Dean of Education Search

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Education. This leader will succeed Dr. James Anderson, who will be retiring after 6 years of extraordinary contributions in this role.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a major land-grant university committed to pre-eminence in research, teaching, public engagement, and economic development. The University seeks a visionary leader dedicated to enhancing and strengthening the College and to furthering its commitment to engaging in research on critical issues in education, preparing teachers and leaders, and serving the State of Illinois and the nation.

Founded in 1905 as one of the first land-grant, research-based schools of education, the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a national and global leader in education and research, attracting the best students from across the U.S. and around the world. To prepare leaders in all areas of education and research, the College offers undergraduate degrees, master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and professional development in four distinct departments: Curriculum and Instruction; Education Policy, Organization and Leadership; Educational Psychology; and Special Education. The College is consistently ranked among the top 25 research-intensive colleges of education in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.

Working with the most diverse faculty on campus, over 600 undergraduates and more than 1,000 on-campus and online graduate students engage in meaningful and valuable conversations about diversity in education and in communities. Programs in the College prepare students to engage with the most pressing issues in the field of education. Research-based pedagogies, school and community practicum placements, and research symposia provide students with the experiences and tools they need to succeed, whether they want to become a teacher, a recruitment manager, an e-learning specialist, a school leader, or a professor.

The Dean of the College of Education reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and is a senior administrative position with a seat on the Provost’s Council of Deans. As the chief academic and executive officer of the College, the candidate will possess: Outstanding scholarly credentials, including recognition as an accomplished academic leader both nationally and internationally; Demonstrated commitment to research innovations across disciplines, undergraduate and graduate education, outreach, and equity and social justice; Demonstrated commitment to attracting, retaining and advancing a diverse and superior faculty, student body, and staff; The capacity to be a visible leader in the State of Illinois on educational issues; Outstanding leadership, administrative, and communication skills to interact effectively with all stakeholders and to be a strong advocate for the College and its mission; A record of administrative experience that demonstrates a thorough understanding of financial management and the need to maximize current resources and create new types of resources for the College; A record of experience in working with all College stakeholders including current and potential donors to support College initiatives and activities.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume, a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile (available at WittKieffer.com). For fullest consideration, application materials should be received by January 27, 2022. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

John K. Thornburgh and Alejandra Gillette-Teran

IllinoisEducationDean@wittkieffer.com

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Convictions are not a bar to employment. The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment. As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.

University of Illinois faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable University processes.