Dean, Doisy College of Health Sciences

Dean, Doisy College of Health Sciences
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University (SLU) seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to serve as Dean of the Doisy College of Health Sciences. The oldest university west of the Mississippi River and the second-oldest Jesuit university in the nation, SLU is a private urban research university offering undergraduate and graduate programs to 13,000 students. Founded in 1818, SLU has seen growth in academic programs, research activity, campus life, donor support, and student outcomes. Steeped in a 500-year Ignatian tradition of spirituality, pedagogy, and intellectual inquiry, SLU values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate healthcare, and a strong commitment to faith and service. 

One of 11 colleges and schools within SLU, the Doisy College of Health Sciences offers high-quality, high-demand programs that prepare graduates to succeed in the competitive healthcare sector. The college’s 70 full-time faculty are housed in five academic departments -- Clinical Health Sciences (CHS – including programs in health information management, health sciences, investigative & medical sciences, magnetic resonance imaging, medical laboratory science, nuclear medicine technology, physician assistant, and radiation therapy), Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD), Nutrition & Dietetics (ND), Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy (OSOT), and Physical Therapy & Athletic Training (PTAT).  The college offers 12 undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs as well as several post-baccalaureate certificate programs, and enrolls more than 1,250 undergraduate and more than 450 graduate students.  Doisy College of Health Sciences maintains 11 professional accreditations for its academic programs. Students obtain professional training through more than 800 clinical affiliations with healthcare and clinical service providers in the local and regional community, as well as nationally and even internationally.  The college’s distinctive approach to education, clinical care, and research emphasizes interdisciplinary and interprofessional learning and practice directed towards solving complex problems. Student outcomes, including first time pass rates for licensure exams and employment rates, are outstanding, and there is a strong demand for the college’s graduates. The college is located in the heart of St. Louis in SLU's Medical Center on south campus, home to Saint Louis University's School of Medicine, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, and SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. In addition, faculty and students take advantage of partnerships and relationships with the Family Care Health Center, a federally-qualified healthcare center; SSM St. Mary’s Hospital that is recognized as one of the top 100 IBM Watson Health Hospitals; SSM Cardinal Glennon Health Children’s Hospital, and the St. Louis VA. 

Reporting to the Provost, the dean is the chief academic and executive officer of the college and serves as a member of the University’s academic leadership team.  The dean is responsible for the college’s leadership, strategy, and fundraising and for managing the faculty and staff, fiscal resources, and physical facilities of the college. The dean is accountable for the quality of the college’s academic programs and faculty and for building undergraduate and graduate programs of excellence on a foundation of innovative interdisciplinary education that supports all academic disciplines. The dean promotes and provides advocacy for the college within the university and to regional, national, and international constituents and partners. The dean guarantees the integrity of all the college’s programs, promotes quality and excellence in teaching, research, and service, and fosters an environment of openness and collegiality. The range of academic and clinical offerings requires a dean who will be a strong advocate for the full array of disciplines and programs, employees and students in the college and for an overarching vision that will pull these components into an integrated whole. The dean has general administrative responsibility for the college, including its compliance with accreditation standards, community outreach, fundraising, marketing and enrollment, interdisciplinary initiatives, and the effective management of its administrative and financial affairs. The dean is responsible for increasing research, growing clinical activity, creating opportunities for students, and fostering a collaborative spirit in the college. 

The university seeks an exceptional candidate with broad understanding of the future of health sciences and the impact of health disparities and the ability to articulate a collective vision for the college. The dean will have exemplary academic achievements, strategic leadership ability, outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, entrepreneurial spirit, high energy, and a passion for leading a college whose mission is to be a center of excellence in health professions education, research, and service. The dean will be a collaborator and a convener, able to work effectively with a broad range of constituents, and a role model in team-building and establishing open communication with faculty and staff.  The dean must demonstrate excellent financial and management skills; the ability to make difficult choices, understand competing priorities, and make decisions under constraints; a strong external focus; and an understanding of fundraising. The dean will demonstrate a track record of commitment to student success, diversity, strong engagement with diverse constituents, and building a diverse leadership team. Above all, the dean must be an advocate for the college and demonstrate a deep resonance with the University’s Catholic, Jesuit charism, mission, values, and commitment to service. An earned doctorate or equivalent experience and academic qualifications that merit appointment as a full professor in an academic discipline represented within the college is required. In addition to traditional backgrounds within higher education, outstanding academically qualified leaders from healthcare-related environments will be considered.

Screening will begin in October and continue until an appointment is made. Nominations, inquiries, and applications (including a cover letter, CV, and the names of five references) should be directed electronically to SLUDoisyDean@divsearch.com

Kim M. Morrisson, Ph.D., Senior Managing Director or Andrew Wheeler, Lead Managing Director
Nancy Helfman, Vice President & Senior Associate
The Diversified Search Group
One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 3300, Philadelphia PA  19103

Saint Louis University is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer committed to providing fair treatment of all in the SLU community on the basis of merit.

For more information, visit www.slu.edu/doisy