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Dean, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (4948)Overview
Northern Illinois University (NIU ) seeks a dynamic, collaborative academic leader to serve as its next Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET ). CEET offers an impressive collection of programs that provide students with a multilayered understanding of the influence of engineering and engineering technology in society. The college prides itself on bringing theory to practice and seeks to be the premier choice for a diverse body of students who aspire to be engineering innovators and leaders for the betterment of the world.
NIU is a high research (R2) and Carnegie-engaged institution that enrolls over 15,600 students, approximately 966 international students and 4,220 graduate students. NIU is home to 66 undergraduate majors, 75 undergraduate minors, 93 emphases and seven pre-professional programs across seven colleges, in addition to a variety of programs that lead to undergraduate and graduate certificates.CEET consists of four departments Electrical Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Technology with additional programs in Biomedical Engineering and Mechatronics. The college offers seven degree programs at the undergraduate level and eight at graduate and Ph.D. levels. Established programs in CEET are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET ) and the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE ).
CEET has situated itself to create an innovative educational environment that promotes success unique to each incoming student by offering a flexible curriculum with solid foundational coursework, an industry-supported innovation center, a variety of co-curricular programming and external activities, and state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms and technologies. The dean will foster collaboration with industry, alumni and communities for students and faculty to engage actively in opportunities to advance learning, professional preparedness, and research and development.
Position Summary
The university seeks an experienced, dynamic, entrepreneurial and creative leader with a thorough understanding of engineering education and research and the ability to build relationships and work collaboratively in a larger university context. The Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology will possess deep knowledge of and commitment to research, teaching and engagement. The successful candidate will have a record of proven academic leadership with strong fiscal, human resource management and fundraising skills. The candidate will enhance the college’s growing reputation as a leader in engineering education and research, and build on our institution’s substantial strengths in academics, engagement and outreach.
The Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology reports to the Executive Vice President and Provost and is responsible for the overall strategic, academic, administrative, and fiscal leadership of the college.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Expectations and Opportunities for Leadership
Developing a Shared and Unifying Vision for Academic Excellence
The Dean will engage with faculty, staff and student leaders to develop and articulate a strategic vision for the CEET that will fortify existing programs through identifying new opportunities with external partners, maximizing the many strengths of the programs and addressing the challenges to assure excellence and promote innovation. This will advance NIU’s position within the region and, by so doing, position CEET as a regional and state leader in engineering education and encourage greater awareness of the value of engineering and technology education.
Strengthening and Supporting a Culture of Inclusive Excellence
The Dean will be engaged in achieving NIU’s mission, vision and values regarding social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and will support processes for the hiring, development and retention of faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of our student population.
Enhancing Community Engagement and Resource Development
The college plays an integral role in supporting the future workforce needs of DeKalb, the northern Illinois region and the state of Illinois. The dean will establish and strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships within the community to further the academic success of our students and faculty.
Fostering a Culture of Honesty, Transparency and Collaboration
The Dean will embrace an inclusive, collaborative approach to leading the college and will foster a culture of transparency and integrity. The dean will serve as an advocate for the college and as partner to other senior leaders on campus to further NIU’s mission, vision and values. The Dean will commit to effective communication with faculty, staff and students.
Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)
Candidate must have an earned terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution. A record of teaching and scholarship that would merit appointment as a tenured full professor in a department at NIU . Five to 10 years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Additional Requirements (SPS)
Demonstrated evidence of excellence in written and oral communications. Creative and distinctive leadership of academic programs; continually seeking opportunities to advance academic excellence and innovation in teaching and research. A record of managing resources to ensure fiscal responsibility and effective long-term A strong understanding and appreciation of a breadth of engineering disciplines and programs as well as the needs and strengths unique to each program. Proven ability to recruit, mentor and retain a diverse faculty. Knowledge of and experience with collective bargaining. Ability to build and enact collaboratively a vision for the college that is shared across faculty, staff and students. Understanding of and commitment to shared governance, transparency and collaboration. Experience with and deep respect for diversity, equity and inclusion as exhibited by a record of promoting diversity within a student body, faculty and administrative team. Deep appreciation and understanding of the changes and trends taking place in both the engineering landscape and higher education more generally. Excellent problem-solving skills, ability to lead with transparency and build consensus to Evidence of implementing transdisciplinary teaching and research initiatives through collaboration with other colleges and departments. Evidence of strong and effective administrative skills with a capacity to build and develop leadership teams at all levels of the college. Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with a wide range of constituents including tenure track faculty instructors, adjuncts and staff within the college. The ability to work collaboratively with external constituents such as deans of other colleges and other senior leaders to advance NIU’s mission.
