Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences

 

Opportunity and Challenge Profile
Search for the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
University of Oregon 
Eugene, Oregon

The University of Oregon (UO), the state’s flagship university, seeks applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS). 

Founded in 1876, UO is a Carnegie R1 research university and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). It enrolls more than 19,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states and 99 countries, and is an integral economic driver for the state, with an estimated $2.2 billion annual economic return to Oregon. The main campus of UO is located in Eugene, in the southern Willamette Valley, a picturesque region known for its mild four-season climate, excellent wines, abundant recreational opportunities, and progressive, collaborative culture. Since 2014, UO has operated under an independent governing structure that supports its ability to chart new directions, improve entrepreneurial activity, and invent creative programming. Since then, the university has raised over $1.7 billion in support of partnerships and academic, research, and innovation excellence opportunities. Recent efforts include new initiatives focused on the environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, diversity and resilience, sports and wellness, and an interdisciplinary data science initiative. 

 CAS is the intellectual hub of UO, providing academic programs that support the mission of the entire institution and shape its identity as a comprehensive research university rooted in the liberal arts. CAS offers the core liberal arts and sciences curriculum that serves the whole UO undergraduate population. The college includes more than 1400 graduate students; about 11,000 undergraduate students pursue a degree in one of the 46 degree-granting programs housed in the three divisions within the college: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. 

Reporting to the provost and senior vice president, the dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the college. The dean provides crucial leadership, vision, and strategic management consistent with the UO’s top-tier research ratings, national reputation, and institutional priorities. The dean must exhibit leadership in the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and student engagement and success. The dean is also expected to maintain a commitment to a respectful and collegial workplace. The dean leads a team – comprised of faculty administrators and professional staff – that helps execute CAS priorities and administrative functions. The dean also works closely with the college’s Advisory Board and the Dean’s Advisory Council. 

Within the university more broadly, the CAS dean is a member of the Provost’s Deans Council, the Provost’s Academic Leadership Team, and the President’s Senior Leadership Team. The dean functions as a university leader and colleague in institutional discussions concerning recruitment, budgeting, enrollment, risk management, campus climate, and more. The dean must work closely and collaboratively with other deans, vice presidents, vice provosts, and institutional leaders from across campus. The dean is expected to be a fair and active advocate for the full range of CAS departments, programs, employees, and students. The ideal candidate must have a distinguished record in teaching, research/scholarship/creative activity, and professional service sufficient to merit an appointment as a tenured full professor in CAS. 

The University of Oregon has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For more details, including the full position profile and to submit inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications, please see the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/8316. Electronic submission of materials is required.

Regan Gough and Phuong Ta

Isaacson, Miller
1000 Sansome Street, Suite 300
San Francisco, CA  94111
Phone: 415.655.4900

 

 

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.