Dean, College of Education

Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) seeks a Dean of the College of Education who possesses a collaborative and transparent leadership style, solid administrative skills, and experience in accreditation (national and state), assessment, fundraising, and grant writing.

About the University/College

Located in the capital of Alabama, Auburn University at Montgomery, a public institution founded in 1967 and individually accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), is just minutes from Montgomery, Alabama’s historic downtown and close to other major metropolitan areas. Auburn University at Montgomery boasts a 500-acre campus that houses approximately 5,000 students and offers a blend of challenging academics, research/grant opportunities, and service options. Members of the faculty take a strong interest in mentoring students.

The College of Education comprises three departments (Counselor, Leadership, and Special Education; Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology; and Kinesiology) and is ranked among the top colleges in Alabama and the region. (https://www.aum.edu/collegeofeducation/) Its graduates are highly recruited as classroom teachers, school administrators, and school counselors throughout the state, region, and nation. The College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), with all programs individually accredited by their appropriate national or state organizations.

To learn more about AUM and the College of Education, prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the Auburn University at Montgomery website at https://www.aum.edu/.

Auburn University at Montgomery is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity; AUM is committed to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all students, staff, and faculty. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. Prospective candidates will help further the institutional goals of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

About the Position

Reporting directly to the Provost and Senior Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean is the chief executive officer of the College of Education. The Dean works with faculty and staff to represent the College's departments, programs, offices, and centers; oversees strategic planning, advancement, and budget development; and guides resource allocation, teaching, research, service, outreach, and administration.

The Dean also provides leadership and advocacy for faculty and staff recruitment, professional development, evaluation, and retention; enrollment planning, student recruitment and retention; program review and accreditation; among other externally facing responsibilities. In addition to supporting AUM’s core values, the Dean actively encourages and supports cross-department and cross-College collaboration in teaching, creative activity, and scholarship. The Dean serves as a member of the Provost’s Leadership Team, working collaboratively with a team of deans and academic affairs administrators. 

Duties and Responsibilities

AUM’s Dean of the College of Education will be responsible for:

  1. Advancing the mission and vision of the University and the College of Education in a collaborative, equitable, and inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives.
  2. Recruiting and retaining quality students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
  3. Recruiting and retaining quality faculty and staff while overseeing professional development, evaluation, and employee relations.
  4. Promoting interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration, cooperation, and research with internal and external partners.
  5. Leading development and fundraising efforts for the College, collaborating with University Advancement, and engaging in university, community, and alumni relations.
  6. Promoting excellence and innovation in the scholarship areas of teaching, creative and research activities, professional application, and university service for faculty; and
  7. Overseeing the educational effectiveness of the College's academic programs through the assessment of student learning and program review and renewal processes; upholding standards of rigor and academic excellence; and overseeing and facilitating internal and external accreditations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The ideal candidate will have knowledge, skills, and leadership experience in the following areas:

  1. Establishing and stewarding partnerships with local/regional PreK-12 institutions, service agencies, and two-year colleges.
  2. Working with interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary approaches to higher education.
  3. Service learning, community partnerships, and/or field-based experience in teaching and learning.
  4. Implementing outcomes-based education and assessment of student learning.
  5. Engaging in innovative technologies in learning environments, and the use of technology for improvement of teaching and learning.

Other Preferred Qualifications Include:

Successful applicants must have the academic qualifications and record of achievements consistent with an appointment as a tenured full professor.

In addition, it is preferred that candidates have an administrative record that demonstrates:

  1. Proven record of progressive administrative leadership and experience to include evidence of success working with other leaders at the university level and beyond.
  2. A student-centered academic leader and advocate who understands the value and importance developing academic programs specifically designed to address the learning needs of a student population that is ethnically and culturally diverse and consists of primarily first-generation college students.
  3. Well versed in the process of accreditation and assessment to effectively provide input, lead, and guide the College.
  4. Appreciation for the role of scholarly research in the teaching and learning process, at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
  5. An innovative mindset to create instructional and intellectual diversity that will position the college well in maintaining its competitiveness within the landscape of higher education.
  6. Fostering an environment that demonstrates a decision-making and management style that is data-driven and rooted in consensus building, transparency, and a willingness to course-correct when necessary.
  7. Possess high political acumen and astuteness with the ability to navigate and manage the evolving landscape of higher education to include, but not limited to, new legislation, state and federal mandates, and developing relationships with the State Board of Education and other AUM constituents – locally, nationally, and internationally.

Nomination and Application Process

Parker Executive Search is assisting Auburn University at Montgomery in the search for the Dean of the College of Education. The Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to July 28, 2023. Please submit applications through the Parker Executive Search website. For additional information, please contact:

Porsha Williams, Vice President
DeLaina Sarden, Principal
Xavier Harper, Executive Recruiting Coordinator
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875
Atlanta, GA 30328
770-804-1996 ext. 109 || 770-804-1996 ext. 119
pwilliams@parkersearch.com || dsarden@parkersearch.com

Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) is committed to providing a work and educational environment free of Discrimination and Harassment. AUM is equally committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The University does not discriminate or tolerate Discrimination or Harassment against individuals on the basis of sex, gender (sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), race, color, ethnic, religion, or national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status (collectively, “Protected Status”) in its employment, admissions, and/or education programs and activities.