Baylor University seeks a leader to serve as Dean of the School of Education. This is an opportunity to lead a school that will be a contributor to the University’s goal of becoming a preeminent Christian research university. Chartered in 1845, Baylor fulfills its mission “to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.” Baylor seeks a Dean for the School of Education who combines academic achievements with strategic leadership ability, outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, collaborative and creative energy, entrepreneurial ambition, passion for the field of education, and vision for the role of a School of Education within a 21st century Christian research university.
Established in 1919, the Baylor’s School of Education is widely recognized for excellence in developing dynamic educators, educational leaders, and researchers who aid society on a global level. The mission of the School of Education is to prepare, within a Christian environment, individuals who improve society through leadership, teaching, research and service within their professions and communities. The School employs approximately 55 full-time regular faculty, of whom 28 are classified as tenured or tenure-track, and 27 staff and a range of up to 45 part-time faculty. Faculty are housed in three academic departments – Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, and Educational Psychology. The School offers multiple undergraduate degree programs in teacher education, a minor in Leadership, and 17 master’s and doctoral degree programs, and enrolls more than 400 undergraduate majors and 380 graduate students.
President Linda Livingstone was appointed in 2017 and has built a strong senior team that includes Provost Nancy Brickhouse, who came on board in May. With these important pieces in place, Baylor University seeks a Dean to serve as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School of Education. The Dean is accountable for the quality of the School’s academic programs and faculty, aligning the priorities of the School with those of the University, and enabling the School and University to flourish. The Dean will be an advocate for the full array of disciplines and programs, employees and students, and for the development of an overarching vision that will pull these components into an integrated whole. The Dean is expected to provide visionary leadership to align with the Four Pillars and Five Academic Strategic Initiatives articulated in Illuminate, the university’s academic strategic plan. The Dean is required to recruit and retain excellent faculty and staff, enhance undergraduates’ educational experience, strengthen graduate programs – with particular emphasis on doctoral programs, and elevate research activity in pursuit of Baylor’s stated goals to pursue Research 1 (R1) status to join the ranks of elite research universities nationwide. To be successful, the Dean will need to build an infrastructure to support high quality scholarship in support of Baylor’s role as a premier Christian research university; lead the faculty in creating a shared vision for the education of teachers in the 21st century; and build a culture of community, collaboration, and entrepreneurship.
The University seeks a dynamic leader who is possessed of impeccable personal and professional integrity, strength of character, and ethical qualities of the highest order. Other qualifications include an earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree with academic qualifications that merit appointment as a tenured full professor in an academic discipline represented within the School; a strong record of distinguished leadership in higher education, including at least three (3) years of successful leadership at the Chair, Director, Dean, or equivalent leadership level; demonstrated Christian faith and commitment to advancing the academic enterprise and Christian mission of Baylor through strategic faculty, staff, and student recruitment, retention, recognition, and development; a commitment to research as the foundation for learning, teaching, and practical application; demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, fiscal management, and the ability to lead, facilitate, and delegate with effectiveness; enthusiasm and ability to contribute actively to substantial development and fundraising efforts; commitment to diversity, along with an understanding of how to advance a culture that promotes inclusion and welcomes and encourages dialogue across lines of difference.
Screening will begin in December and continue until an appointment is made. Nominations, inquiries, and applications (including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and names of five references) should be directed electronically to Baylor_EducationDean@divsearch.com.
Kim M. Morrisson, Ph.D., Senior Managing Director or Pete Gillin, Managing Director
Stephanie Franklin, Vice President and Senior Associate
Diversified Search
One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 3300, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Baylor University is a private not-for-profit university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, Baylor is committed to compliance with all applicable anti-discrimination laws, including those regarding age, race, color, sex, national origin, marital status, pregnancy status, military service, genetic information, and disability. As a religious educational institution, Baylor is lawfully permitted to consider an applicant’s religion as a selection criterion. Baylor encourages women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply.