Dean of School of Interdisciplinary Studies

Dean of School of Interdisciplinary Studies

Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University (TCU) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS). The next Dean will have the opportunity to lead a high-potential School and sharpen its strategic focus by capitalizing on current strengths and identifying new areas of growth, collaboration, and innovation.

TCU is a private university located in Fort Worth, Texas.  It is classified as a top 100 National University by US News & World Report and has a Carnegie Classification of R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity. The University has a $1.9 billion endowment and enrolls over 11,300 students, including approximately 9,700 undergraduate and 1,670 graduate students.

As recently reaffirmed in the 2020-2021 SIS Unity of Vision Taskforce Report, the mission of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies is to enhance inclusive excellence, broaden perspectives, and advance ethical leadership by integrating content, data, methods, tools, concepts, and theories from two or more disciplines to construct a more comprehensive and finely-tuned understanding of problems and challenges that are too big for individual disciplines or professions. The School of Interdisciplinary Studies transcends traditional boundaries, promoting collaboration and integration among and beyond academic fields and units. SIS and TCU follow a teacher-scholar model of teaching, boasting small class sizes and hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. SIS has reach to every TCU undergraduate through the Introduction to University Life courses and over 175 courses across SIS departments. Housed in SIS, Women and Gender Studies has 150 affiliated faculty and Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies has 76 affiliated faculty. In the Fall of 2020, SIS boasted 43 students majoring, 67 minoring, 58 pursuing graduate certificates, and 9 pursuing an emphasis in SIS programs. SIS has 6 budgeted full-time faculty and 5 budgeted full-time staff positions.

Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, the Dean is the chief administrative, academic, and budgetary officer for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. The Dean serves as a model of excellence and a champion of diversity and inclusion for the School community and is accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students. TCU’s unique teacher-scholar model is rooted in the belief that scholarship and creative endeavors complement and enrich the learning experience for both faculty and students. To further the mission of the School, the Dean will capitalize on its strengths, advocate for its units while working across and respecting the contributions of all units, and champion work that breaks down hierarchies and barriers to advance symbiotic relationships and create dialogic modes of education that foster community among students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The Dean will create collaborative opportunities on behalf of the School to engage students, faculty, and community partners in the educational mission.

The Dean will hold an earned doctorate in a field relevant to the School, give evidence of leadership experience and have a distinguished record of achievement commensurate to that of Full Professor. Applicants who are currently Associate Professors and can demonstrate a record of achievement that allows for appointment at the rank of Full Professor will be considered for the position.

For more information on the role, please visit here: https://assets.storbecksearch.com/files/resources/tcu-deansis-pd.pdf?60c8af3a9704c

For more information on TCU, please visit here: https://www.tcu.edu/

The search committee for the TCU Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies will begin accepting nominations and reviewing applications immediately. Requested application materials include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, a diversity statement, and list of five professional references. References will not be called until after the first screening of applications and then only after the applicant has given explicit permission. Although applications will be welcomed until the time that a new Dean is selected, for best consideration, candidates should submit materials by August 15, 2021, to the following address: TCUSISDean@storbecksearch.com.

Texas Christian University is being assisted in the search by Storbeck Search. For additional information, please contact Dr. Muriel Cormican, Chair of the Search Committee (muriel.cormican@tcu.edu) and/or our following partners:

Jim Sirianni, Partner

Mark Halligan, Senior Associate

Storbeck Search

TCUSISDean@storbecksearch.com

Texas Christian University is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer with a strong commitment to hiring for our mission and diversifying our workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status and any other basis protected by law.