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.
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.