Posted to IASSIST on: 2019-07-05
Employer: Syracuse University
Employer URL: https://www.syracuse.edu/
Description
The Role Reporting to the Provost, the Dean will collaborate with the 12 deans of the other schools and colleges and with senior leadership of the University. The Dean will oversee 50 tenure-track faculty members, professors of practice and teaching faculty, and a staff of 50 and will be responsible for an operating budget of $62 million.
PrioritiesThe next Dean will lead the iSchool at a time when its disciplines are in increasingly high demand by undergraduate, professional and graduate students. The Dean will have the opportunity to capitalize on this exciting information age by focusing particularly on the following priorities:Foster academic excellence
- Assess the curriculum to ensure relevance in a rapidly changing field so that students develop the broad set of foundational skills that prepare them for employment immediately after graduation and for meaningful careers beyond;
- Nurture long-standing programs while seizing opportunities to offer new courses and programs in emerging subjects, responding to demand with urgency while adhering to the high level of quality and excellence for which the iSchool is known; and
- Assess the data and digital course and program offerings across the University to identify opportunities for synergy and collaboration.
Advance the research agenda
- Foster leading-edge research, demonstrating excellence in faculty visibility and achievement in addressing fundamental research questions in information science;
- Support professional engagement, demonstrating excellence in faculty presence and leadership in bringing leading edge research and practice to professional communities;
- Advance the field of information science through engagement with academic and professional organizations and the iSchools organization (www.iSchools.org);
- Drive the integration of research into teaching and curricula and engage students in research at all levels;
- Encourage doctoral and post-doctoral engagement in the School, advancing the visibility, achievements and career successes of graduates of these programs; and
- Spur research collaborations and connections with other academic units on campus.
Build institutional capacity
- Manage structural changes needed to support future growth while remaining aligned with the mission, vision and goals of the iSchool;
- Sustain a culture that encourages innovative and entrepreneurial thinking by students, faculty and administration;
- Build bridges across the iSchool, unifying constituents toward common objectives; and
- Strengthen enrollment and explore other revenue opportunities to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the iSchool.
Raise visibility and resources
- Articulate the distinctive strengths of the iSchool to increase awareness of its excellence and relevance among external stakeholders such as prospective students, donors and corporate partners;
- Lead ambitious fundraising efforts, including strengthening relationships with alumni, foundations and corporations;
- Continue the growth and excellence of research by expanding partnerships both inside the University and externally; and
- Explore opportunities for the iSchool to align its objectives with the University’s through collaborative efforts such as contributing expertise toward the University’s ongoing digital transformation.
The next Dean will be a leader in the field of information with the academic and/or professional experience needed to lead one of the top schools in its field during a time of rapid progress in the iSchool’s disciplinary areas of expertise. The Dean will be expected to demonstrate excellence in the following:
- Reputation as a consultative, thoughtful and inspiring facilitator of change;
- Leadership towards building a diverse, equitable and inclusive scholarly environment;
- A record of fostering innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial risk-taking;
- Advocacy on behalf of the iSchool, both within the University and to external audiences;
- Appreciation for and support of faculty, staff and alumni, all of whom contribute immeasurably to student success;
- Collaboration with the senior leadership of the University, including deans of the other schools and colleges;
- Connections in practice and/or research and a willingness to leverage those networks on behalf of iSchool constituents; and
- Understanding of the competitive higher education marketplace and a drive to promote the iSchool’s many distinctive strengths.
Archived on: 2020-01-08