DEANS OFFICE-ARTS AND SCIENCES - Dean College of Arts & Sciences

Job Classification

Executive Admin FT (75-100%)

Position summary

The Dean is responsible for articulating a shared vision, providing innovative leadership, and overseeing the operations of the College of Arts and Sciences, reporting directly to the Chief Academic Officer. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service, and will actively support and advance the mission of Andrews University by fostering a Christ-centered educational environment grounded in a biblical worldview.

The Dean plays a role in aligning academic programs with student needs, institutional priorities, and financial sustainability, while building relationships with alumni and external partners to support growth.

Qualifications summary

A successful candidate will have a terminal degree in one of the disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences with administrative and/or mid-management experience in the higher education setting, with an understanding of trends in North American higher education, generally, and specifically for Adventist institutions. The candidate should be a long-term experienced teacher and scholar with demonstrated excellence in these areas; have an understanding of, respect for, and commitment to support each department.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Duties and responsibilities

The Dean of CAS performs the following functions in addition to duties that the Chief Academic Officer may delegate or assign:

Undertakes all responsibilities with a Christ-like mindfulness toward fostering ethical, transparent, collaborative, and respectful relationships. All responsibilities should be done with inclusive, equitable mentorship and relationship building in mind in the context of the complex, multicultural environment that is Andrews University.

Articulates and empowers the implementation of a vision for the College, as well as its respective departments.

Advocates for a variety of resources: finances, faculty, equipment, and space. The Dean supports recruiting events and reviews recruiting materials to ensure consistency of the CAS message and informs the fundraising agenda of the University.

Promotes spiritual community among faculty, staff, and students to create a learning environment facilitating spiritual growth. The Dean must be passionate about learning and telling what it means to follow Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century.

Collaborates with other deans in furthering the overall academic mission of the University through participation in the deliberations and decisions of the Deans Council and the University Strategy and Academic Policies Council.

Promotes departmental assessment of student learning outcomes and utilization of resulting data as tools to advance the quality of departmental programs and services.

Calls and presides over meetings of the CAS faculty. Reports to the faculty on the activities, needs, and achievements of the school. Dialogs with faculty and solicits feedback on matters directly affecting CAS. The Dean in turn informs administrative officers or the Board of Trustees about faculty recommendations.

Communicates actively with departments and their faculty members through CAS Chairs council and direct interaction with departments as needed.

Supports faculty development actively in teaching, research and service -- including financial support, a cooperative responsibility with chairs.

In collaboration with Finance, establishes and manages the budget throughout the year.

Makes a recommendation to the CAO regarding the appointment, reappointment, or promotion of faculty in consultation with departments.

Facilitates the adequate provision and use of instructional materials.

Assists departmental chairs in developing a strategy to schedule classes that adhere to the University schedule of classes for the registrar’s approval.

Supports and mentors departmental chairs in their roles and serves as a liaison between departments when necessary.

Oversees the timely preparation and modification of bulletin copy and course schedules for CAS relevant areas (including implementation of new programs and termination of old programs).

Facilitates decision making to proactively respond to the changing landscape of higher education and to advocate innovative ways to lead a college in challenging times.

Supervisory responsibilities

The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has direct supervisory responsibility for CAS administrative assistants, department chairs and/or program directors. Across these roles and responsibilities, the Dean:

Models servant leadership to department chairs, faculty, and staff to help ensure a culture of collegiality and care.

Provides leadership to the faculty in the development of academic policies, procedures and plans for furthering the educational mission and strategic plans of the College in synchrony with university-wide missions and strategic plans.

Manages (or through designees) all buildings, rooms, and general equipment assigned to CAS.

Ensures that CAS departments develop, offer, and maintain programs of excellent quality in the areas of instruction, research, and service.

Provides recommendations on academic administrative policies and procedures for the university by participating as a school representative in appropriate academic committees and councils.

Monitors the academic progress of students towards graduation which includes presenting their names for appropriate action by the CAS faculty and recommending them to the Board of Trustees for conferral of degrees.

Requires and keeps current the job descriptions of persons reporting to the Dean.

Serve as Andrews University liaison with the Berrien County Math & Science Center (RESA).

Provides administrative support for ancillary businesses of CAS (Physics Enterprises, Berrien County Forensic Lab, etc.).

Qualifications

The Dean of CAS should have the following qualifications:

Hold a terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in one of the disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Demonstrate a record of long-term excellence in and commitment to teaching and scholarship, and a good record of academic/professional service, preferably eligible for the rank of Full Professor.

Demonstrate a record of leadership in higher-education administration with an understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing higher education in the United States.

Exhibit a capacity to network effectively within and beyond the academic community.

Understand (including a willingness to learn more about) and respect each discipline (and its delivery at Andrews) of the broad spectrum of liberal arts disciplines housed in CAS.

Experience working with diverse educational communities in an inclusive and equitable fashion.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing who demonstrates a clear commitment to advancing the Seventh-day Adventist educational system and promoting a biblical worldview in higher education.

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Technical competencies

N/A

Interpersonal interactions

Across all duties and responsibilities, the Dean engages daily with a wide range of people and should exhibit the following abilities:

Serve as a spiritual leader who sets the tone for a culture of mutual respect and care.

Foster relational and collaborative interactions with peers, faculty, and students.

Value individuals as persons and promotes the dignity of the human.

Advocate for faculty and students.

Function as a team builder, not only within CAS but across the university and external communities.

Act with integrity, fairness, and confidentiality in all duties.

Work effectively in, and promote, the multicultural environment of Andrews University.