Dean, School of Public Health

Search for the Dean, School of Public Health

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota 

The University of Minnesota (UMN) seeks an innovative strategist to serve as the Dean of the School of Public Health (SPH or School). The COVID-19 pandemic has both emphasized the importance of public health and highlighted the negative consequences caused by health disparities and unequal access to healthcare. The next Dean will be poised to take advantage of the current moment for public health and work to elevate the School’s impact on the health and well being of the citizens of Minnesota, the nation, and beyond. The next Dean will inspire a vision for the School of Public Health as both a high-energy public health scholar-advocate and leader in the field, guiding the School in creating inventive solutions in its commitment to make health a human right.

As one of the premier schools of public health in the world, the School of Public Health has prepared some of the most influential leaders in the field, transforming the way public health is practiced around the globe. The School has been recognized for its excellence in research and education and for advancing policies and practices that both create and sustain health equity. Consistently ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report, the School is ranked #2 for its Master of Healthcare Administration. The School also ranks #6 in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among schools of public health, and its researchers receive more NIH funding than any other school of public health at a public university. The SPH has the highest level of research funding per faculty member at the University of Minnesota. 

In addition to the School of Public Health, the University of Minnesota is home to Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, providing ample opportunity to collaborate, share resources, and think boldly and broadly about interdisciplinarity. SPH researchers and educators also collaborate with other University of Minnesota schools and colleges outside of the health sciences including the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. Faculty and staff from the SPH are seen as resources to health departments, communities, and policymakers, providing information and guidance needed to make the best and most informed decisions about population health. To strengthen its impact, the SPH will need to steward these existing relationships and foster new ones, seeking partnerships that work to eliminate health inequities, promote health and wellbeing for all, and garner new resources and opportunities for the school and its programs.

Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Dean of the School oversees its four academic divisions, centers, educational programs including public health practice, and engagement with external stakeholders, and is responsible for sustaining an inclusive culture. The incoming Dean will, first and foremost, display a personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and eliminating health disparities, bringing with them experience in each of these areas and threading these values through all of the SPH’s work. In doing so, the Dean will inspire and implement an action-oriented strategic plan, grow and support the research and scholarly mission of the School, deepen SPHs relationship with the Minnesota Department of Health, and assure that UMN is preparing its graduates to be successful public health leaders. The incumbent will also need to expand internal and external collaborations and partnerships and place a high value on the mentoring and development of faculty, staff, and students. The next Dean will be an inspiring innovator; someone who can highlight the excellent work being done at SPH and increase the School’s visibility by making UMN center to national and international public health conversations. 

UMN has engaged Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in the search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications will be treated confidentially and should be submitted here: https://www.imsearch.com/search-detail/S7-883. The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.