Job Details

Dean - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Go to our website »

Position Number: 5371187
Location: Cheney, WA
Position Type: Deans - Education

Dean - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

About Eastern Washington University:

Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. EWUs 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washingtons second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building, the SIERR building which is a hub for research, development and advancement of health sciences, and at Riverpoint, a campus shared with Washington State University. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelors and masters degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Eastern Washington University has been recognized for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a nationally trusted resource guide for college-bound students. The honor recognizes Eastern as a 22-23 College of Distinction (CoD).

Money magazine recently named EWU as one of its Best Colleges in America 2023.

Tribal Land Acknowledgement
Eastern Washington University resides within the traditional homelands of the Spokane People and other tribes who are connected through their shared history of this region. This land holds their cultural DNA and it is their Ancestors who are here and bring forth the knowledge of this place-the knowledge that comes from the land.

Job Summary:

Eastern Washington University seeks applicants for the next Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Applicants are expected to be experienced, dynamic, and demonstrate inclusive leadership with the highest standards of personal and professional ethics and a record of success leading through innovative organizational change.

The college is one of four within the University. The dean advocates for the college internally and externally and articulates a distinctive strategy and unifying vision for the college, building community while championing academic excellence and faculty, staff, and student success. Reporting to the provost and vice president for academic affairs, the dean leads the college in alignment with the university strategic plan. The dean is responsible for creating and supporting educational programs of the highest quality; prioritizing opportunities to strengthen experiential learning and enhance student success; serving as the chief spokesperson and college advocate; recruiting and maintaining an excellent and diverse faculty; fiscal strategy including stewardship and enhancement of administrative and operational excellence; and contributing to college advancement, including fundraising and enhancing relationships with alumni, donors, partner institutions, and community and civic leaders.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Vision: The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences envisions a future of students who become leaders, innovators, and creators transforming society, culture, and the environment on behalf of the common good.

Mission: The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences integrates discovery, creativity, personal reflection, a plurality of ideas, and professional exploration. We achieve this mission by promoting:

Opportunities for creativity, intellectual development, and professional training.
Critical thinking, interdisciplinary conversation, and local and global relationships.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, such as efforts to achieve the Hispanic-Serving Institution designation.
Initiative and the integration of these efforts into the fabric of college activities.
Community engagement as a key component of learning.
Research and innovation, collaboration, and life-long learning.

Values: The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences adopts the core values of:

Growth and transformation through learning.
A safe, encouraging, and inspiring learning environment.
Diversity among ideas and curriculum that is culturally responsive and representative of our student populations.
Social justice and environmental sustainability.
Local and global engagement.
Collaboration in teaching, scholarship, and service.

The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences leads the University in creating a campus climate that welcomes and respects diversity. EWU is a microcosm of society reflecting a multiplicity of people, histories, ideas, beliefs and philosophies. Faculty and staff in CAHSS demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in teaching, research, and service activities that foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment where marginalized voices are heard and welcomed. CAHSS is committed to the creation of student-centered spaces that seek to provide and meet the academic as well as personal and social needs of students.

The college is comprised of:

Eight departments: Communication Studies; Economics; English and Philosophy; Fine and Performing Arts; History, Anthropology, and Modern Languages and Literatures; Military Science; Political Science and Public Policy; and Sociology and Justice Studies.

Four Independent Academic Programs: Africana Studies; American Indian Studies; Chicana/o/x Studies; and Gender, Womens, and Sexuality Studies.

Three Centers: American Indian Education Center, Center for Northwest Politics, and The Womens and Gender Education (WAGE) Center.

Three Co-curricular and Academic Support Programs: Asia University America Program, English Language Institute (ELI), and Get Lit!

Role of the Dean

Per Eastern Washington University Academic Policy, the dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is responsible for:

Providing effective and efficient administration of the college and its programs, including the development and implementation of plans for the college;
Effectively and efficiently managing the financial and human resources of the college; overseeing both state and self-support programs, as well as CAHSS College in the High School programs;
Being an active and collaborative participant in the setting of university policy through involvement in the Presidents Cabinet;
Being an active and collaborative participant in the setting of academic policy through involvement in the Academic Affairs Council;
Improving the quality of the educational services offered by the college through the development of processes that encourage improvements in academic programs and research and scholarship, including but not limited to faculty and staff development, grants and contracts, assessment programs, internships, and scholarly opportunities for faculty and students;
Participating in the university governance process, such as serving on committees and task forces, search, program development and review, and strategic and ongoing institutional planning committees;
Maintaining a professional development plan;
Building partnerships with external constituencies such as alumni, private and public organizations and participating effectively in university fund raising activities;
Articulating and promoting the universitys mission and objectives;
Seeking feedback on the success of the institutions academic programs;
Regularly convening chairs and directors for purposes of planning and the sharing of information;
Identifying unmet educational needs that the college may serve;
Ensuring that the curriculum reflects a diversity of learning styles and perspectives;
Expanding scholarship opportunities for underrepresented populations;
Promoting strategies that encourage honest dialogue and foster a campus-wide ethic of inclusivity and a welcoming climate.

