges. The University consistently ranks among the country’s top 20 universities in enrollment of National Merit Scholars and has an endowment valued at more than $4 billion, which ranks third among U.S. public universities and 10th overall. In addition, the University conducts research valued at more than $550 million annually, placing it among the top 20 universities nationally. Additional background information on the University and the College of Liberal Arts may be found at the dean search website, http://cladeansearch.tamu.edu/.

Qualifications include an earned doctorate or equivalent, an outstanding record in research and education commensurate with the appointment to the rank of professor with tenure in one of the departments of the College, and excellence in academic and administrative leadership at the college or department level or other relevant administrative position. The candidate should have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, a strong commitment to diversity and internationalization, experience working on interdisciplinary initiatives, and success in fundraising from external resources. The successful candidate must have the ability to work effectively with administrators, faculty, staff, students, former students, and external constituencies.

The search committee will begin reviewing nominations and information from prospective applicants in September 2009 and will continue to accept nominations and applications until a new Dean of Liberal Arts is selected. The target appointment date is August 1, 2010. The committee will make every effort to maintain confidentiality. Prospective applicants should include a letter describing their interest in and qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses (including e-mail), and telephone numbers for at least five references. Submit nominations and applications materials electronically to CLADeanSearch@tamu.edu.

Bryan-College Station, home of Texas A&M University, is centrally located among three of the country’s 10 largest cities (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio). The community has a population in excess of 155,000 and features many of the advantages of a cosmopolitan center without the disadvantages of a congested urban environment.

Texas A&M University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and encourages applications from candidates who would enhance the diversity of the University’s administration.

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