Dean, College of Business

The University of Mary Washington (UMW) invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the College of Business.  The University of Mary Washington seeks an experienced, dynamic leader with a strong commitment to furthering the growth and development of the College of Business.  The successful candidate should have the ability and interest to develop, articulate, and execute a shared vision for the College.  The Dean should have a strong commitment to supporting the educational mission of the University, with high standards in teaching, research, and service, as well as having the skillsets to serve as the chief spokesperson and advocate for the College of Business both within and outside of the University.  The former Dean, Lynne Richardson, served very admirably as the Founding Dean of the College of Business from 2011-2017.  Recognized as a talented and valued institutional leader, Dr. Richardson is now serving as Vice President for Finance and Administration at UMW. 

About University of Mary Washington

Founded in 1908 and named for the mother of our country’s founding father, the University of Mary Washington has built a rich history of traditions and accomplished academic excellence. The University has evolved from its beginnings as a state normal school for women to one of the nation’s premier, selective, coeducational, public liberal arts and sciences universities today.

From 1944 to 1972, UMW functioned as the women’s college of the University of Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary academic organization, established a Mary Washington chapter in 1971.  Shortly after the institution became coed in the early 1970s, it was reorganized as an independent college.  Having added a limited number of graduate and professional programs beyond the central undergraduate curriculum, and having established more than one campus, the General Assembly of Virginia in 2004 renamed the institution the University of Mary Washington.

The University continued to evolve with the creation of two new colleges in 2010, when the College of Business and the College of Education were formed to combine existing graduate and undergraduate programs in those disciplines.  These new colleges joined the College of Arts and Sciences in fulfilling the University’s mission of providing rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs.

A distinguished institution with a strong liberal arts and sciences focus at its core, the University of Mary Washington has a student enrollment of approximately 4,000 undergraduate students and 400 graduate students.  Students come from 40 states and many foreign countries, about 20 percent of whom self-identify as minority.  In the fall of 2015, the University enrolled a record entering class of both first-year and transfer students.  UMW is known for its small, highly interactive classes, with an average undergraduate class size of 22 students.  As a member of COPLAC (Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges), UMW truly believes in providing a premier, public liberal arts education to its students in a residential environment.  Sixty percent of students live on campus.  For the Class of 2017, 92% of students landed in one of the following employment categories within six months of graduation: Employed full-time, employed part-time, continuing education, volunteer service, or military.  UMW’s annual budget is approximately $111 million, with about 26% coming from the state.  

 The Fredericksburg Campus, UMW’s primary campus, is located in the historic city of Fredericksburg, VA, within 50 miles of both Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA.  The location provides students with unique internships, research excursions, and cultural and recreational opportunities.

The Stafford Campus, located seven miles from the Fredericksburg campus, is the region’s premier venue for educational programs and professional conferences and meetings.  The facility hosts upwards of 150 professional events each year in addition to being the home for academic classes and professional development programs for educators and business professionals. 

The Dahlgren Campus Center for Education and Research is located 45 minutes east of Fredericksburg, adjacent to a large Naval research facility.  It is a multi-institution, post-graduate center in King George, VA. UMW-Dahlgren delivers science- and engineering-focused academic courses taught locally and via distance learning from Virginia’s public universities

The President

Dr. Troy D. Paino took office as the tenth president of the University of Mary Washington, effective July 1, 2016.  A personable, student-focused leader, Paino is deeply committed to Mary Washington’s public liberal arts and sciences mission of providing academic excellence and social uplift in equal measure.

Paino earned doctorate and master’s degrees in American studies from Michigan State University.  He holds a juris doctorate from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Evangel University.

His teaching and scholarly interests include American higher education, 20th-century cultural and social history and American legal history.  He has written extensively on the history of American sports and published his book, The Social History of the United States: 1960s, in 2008.

Dr. Paino is a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) President’s Trust for Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP).  He is president of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).

Prior to coming to UMW, Paino served for six years as president of Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.  Previously, he was Truman State’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, and he also served as dean of Winona State University’s College of Liberal Arts.

The Provost

Dr. Nina Mikhalevsky was named Provost on July 1, 2017.  She previously served as UMW’s Vice President for Strategy and Policy (2006-2007), as Acting Provost (2007-2009), and as Interim Dean of the College of Education (2014-2016).  Prior to coming to Mary Washington, she was Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Planning in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at the George Washington University.

Dr. Mikhalevsky, also Professor of Philosophy, holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in philosophy from Georgetown University, as well as a B.A. (1974) in philosophy from Boston University.  Named the Ambassador John M. Steeves Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr. Mikhalevsky was also awarded a teaching fellowship and a university fellowship at Georgetown University.  She is the recipient of the Elizabeth J. Somers Award for Outstanding Leadership in Women’s Education from Mount Vernon College.  She is a member of the American Philosophical Association, the American Society for Aesthetics, and the Society for Women in Philosophy.