Please see Job Duties section for a more complete list of position responsibilities.

Applications are open and will be accepted until recruitment is closed. Screening of applications will begin in August of 2024. All materials will be held in strictest confidence; references will not be contacted until candidates have been notified.

The salary for this position is $155,000 (minimum) up to $180,000. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on qualifications, education, experience, and skills. In addition to salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees and eligible family members, discounted EWU sports tickets, full access to our campus workout facilities at a minimum fee and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/.

EWU expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.

EWU is committed to supporting and promoting a diverse workforce and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Required Qualifications:

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

To be considered, candidates must have:

A terminal degree in a discipline within the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences or a closely related field;
A minimum of 3 years of successful experience in higher education leadership positions;
A record of teaching, research and/or creative work and professional service sufficient to merit appointment as a tenured faculty member in a department or program within the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

In addition, the ideal candidate will have the following attributes and qualifications:

Higher education administration experience and accomplished academic record

Sophisticated understanding of the unique role of a regional comprehensive university in the national higher education landscape;
Familiarity with institutional, professional, national, and/or programmatic accreditation and/or certification;
Experience with assessment and academic program review;
Demonstrated ability to balance core programming responsibilities while working effectively with educational and community leaders to promote strong external relations.

Collaborative and Transparent Leadership and history of commitment to shared governance

Record of working collaboratively, collegially, and cooperatively in a student-centered environment;
Proven ability to represent and advocate for both internal and external constituencies;
Prior success working effectively in a collective bargaining and/or shared governance environment.

Commitment to academic excellence and faculty and student success

Commitment to excellence in both teaching and scholarship;
Successful experience with faculty recruitment, development, advising, and retention;
Commitment to student success through experiential and life-long learning.

Fiscal, operational and administrative acumen

Demonstrated ability to manage large, diverse budgets and expenditures;
Ability to build and effect results through high-performing teams;
Demonstrated success managing projects to completion.

Communication and interpersonal skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
Empathy, humility, and ability to listen to and learn from others.

Commitment to institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion

Demonstrated interest in, capacity for, and prior experience promoting inclusive excellence;
Demonstrable, authentic commitment to a diverse, student-centered learning community, excellence in scholarship, and applied community service;
Experience working with first-generation and historically underrepresented populations.
Demonstrated interest, ability and/or experience promoting cultural competency, universal accessibility, and/or diversity.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preference may be granted to candidates who offer one or more of the following preferred qualifications:

A distinguished record in teaching, research/creative activities, and professional service sufficient to merit appointment as a tenured full professor in a department or program within the College;
Successful record of fundraising and alumni relations;
Record of effective external partnerships, e.g., with education, industry and/or community leaders;
Experience leading, managing, and administering grants and contracts;
Demonstrated ability to successfully complete and maintain professional and national institutional and/or programmatic accreditation and certification;
Experience with assessment and program review;
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collective bargaining and shared governance environment;
Demonstrated experience successfully leading recruitment, retention, and advising initiatives;
Experience leading a college with similar academic programs.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Flexibility
Collaboration
Collegiality
Communication
Teamwork
Time Management

Job Duties:
LEADERSHIPThe dean of the College for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is the chief academic and administrative officer of the college and has ultimate responsibility for stewarding the ongoing pursuit of its mission. Reporting to the provost and vice president for academic affairs, the dean will lead the college in alignment with the university strategic plan. The dean is informed and advised by the collective expertise of the colleges chairs/directors along with support staff who meet on a regular basis for the purpose of advising and resolving issues of college interest.Specifically, the next dean will be expected to:

