The University of Missouri Kansas City Search for Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

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Megan Beasley
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The University of Missouri Kansas City Search for Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences THE POSITION The University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) College of Arts and Sciences invites nominations

1 The University of Missouri Kansas City Search for Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences THE POSITION The University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) College of Arts and Sciences invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Dean provides academic and administrative leadership for the College, and reports to the Provost who also serves as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. THE ORGANIZATION The University of Missouri Kansas City is a public, comprehensive, research University with twelve schools and colleges offering more than 125 degrees, including 50 masters and doctoral degrees. UMKC serves over 14,000 students of which 61% are undergraduates, 26% are graduate students, and 13% are professional students. UMKC is large enough to provide a broad range of educational and social opportunities, but small enough to retain a sense of community and belonging. Approximately 26% of UMKC students are members of underrepresented groups and 3% are international students, representing more than 49 countries. The freshman average ACT score is 24. UMKC is highly engaged with the community and economy based on a three-part mission focused on health and life sciences, visual and performing arts, and urban engagement. The University is a major player in the region s growing life science initiative through its Schools of Business, Pharmacy, Biological Sciences, Computing and Engineering, Dentistry, Medicine, Law, Graduate Studies, and Nursing, as well as the College of Arts and Sciences. UMKC has a full range of graduate and professional schools. This mix offers opportunities for innovative research, partnerships, and educational programming that span traditional disciplinary boundaries. The University has a beautiful urban campus located in the center of Kansas City s cultural zone, a part of the city encompassing museums, two premier research institutes, a renowned technical and research library, and Kansas City s Country Club Plaza and Westport shopping and entertainment districts. Numerous industry leaders such as Sprint-Nextel, Black & Veatch, the Kauffman Foundation, Burns & McDonnell, American Century Investment Management, H&R Block, Honeywell, Garmin, Bayer, Cerner and Hallmark have a strong presence in Kansas City and provide students with numerous learning and employment opportunities. A high percentage of UMKC graduates choose to remain in Kansas City upon graduation. UMKC has made a strong commitment to expand its recruiting strategies and its on-campus student life activities. As a result, the University s student demographic profile is changing to include more full-time students and individuals from beyond local regions. The University has recently completed a new residence hall, a student apartment complex and a student union that have substantially enhanced on-campus accommodations and the student life experience. Additions to the library are currently under construction.

2 THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES At UMKC's College of Arts & Sciences, there are courses that span the arts, sciences, and humanities. Small class sizes mean students are not just a number at UMKC. Because the campus is located in the heart of Kansas City, students can enjoy a small liberal arts and sciences college environment, and still benefit from the advantages of an urban setting. The College is organized into 18 departments that offer instruction in specific academic disciplines. In addition, students may choose degree programs from several interdisciplinary study areas. Undergraduate programs have a common set of general education requirements designed to ensure that graduates develop the necessary skills to function in our complex society. Students ready for graduate study will find a full range of programs from which to choose. Vision Statement UMKC's College of Arts and Sciences will be a model urban liberal arts and sciences college reputed for both traditional and cutting-edge undergraduate and graduate academic programs; a highly diverse and dynamic faculty, staff, and student body; an active engagement with its city and region; and a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research. Mission Statement UMKC s College of Arts and Sciences promotes the development of an enlightened society by fostering the discovery of new information in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, and by making its educational resources widely available to the public. Through teaching, research, and service, the College enhances and enriches the intellectual, cultural, and economic well-being of the city, the region, and the State of Missouri. Capitalizing on the diversity and expertise of its faculty, the College provides the graduates of all of the university s academic divisions a solid foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. With emphases on writing, critical thinking, and interdisciplinarity, the College s academic programs introduce students to the major branches of knowledge and to research methods in the various disciplines and professional programs. Upper-division and graduate programs prepare students for leadership roles in the arts, sciences, business and industry, education, government, health organizations, and social-service agencies. The College is committed to life-long learning and civic engagement. The primary academic missions of the College of Arts and Sciences are teaching, research and service. Through these functions, the College serves the community, the state and society at large. The research and scholarship of the College's faculty not only expand the body of knowledge generally, but also enrich and enhance its teaching and instructional programs. Most departments of the College offer both undergraduate and graduate study. The College enables students to develop the creative, analytical and communication skills which sustain a lifelong educational process. In addition to serving its own students, the College provides instruction in the liberal arts and sciences for students in the UMKC professional schools. Through its continuing education division and certificate programs, the College also serves individuals and groups in the community. The general degree requirements designated by the College give students a breadth of knowledge, enabling them to understand and appreciate the many facets of human experience, to make meaningful relationships between the various fields of knowledge, and to increase their understanding of themselves, their interests and special abilities. The general requirements and introductory courses allow for maximum freedom in selection of a major field of study and