Dr. Mikhalevsky’s areas of expertise and research include aesthetics, ethics, and political theory, as well as Women in STEM, women’s education and pedagogy, and the history of women’s education.

The College of Business

The University of Mary Washington was originally founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women (teacher education).  Since the 1920s, Business education has been an integral part of Mary Washington, evolving as the institution did from primarily preparing teachers to preparing future leaders in a wide variety of fields. In 1948, Mary Washington began offering an Economics and Business Administration major, separating them officially into two departments with separate majors in 1980. That same year, a Masters of Business Administration degree was added. In 1999, Business was one of two evening programs (the other was Education) opening at the new Stafford Campus, thus continuing the tradition of serving the educational needs of the community and the growing region.

Officially founded on July 1, 2010, the UMW College of Business builds on Mary Washington’s tradition of a well-rounded undergraduate program in the liberal arts, with small classes that encourage direct interaction with its expert faculty. As other schools of business are just discovering the value of a solid grounding in the liberal arts for tomorrow’s leaders, UMW’s undergraduate business program has been, and will remain, firmly rooted in its liberal arts foundation.

Today the College of Business enrolls 320 declared undergraduate and 98 graduate students, taught by 23 faculty members.  In the 2017-2018 academic year, 1,176 students took courses in the College of Business.  The College of Business currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Courses are primarily offered on the Fredericksburg campus and follow a traditional 16-week semester calendar. Graduate-level courses are primarily offered in the evening on the Stafford campus and consist of 8-week, hybrid formats as well as 16-week courses.

AACSB Accreditation

The College of Business submitted its Self-Evaluation Report on May 21, 2018. The AACSB site visit is currently scheduled for October 2018.

College of Business Mission

The College of Business embraces the liberal arts tradition and the advantages of our geographic location to offer programs that prepare students for life as competent, honorable, and globally-aware leaders.

College of Business Vision
Learning and Engagement — A comprehensive and methodical approach to interact with, integrate, and involve all members of the University’s community, including current students, alumni, businesses and the community, UMW faculty and administration, and peer institutions, with the desired outcome of sharing and developing knowledge.

College of Business Values
The following values provide members of the College of Business community with a shared sense of vision and aspiration:
1.  Diversity.  Diversity, in its broadest sense, inclusive excellence, is key to our learning  

     organization.
2.  Scholarship.  We value the creation and pursuit of knowledge by students and faculty that result in publications and innovative   business ideas.
3.  Integrity.  Honesty and fairness is at the core of our internal and external relationships.
4.  Partnerships.  We are committed to engaging in partnerships with other colleges of the University, community organizations, alumni     and business affiliates to extend the reach and impact of our mission.
5.  Service.  We are committed to working with our stakeholders to provide service opportunities as a valued business resource.
6.  Quality.  We strive to be excellent in all that we do.

The Position of Dean

The Dean will be the chief spokesperson and champion for the College and its programs across multiple campuses.  The Dean is responsible for providing leadership in defining the College’s strategic priorities, mentoring and supporting faculty with their professional development, furthering the high-quality academic experience and support for students, and for continuing the current growth of the College across its undergraduate and graduate programs.  In addition, the Dean will be responsible for maintaining AACSB accreditation.  As previously mentioned, the College submitted its Self-Evaluation Report on May 21, 2018 and the AACSB site visit is currently scheduled for October 2018.  The Dean must show evidence of successful leadership, high standards of professional integrity, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, and a proven record in an administrative position with responsibility for developing and guiding strategy, motivating and leading a team, engaging external constituencies, and fostering diversity. 

Qualifications:

• exemplary academic and professional qualifications in one of the disciplines of the College, including an earned terminal degree and/or a record of outstanding academic and professional achievement necessary for appointment as a tenured full professor in the College;
• strong commitment to community engagement for the purpose of linking students, faculty, and friends with the regional economy and developing constituents who know, understand, and support the College;
• effective communication and public relations skills, including the ability to clearly articulate the College’s vision, goals, and accomplishments to its many constituencies; 
• demonstrated experience working with and maintaining the AACSB International accreditation;
• commitment to, and passion for, recruiting diverse students, faculty, and staff into the College of Business and for promoting a welcoming and inclusive environment throughout the College and the University;
• an ability to develop a shared vision through open communication and transparency; 
• a proven track record engaging with and fostering relationships with industry, as well as community partners; 
• a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching excellence; 
• experience fund-raising and enhancing the financial resources of the College; and
• an ability to cultivate a climate of academic cohesiveness within the College and across campus, including excellent listening, decision-making, and consensus-building skills.

The University of Mary Washington is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to these core qualities.

Applicants should submit a cover letter expressing interest and an updated CV to the University’s executive search firm:

Martin M. Baker, Managing Partner

Chelsie Whitelock, Senior Associate

Buffkin/Baker

10 Cadillac Drive, Suite 190

Brentwood, TN 37027

martin@buffkinbaker.com

chelsie@buffkinbaker.com