Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences

Texas Southern University is seeking a Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences (COLABS).  Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, the Dean is the chief administrative officer and academic leader of the College.

The Dean provides leadership to the faculty, staff and students to achieve the missions of the College and the University.  The Dean is responsible for implementing the College’s policies and procedures in concert with the University’s policies.  The Dean also serves on the Deans’ Council.

THE INSTITUTION

Texas Southern University, established in 1947, is one of the nation’s largest HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and it offers an array of undergraduate and graduate programs. The College boasts a diverse faculty, 80-plus student organizations, and an alumni network comprised of educators, entrepreneurs, public servants, lawyers, pilots, artists, and more, many of whom are change agents on the local, national and international stage. Located in the heart of Houston, the fourth most populous city in the nation, minutes from the internationally recognized Texas Medical Center, the theater district, and the museum district, the University serves as a cornerstone for developing the greatest potential in leaders from various socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. It currently enrolls 9,500 students and employs nearly 1,500 faculty and staff.

THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

The College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences is the largest and most diverse academic unit on the campus. It provides students of varied scholastic proficiencies access to higher education via academic foundation courses necessary for accessing educational programs at the University. It also prepares students to become competent professionals and leaders. The college is comprised of the following departments: English; Fine Arts; Foreign Languages; History, Geography and Economics; Human Services and Consumer Sciences; Psychology; Social Work; Sociology.

MAJOR RESPOSIBILITIES

The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences has the responsibility for direct supervision of the College’s faculty and academic programs.

The Dean—

• Provides leadership to the faculty, staff and students of the College and sets high standards for the College’s teaching and learning, scholarship, and service programs;
• Directs the College’s strategic planning processes;
• Helps to develop a mission and vision for the College, to set priorities among highly desirable objectives, and to allocate resources to those with highest priorities in regular consultation with the Provost;
• Advocates for the creation and enhancement of facilities, equipment, and instructional space necessary to fulfill the College’s mission;
• Advocates for and protects academic freedom as it relates to the mission of the College;
• Determines and oversees collegiate administrative infrastructure, including academic and non-academic support staff;
• Recommends new staff and faculty positions, faculty reappointment, promotion and tenure;
• Represents and promotes to external entities the common as well as the unique interests of each of the constituent academic departments;
• Effectively manages the resources of the College in collaboration with department chairs;
• Fosters an environment of open communication and maintains procedures that encourage and address student and faculty concerns;
• Procures and oversees funds from private and public sectors for new and/or continuing needs, including scholarships, grants and endowments in collaboration with grant office personnel;
• Coordinates the development of new programs within the context of the College’s strategic plan and mission of the university;
• Creates an environment that enables faculty to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate educational programs and meets the standards of internal and external accrediting bodies;
• Represents the College within the University as well as in local, state, national, and international communities

QUALIFICATIONS

• A terminal degree in a field of study within the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences;
• Meets teaching, service, and scholarship qualifications to merit appointment to the rank of full professor with tenure;
• Significant administrative experience in higher education;
• Ability to communicate effectively within the College, University and the community;
• Demonstrated effectiveness in budget management and fundraising;
• Ability to lead faculty to embrace change and to create an environment that fosters growth and development;
• Commitment to the career and academic advancement of faculty with diverse backgrounds;
• Ability to work as a team member in fostering the achievement of the mission of the University;
• Ability to articulate a vision for the College;
• Demonstrated ability to work with appropriate and necessary external review processes and assessment agencies.