Susquehanna University, in central Pennsylvania,seeks a strategic thinker and proven leader to become the next Dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business. The School occupies an unusual niche, being one of only four strictly undergraduate private schools accredited by AACSB international. The Dean is the chief academic, fiscal, and administrative officer of the School and reports to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.
Application deadline is March 22, 2013.
The Opportunity
The Dean provides critical leadership to the School by articulating and implementing a strategic vision of excellence for the School that fits the mission and values of the university. Other principal responsibilities include:
- Ensure continued AACSB accreditation and sustained position at the forefront of business education, and leverage the distinctive attributes of the School and the university by demonstrating its compelling value to prospective students and developing collaborations, networks, and opportunities for students and graduates that contribute to successful outcomes
- Foster a vibrant learning community through inspiring leadership that evokes trust, welcomes collaboration, and effectively engages the talents, strengths, and experiences of faculty and staff
- Collaborate with the Development Office to identify, solicit, and secure external funds to support the School’s programs
- Maintain robust external relations that support and advance the School’s mission, including relationships with alumni, parents, and business leaders as well as the volunteers (e.g., the Advisory Council members) who commit time and talent to the School
- Collaborate with the admissions and communications staff to recruit well qualified students to the School
- Promote a culture of inclusive student success, oriented to achievement, professional development, and outcomes
- Support and assess academic programs
- Provide sound oversight of the academic units in the School, along with their budgetary and personnel resources
Opportunities to Excel
As the university responds to the changing contemporary environment of higher education, the dean will be expected to manage the School in a way that adds to the institution’s ability to recruit and retain students and enhances the institution’s reputation. One of the university’s distinctions is the integration of the whole educational enterprise. No individual program stands completely apart from the others, so the dean is an essential partner to the provost and other academic leaders in ensuring the coordination of the whole academy.
In particular, the dean will be asked to:
- Ensure that the School’s curriculum remains distinctive and provides a demonstrably robust preparation for success in the contemporary global business environment
- Collaborate with newly reconfigured institutional resources to improve and document successful internship and job placements for the School’s students and graduates
- Strengthen the School’s culture of faculty mentoring and development
- Encourage a culture of faculty collaboration with the disciplines in the School of Arts and Sciences
Qualifications
A visionary, creative, and collaborative leader with the ability to inspire faculty colleagues is required. Academic or business experience abroad or with international partners is desired. Minimum qualifications include:
- An appropriate terminal degree and suitable qualifications for a faculty appointment
- Knowledge of and experience with AACSB accreditation
- Leadership experience and a demonstrated capacity for comprehensive vision, bold action, effective decision–making and inspirational leadership
- Expertise in budget management and alignment of resource allocations with strategic planning
- Demonstrated effective communication skills and the ability to work with a broad range of constituencies, including faculty, staff, students, administrative colleagues, parents, alumni, and the external business community both locally and globally
- A commitment to social, racial, and economic diversity among faculty, students, and staff
- Unimpeachable ethics and integrity
About Sigmund Weis School of Business
The Weis School earned AACSB accreditation in 1993. It enrolls about 550 students (about a quarter of total university enrollment) in eight fields of study. The School’s 26 faculty members are organized in three departments: Accounting and Information Systems, Economics, and Management. About 80 percent of graduates in the accounting program have completed the optional 150 semester–hours program.
The School is located in a modern facility with computer labs, a stock trading simulation laboratory, student study areas and lounges, and state of the art instructional technology. Signatures of the School include a faculty–led, semester–long program in London for about 25 students each semester; a robust internship program; a Visiting Executive program, and student clubs that include a Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team, which has regularly placed regionally and nationally over the last decade. The Stein Fellowship program provides funds for students to avail themselves of international internship opportunities.
The School’s curriculum is book–ended by common learning experiences, beginning with the Global Business Perspectives course that introduces and orients students to the business curriculum and begins building the teamwork and leadership skills that are emphasized throughout the curriculum. The capstone course is Business Policy, which builds on and integrates knowledge and skills from the whole of the business curriculum and emphasizes teamwork and strategy.
About Susquehanna University
Founded in 1858 as the Missionary Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Susquehanna University today is an independent body that chooses to maintain a voluntary association with its founding tradition, including a continuing relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) through representation on the Board of Trustees. The university welcomes individuals of all religious backgrounds as well as those with no religious commitment.
Susquehanna University is a residential liberal arts college. Its mission of preparing students for lives of achievement, leadership, and service in a diverse and interconnected world is supported by three commitments: academic excellence, a total collegiate experience, and demonstration of successful outcomes.
Boasting a strong liberal arts program enhanced by equally robust professional programs, the university enrolls approximately 2,200 students in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Sigmund Weis School of Business.Degrees offered include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science. Susquehanna offers more than 50 majors, 45 minors, and 850 courses and has a 12:1 student–faculty ratio, which facilitates close relationships with professors and a personalized learning experience.
About Selinsgrove, PA
Susquehanna is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, approximately 50 miles north of Harrisburg in the scenic Susquehanna River Valley and is about a three–hour drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.
Nominations and Application Process
Confidential inquiries are welcomed and nominations are invited. They should include the name, current position, e-mail address, and telephone number of the individual being nominated. Application materials should include a cover letter addressing how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements, academic curriculum vitae, and contact information for at least five references.
Nominations and application materials must be submitted to:
Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, materials should be submitted by March 22, 2013.
For more information about Susquehanna, visit http://www.susqu.edu and the Sigmund Weis School of Business page at that site.
Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting is assisting Susquehanna University with this search. The lead consultant is: David M. Gring, Ph.D. Senior Vice President Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting 515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201 (478) 330-6222 | www.myersmcrae.comSusquehanna University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer and is committed to developing a more diverse and inclusive community. The university encourages nominations of or applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups.
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