Dean, College of Fine Arts

Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, seeks an inspirational, dynamic, and passionately committed leader to continue the College of Fine Arts’ (COFA) seventy-nine year celebration and mission of excellence for innovative creativity and scholarship, and engagement of students through a challenging and supportive learning environment. The Dean of the College of Fine Arts will provide strategic and financial leadership to the college while supporting and promoting the vital role that the arts and COFA faculty play in the university. The Dean will be part of creating a strategic framework and vision to energize, develop, integrate, facilitate, and promote the College and Departmental goals, in alignment with the mission of the University, and in collaboration with the Associate and Assistant Deans and the Department Chairs.  The Dean will be be a dynamic and knowledgeable advocate of the fine arts within the university, and visible in multiple communities, large and small.

Ohio University's College of Fine Arts (COFA) comprises four schools: Art + Design, Dance, Film, and Theater, Interdisciplinary Arts, and Music. COFA is a vibrant community of artists, art educators, actors, designers, dancers, musicians, playwrights, and scholars and many of the faculty have performed and designed on the world’s greatest stages, exhibited at prestigious museums and galleries, published creative and scholarly research, and served as leaders with international arts organizations. Noted by U.S. News and World as one of the top Fine Arts Schools (#33) nationally, the college is also recognized for several highly ranked programs in ceramics (#3), and in printmaking (#10).  For more information about the College of Fine Arts and about this search please visit, http://ohiofinearts.org/.   

The Dean will be an advocate for the arts throughout the university, recognizing that the knowledge that arises from the study and creation of art is central to the intellectual enterprise. The Dean will be expected to be a leader in local, regional, and national fine arts communities, and will seek to raise the level of collaboration and interdepartmental communication and programming. The Dean will understand the concepts and practices of the Responsibility Centered Management (RCM) budget model and be an effective educator and communicator related to the finances of COFA.

Successful academic leadership experience in a research university will benefit a candidate, however, candidates with professional backgrounds outside of higher education who have demonstrated great leadership and the potential to excel will be considered.

The successful candidate will have an earned doctorate or M.F.A. in an arts-related field, or equivalent professional experience. Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV and a letter of interest discussing their background and qualifications for the position to:  DeanCOFA@neumannsearch.com.