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Inaugural Dean for the School of Arts and SciencesSUNY Geneseo
Inaugural Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences
Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist SUNY Geneseo in its search for Inaugural Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences .
For full consideration, please apply by January 15.
This is a pivotal moment for a visionary leader to shape the future and build on SUNY Geneseo’s legacy of academic excellence in the liberal arts. At New York State’s only public liberal arts honors college, the inaugural Dean joins a highly motivated faculty committed to student success, evidenced by an impressive 87.3% student retention rate. The Dean is a vital member of the Provost’s Executive Leadership Team and will work closely with the new Provost to advance the college’s Strategic Plan championing SUNY Geneseo’s mission of delivering a distinctive, equity-centered, public liberal arts honors college experience to all students.
This role calls for an action-oriented leader with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging, capable of navigating and thriving in a period of transformational change and growth. With the recent restructuring of the Academic Affairs division, the Dean will oversee 18 academic departments, collaborating with the deans of the Schools of Education and Business to drive curriculum innovation and identify opportunities in graduate, certificate, and online education.
Consistently ranked among the best public undergraduate institutions in the country, Geneseo has one of the highest four-year graduation rates among the 64 SUNY institutions and ranks in the top 15 in the nation among public institutions for its six-year graduation rates among recipients of federal Pell grants. It is also among the top institutions in the nation of its type in the number of alumni with doctorates in STEM disciplines, the number of Fulbright US Student Program awards, and the number of Peace Corps volunteers it produces.
The Inaugural Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences serves as the chief academic and administrative officer supervising the following arts and sciences departments: anthropology; art history; biology, chemistry & biochemistry; communication; English; geography & sustainability studies; geological, environment, & planetary sciences; history; global languages & cultures; mathematics; music & musical theatre; philosophy; physics & astronomy; political science & international relations; psychology; sociology; and theater & dance, as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Programs (which coordinates interdisciplinary programs in American Studies, Black Studies, Individualized Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies).
This position reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and serves as a member of the Provost’s Executive Leadership Team.
SUNY Geneseo offers a generous and comprehensive Benefits Package , including retiree health benefits after 10 years of service.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides overall leadership, direction, advocacy, communication, coordination, and assessment of the school, and of the programs within it in alignment with the mission, vision, and strategic goals of the College
Establishes and maintains a cooperative collegial work climate, collaboratively leading the school toward improved productivity and relevancy, ensuring the academic integrity and curricular coherence of all programs
Pursues and brings new ideas and academic best practices to the school
Works with the faculty to maintain and enhance academic quality, foster engaged learning, and sustain high impact educational practices such as integrated and applied learning, undergraduate and graduate research, international studies and global experiences, and service learning
Continues to build the education programs on the foundation of a strong liberal arts program that integrates curricular and co-curricular learning to educate the whole student
The Dean oversees:
Strategic short and long-range planning
Budgets
Fundraising
In-person, online, undergraduate, and graduate curriculum
Student recruitment, retention, completion, and academic success
Faculty and staff recruitment, development, support, evaluation, and retention
Assessment, compliance, and reporting
Accreditation
Data- and market-informed strategic development and management of programs
Community engagement
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Terminal degree in field of study
Scholarly and/or creative accomplishments appropriate for appointment as a tenured faculty member in an academic field of study offered at SUNY Geneseo
Record of accomplishment in teaching and professional service
About the SUNY System
SUNY Geneseo is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) and plays an important role in the system with access to resources in areas such as international programs and research support beyond those of a typical small campus. SUNY is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive state university system, consisting of 64 campuses that include major research universities, health sciences centers, comprehensive and technical colleges, and community colleges committed to providing a broad range of outstanding academic programs for students within New York and from around the world. SUNY enrolls more than 363,612 students (half of them in community colleges), has more than 83,000 employees, and has a projected all-funds budget in excess of $13 billion. The system annually receives upwards of $1 billion in sponsored research funds. SUNY is a significant force in higher education nationally with increasing global impact as well as a vital economic, social, and cultural engine for the State of New York. John B. King Jr. is the 15th Chancellor of the SUNY System. Chancellor King served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the 10th US Secretary of Education. His service in Washington, DC, followed his tenure as New York State’s first African American and first Puerto Rican Education Commissioner, a role in which he oversaw all elementary and secondary schools, as well as public, independent, and proprietary colleges and universities, professional licensure, libraries, museums, and numerous other educational institutions.
About the Institution
Founded in 1871 as the Geneseo Normal and Training School, SUNY Geneseo is one of the original campuses of the SUNY system, established in 1948. It has evolved into a nationally recognized, selective public liberal arts college with undergraduate and graduate programs of study. SUNY Geneseo is proud of its status as New York State’s sole member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).
As part of its liberal arts mission, Geneseo prepares its students to become responsible and engaged citizens who can assist the communities in which they live to become more diverse and inclusive, more globally aware, and more sustainable. As an indication of its success, for the ninth consecutive year, Geneseo was included in Washington Monthly’s top five US master’s institutions , this time placing first for its contributions to the public good. The Princeton Review also named SUNY Geneseo as a Best Value College for 2024. Because of its mission and the quality of its educational programs, Geneseo attracts bright, inquisitive, highly motivated, and socially responsible students who make the most of the opportunities that college affords them. With a mean high school grade-point average of 92.38, Geneseo is the most selective of the SUNY comprehensive universities.
Living in the Area
SUNY Geneseo is set in the historic village of Geneseo, with approximately 8,000 residents, on land that originally belonged to the peoples who are now the Seneca Nation of Indians and Tonawanda Seneca Nation. The Genesee Valley is considered the jewel of Geneseo, with stunning landscapes of rolling hills, expansive vistas and lush farmlands. Located in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of western NY, the scenic beauty offers a variety of year-round outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, fishing and other sports enjoyed in the surrounding lakes region.
In addition to local cafés, farmers’ markets, and unique shops, Geneseo’s location offers easy day trips to Niagara Falls; Toronto, Ontario; Buffalo, NY; and Rochester, NY. Beautiful Letchworth State Park, a top ranked nation’s Best State Parks, is within 10 miles of campus. Geneseo’s cost of living is 14.4% lower than the US average, and despite its small size, there are excellent, highly rated schools in the area, making it an ideal place for raising a family.
To Apply
For full consideration, please apply by January 15.
To be viewed by the search firm, you must apply directly at: https://acesrch.applicantstack.com/x/detail/a21esjypvide
Please apply through the application link and do not email applications.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.
Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.
Inquiries and questions : Please send to SUNYGeneseoDeanAS@acesrch.com
Nominations and referrals : Please send the nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com .
Institution’s EEO Statement
SUNY Geneseo is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding students, faculty, staff, and administration. We recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all positions and ensure that all other personnel actions are conducted without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. We encourage all people with disabilities to apply.
Applicants, students, employees, and other members of the College community (including vendors, visitors, and guests) are protected from illegal forms of harassment or retaliation based upon a protected characteristic.
