Dean, School of Public Health

An invitation to apply for the position of

Dean, School of Public Health

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The University of Minnesota (UMN) seeks an innovative leader to serve as the Dean of the School of Public Health (SPH). The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of public health and highlighted the negative consequences caused by health disparities, unequal access to health resources, and the complex nature of public health challenges. The global polycrisis of racism, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic fluctuations, and other challenges have 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 elevate the impact of the SPH 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 solutions to make health a human right.

One of the premier schools of public health in the world, and located in the heart of the United States, the UMN SPH has trained and supported some of the most influential leaders in the field, transforming the way public health is practiced around the globe for more than 78 years. The school has long been recognized for its excellence in research and education and for advancing policies and practices that both create and sustain health equity. SPH academic programs include 15 master’s programs, four doctoral programs, a newly established undergraduate program, and many dual degree and certificate programs. The School is currently ranked as the #6 public school of public health by U.S. News & World Report (#11 overall), with several programs ranked in the top 10 in their field, including the SPH master of healthcare administration (#2) and biostatistics (#9) programs. The SPH is also a leader in public health scholarship and discovery with $138 million in research funding in fiscal year 2022. The School holds the second largest research portfolio at UMN and has the highest level of research funding per faculty member at the University.

The School of Public Health is situated within a constellation of academic and clinical health sciences schools at the University of Minnesota, which is the third largest and most comprehensive public land-grant university and one of only a few located in a major metropolitan area. The University’s innovative infrastructure of six health sciences schools (Public Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine)—one of only a handful of such models in the country—gives students, faculty, and staff ample opportunities to collaborate, share resources, and think boldly and broadly about leveraging all our disciplines to improve the health of populations. SPH researchers and educators also collaborate with UMN schools and colleges outside of the health sciences including the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. SPH faculty and staff are relied upon by health departments, communities, and policymakers to provide the information and guidance needed to make the best and most informed decisions about population health. To strengthen its impact, the School 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 SPH oversees the School’s four academic divisions, its centers and educational programs, and myriad collaborations with external stakeholders (see SPH organizational chart). The Dean is responsible for overseeing an inclusive culture; the incoming Dean will, first and foremost, display a personal and professional commitment to advancing antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and eliminating health disparities, bringing 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 SPH’s relationship with the Minnesota Department of Health and the state’s world class healthcare delivery systems (including M Health Fairview and the Mayo Clinic), and ensure that UMN is preparing its graduates to be successful public health leaders. The Dean will also 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 central to national and international public health conversations.

The University of Minnesota has retained the national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller to assist in this search. All inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications should be sent in confidence to Stephanie Fidel, Nicholas Strand, and Ellen Egitton via: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/university-minnesota-school-public-health/dean

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.