Develop and articulate a distinctive and unifying strategy and vision for the college. Working collaboratively across constituencies, the dean will help shape a cohesive, compelling, and unifying identity for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The identity and vision will include strong advocacy for the arts, humanities, and social sciences as essential components of an EWU education. At the same time, the dean will help develop strategies to ensure the success of each department and program within CAHSS, leveraging their respective strengths and reflecting their unique mission, goals, and vision.
Champion academic excellence and faculty success. The dean will ensure the excellence of academic programs across the college, exploring opportunities to improve existing programs of study and develop new and innovative programs that meet the needs of a changing society. The dean will carry out the academic mission of the college in support of the academic goals within the universitys strategic plan and facilitate collaboration with department chairs, program directors, staff, and community leaders. The dean will be an effective advocate for faculty, prioritizing resources and strengthening policies and procedures that allow all faculty to succeed and will ensure compliance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements and university policies and ensure employee and administrative compliance with these provisions.
Ensure innovative educational experiences and champion student success. The dean will champion the universitys commitment to an equitable, student-centered learning environment that eliminates barriers to success and degree completion. The dean will prioritize opportunities to strengthen experiential learning and enhance student success and will collaborate with the Division of Student Affairs to support the professional development of students and ensure academic integrity and enhance the quality of the academic programs of the college. The Dean will lead recruitment, retention, and advising initiatives and will promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the student population and foster a vibrant culture of student-faculty scholarship.
Advocate for and support the colleges staff. The dean will identify and support professional development needs of staff and develop long-range professional development plans and will work to reduce barriers for staff and provide them with the support, care, and resources for professional development opportunities to enable the success of all departments and programs across the college.
Steward existing resources and generate new resources through fundraising. The dean will prioritize fundraising and work creatively to identify new sources of revenue, including through strategic enrollment management. The dean will develop a plan for strategic resource allocation to ensure the colleges financial health and sustainability, working with departments and programs to develop and manage budgets that reflect their respective needs, goals, and scale. The dean will manage the fiscal and human resources of the college in compliance with federal, state and University laws, regulations, union contracts and policies taking appropriate actions in a timely manner.
Enhance administrative and operational excellence. The dean will strengthen the framework of policies and procedures, ensuring consistent and equitable processes across the college. Working in collaboration with the departments and programs, the dean will implement an administrative leadership structure and approach that prioritizes efficiency, accountability, and institutional effectiveness. The Dean will meet goals and expectations as established by the president and provost, provide effective and efficient leadership to the college and university, work collaboratively with other deans in advancing the universitys academic program with active participation in the Academic Affairs Council, and work effectively with other constituencies in the university.
Advocate for the college and provide institutional stewardship. The dean must be an effective advocate for the individual departments and programs, as well as for the college as a whole both within the university and externally. The dean will build and maintain strong relationships with external constituents, including community and industry partners and other academic institutions. The dean will develop strategies and opportunities for donor cultivation, enhance community and alumni engagement and resource development, and establish a presence in the community representing the events and activities of the College and participate in both university and college fund-raising activities.
Build community and advance an institutional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The dean will cultivate an inclusive community and an environment of trust and transparency where all faculty, staff, and students are respected, supported, and empowered. The dean will model an authentic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and the important role these core values play in all college activities and pursuits and will recruit, retain and evaluate a diverse and highly qualified faculty and support staff.

Percent of Time: 100
Conditions of Employment:

The successful candidate will be subject to a tenure review and approval prior to hire.

Must be able to work occasional nights and/or weekends to fulfill special projects and events, have a valid Drivers License and access to a personal vehicle for occasional local travel to meetings as needed. Mileage reimbursed at state rates.

During the course of university employment this position will be involved in the receipt of, or accountability for, university funds or other items of value; as well as the unsupervised access with the developmentally disabled, vulnerable adults or children under the age of 16. The offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion and passing of a background check prior to beginning employment.

All new employees must comply with EWU Immunization Policy 602-02 and provide proof of immunity or vaccination to MMR before beginning work at EWU. Waivers for the immunization requirements are available for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs.

Upon hire employees will complete required DEI, Hazing, and Harassment and Title IX training. The online training is located at https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/onboarding or complete the training in person or via Zoom. In person and Zoom training opportunities will be posted on InsideEWU and are listed on our Human Resources site at: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/training/.

Salary Information:

The salary for this position is $155,000 (minimum) up to $180,000. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on qualifications, education, experience, and skills.

Posting Date: 07/01/2024
Open Until Further Notice: Yes
Closing Date:
Screening to Begin: August 2024

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Submit your application materials through our online applications portal provided below. If you are unable to submit through the applicant portal, please contact Human Resources Services at (509) 359-2381.

To apply, visit https://jobs.hr.ewu.edu/postings/12471

EWU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, age, marital status, families with children, protected veteran or military status, HIV or hepatitis C, status as a mother breastfeeding her child, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, as provided for and to the extent required by state and federal laws.