Overview
Northern Illinois University seeks a dynamic, collaborative academic leader to serve as Acting Dean of the College of Education. While this is an Acting position, the incumbent will be expected to provide strategic leadership for the college, to advance its mission, and to act in the full capacity of the position. The Acting Dean of the College of Education reports to the Executive Vice President and Provost and has full responsibility for the college’s overall academic, administrative, and fiscal leadership.
Position Summary
The incumbent will serve in this capacity for a term to coincide with the appointment of Dr. Laurie Elish-Piper as Interim Executive Vice President and Provost. Should Dr. Elish-Piper elect not to return to this position, the incumbent is eligible to apply for the permanent deanship.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Supporting a Unifying and Shared Vision for Academic Excellence
The acting dean will engage with faculty, staff and student leaders to support the mission, vision, and values of Northern Illinois University and the College of Education. The acting dean will maintain momentum for the existing strategic action planning framework of the College.
Enhancing Community Engagement and Resource Development
The acting dean will establish and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with current partners and will continue developing connections to P-12 school systems, community colleges, state agencies, and other such entities. The acting dean will lead the college’s fundraising efforts and will seek other avenues for resource development including external grants.
Fostering an Ethos of Honesty, Transparency and Collaboration
The acting dean will embrace an inclusive, collaborative approach to leading the college and will foster a culture of transparency and integrity. The dean will serve as an advocate for the college and as a partner to other deans and senior leaders on campus to further NIU’s mission, vision and values.
Strengthening and Supporting a Culture of Inclusive Excellence
The acting dean will be engaged in achieving NIU’s mission, vision and values regarding social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and will support processes for the hiring, development and retention of faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of NIU’s student population.
Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)
N/A
Specialty Factors (Civil Service)
N/A
Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)
N/A
Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)
- A current appointment as a tenured full professor in a department at NIU.
- Five years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in higher education.
Additional Requirements (SPS)
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion including experience with, and deep respect for, diversity, equity and inclusion as exhibited by a record of promoting diversity within a student body, faculty and administrative team.
Preferred Qualifications (SPS)
- More than five years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in higher education.
- Creative and distinctive leadership of academic programs, continually seeking opportunities to advance academic excellence and innovation in teaching and research.
- A record of managing resources to ensure fiscal responsibility and effective long-term financial planning.
- A strong understanding and appreciation of a breadth of academic disciplines within the college and programs as well as the needs and strengths unique to each program.
- Proven ability to recruit, mentor and retain a diverse faculty.
- Knowledge of and experience with collective bargaining.
- Deep appreciation and understanding of the changes and trends taking place in both the education landscape and higher education more generally.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to lead with transparency and build consensus to advance change.
- Evidence of strong and effective administrative skills, with a capacity to build and develop leadership teams at all levels of the college.
- Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with a wide range of constituents including tenured and tenure-track faculty, instructors, adjuncts, department chairs, associate deans and staff within the college as well as undergraduate and graduate students. The ability to work collaboratively with external constituents such as deans of other colleges and other senior leaders to advance NIU’s mission.
- Successful involvement in the evaluation, assessment and accreditation of both undergraduate and graduate academic programs.
Physical demands/requirements
- Regular office related duties
- Sitting for extended periods of time
- Using computer/electronic equipment for extended periods of time
- Occasional lifting and moving items weighing up to 25 lbs.