3 provide the basic knowledge for that particular field or for the choice of a bachelor of liberal arts degree with no major. Work in the major field of study provides students with a comprehensive and systematic introduction to a field of scholarship and prepares them to function in the professional fields of their choice. Should a student choose to go beyond the baccalaureate degree, the major provides a solid basis for graduate study. The objective of the total academic program of the College is to engage students in study that will enable them to work competently in their chosen fields or pursue graduate work, while at the same time developing a breadth of knowledge in the arts and sciences. In that way, students can understand their specializations in the larger context of the intellectual and social life of the community. NOTABLE RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS AND POINTS OF PRIDE OF THE COLLEGE The College of Arts and Sciences has had three Guggenhiem Fellows in past two years. The College of Arts and Sciences has 14 Curators' Professors, the highest level of professorship which is awarded by the University of Missouri System. The College of Arts and Sciences had over $6,000,000 in research awards and over 150 publications in FY The College of Arts and Sciences played a central role in UMKC becoming one of only nine U.S. schools to receive $1 million from the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program. The College of Arts and Sciences is integrally engaged in UMKC s mission (initiatives) in the life/health sciences, visual and performing arts, and urban engagement. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEAN The Dean is the chief academic and executive officer of the College of Arts and Sciences who provides leadership and vision for the development and implementation of the College s strategic future. In those roles, the Dean has overall responsibilities for developing an effective collegial environment and plan that support excellence in teaching, research and service. More specifically, the Dean oversees student admissions and services; evaluates faculty and staff; develops and allocates the budget; represents the College in campus decision-making processes; oversees College-based research and outreach centers; and engages in fund- and friend-raising in support of opportunities to grow the College s reputation, resources, and impact. In addition, the Dean is responsible for maintaining strong working relationships within the larger University and with alumni, external partners, the academic and philanthropic communities, and other key stakeholders. The College of Arts and Sciences desires to continue the development of innovative programming, as well as the growth and strengthening of its existing offerings and resources. In addition, the following goals for the College are enumerated in the College of Arts and Sciences Strategic Plan : Goal 1: Place Student Success at the Center Goal 2: Be a Recognized Partner in the University's Goal to lead in the life and health sciences. Goal 3: Advance Urban Engagement Goal 4: Excel in the Visual and Performing Arts Goal 5: Embrace Diversity Goal 6: Promote Research, Creativity and Economic Development

4 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE Nominees and applicants must hold a doctoral degree and credentials that would merit faculty appointment at the rank of full professor in one of the disciplines of the College. The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate: The ability to develop and articulate a vision for the College consistent with the UMKC mission and vision and the ability to create alliances within the departments and with stakeholders throughout the University in order to achieve that vision; A commitment to elevating the College s academic standards and to increasing the national rankings of the College; The ability to enhance UMKC s ability to attract and retain outstanding students by working effectively with relevant offices; A commitment to developing and promoting quality research; A commitment to continuous improvement of student learning and faculty teaching; An interest in fostering community/university collaboration and partnerships; Demonstrated leadership in infrastructure development and organizational maintenance with the ability to manage a large and complex budget; A strong belief in shared governance; The ability to articulate the College s vision, goals, accomplishments, and needs to constituents; An entrepreneurial, innovative, and global orientation; Proven abilities and experience in fund raising; Efficient, effective, collaborative and transparent administrator with strong communication, management and organization skills; A record of exemplary personal and professional integrity; A demonstrated commitment to cross-disciplinary programs; A commitment to faculty and programmatic development; A strong record of university leadership; Contributions to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through administrative leadership, teaching, research and service; and, A record of cross-cultural abilities that have maximized effective collaboration with a diverse community of campus and external colleagues. TO APPLY Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. is assisting the University of Missouri Kansas City in the search. Screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, materials should be provided by December 1, Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate s experiences match the position requirements, a resume and contact information for at least five references. Submission of materials as MS Word attachments is strongly encouraged. NOMINATIONS: Individuals wishing to nominate a candidate should include the name, position, address, and telephone number of the nominee. A letter of addressing how the candidate s experiences match the position requirements is recommended. Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to: Jan Greenwood or Betty Turner Asher Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. 42 Business Center Drive, Suite 206

Miramar Beach, FL 32550 Phone: 850.650.2277Fax: 850.650.2272 E-mail: jangreenwood@greenwoodsearch.com bettyasher@greenwoodsearch.

5 Miramar Beach, FL Phone: Fax: For more information about UMKC, please visit and The University of Missouri Kansas City is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

Michigan State University

Michigan State University Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Michigan State University (MSU), the nation s premier land-grant university, invites applications and nominations for