Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Position Description
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) is seeking an experienced leader to serve as its next Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). This position reports directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
THE COLLEGE
The College of Liberal Arts includes the departments of English, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Psychology & Sociology, as well as the School of Arts, Media & Communication, which includes the departments of Art, Communication & Media, Music, and Theatre & Dance. The College offers 17 undergraduate degrees, 7 master’s degrees, and 34 minors and certificates. CLA consists of 125 full-time faculty, including 100 tenured/tenure-line members and 25 professional assistant professors, 20 staff members, and 40 graduate assistants dedicated to excellence in both teaching and research/creative activity. The College plays a significant role in the University’s core curriculum, accounting for 38% of all student credit hours taught at TAMU-CC. Additionally, 30% of the University’s graduating students come from CLA. The Social Science Research Center involves a number of faculty from the College.
CLA faculty and staff strive to prepare students for productive lives in a diverse, multicultural world by developing their intellectual, creative, communication, and critical-thinking skills. It provides majors and minors in specialized subjects in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Teaching provides advanced knowledge and skills in a setting that emphasizes interaction among students and faculty. The College seeks to develop habits of learning and a commitment to lifelong inquiry and intellectual growth.
THE UNIVERSITY
TAMU-CC is a vibrant, relatively young doctoral-granting University and Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). With almost 11,700 students from 47 states and 54 foreign nations and 1,318 faculty and staff, it combines a heritage of teaching excellence with innovation in research and community engagement. It offers a highly talented faculty and an array of undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral programs, offered in the five academic colleges of Business, Education and Human Development, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Science and Engineering.
TAMU-CC possesses the key elements to support its move to the next level among its peers as a major Hispanic-serving research university. The University’s strategic plan, Momentum 20/20, lays out a bold agenda for developing recognized programs in areas important to the region and nation. To achieve this goal, the University has begun to strengthen and grow its infrastructure to support existing and promising new programs. Services and operations dedicated to student recruitment, retention and welfare will be expanded to meet increased student demands and enhance the educational experience for all.
TAMU-CC is a member of the Texas A&M University System – a network of eleven universities, seven state agencies and a comprehensive health science center. As a member of the Texas A&M University System, the school benefits from a range of centralized resources, increased visibility and political clout, and opportunities to collaborate in mutually beneficial ways with peers across member institutions and associated agencies.
TAMU-CC has a beautiful main campus located on a coastal island of 240-acres surrounded by the waters of the Corpus Christi and Oso bays – the only university located on its own island. TAMU-CC was ranked first on Best College Reviews’ list of “50 Best Colleges By the Sea”. Just eight miles from downtown Corpus Christi, the natural setting is enhanced by our modern, attractive, and state-of-the-art classroom buildings and support facilities. With a population of over 300,000, Corpus Christi is the largest Texas city south of San Antonio, as well as a coastal city, making TAMU-CC highly attractive to prospective students from throughout the region and beyond.
TAMU-CC is on a trajectory to achieve national recognition as evidenced by the quality of its faculty and staff, the success of its students, the connectedness of its alumni and the excellence of its academic and student life portfolios. Its strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico and on the cultural border with Latin America provides a basis for gaining national and international prominence. TAMU-CC is committed to becoming one of the leading centers of higher education in the Gulf of Mexico region while serving the intellectual, cultural, social, environmental and economic needs of South Texas.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Promote an understanding, both internally and externally, of the College, its purposes, and objectives;
- Guide the development of the College of Liberal Arts in conjunction with the University’s strategic plan;
- Steer the College with faculty inclusion;
- Facilitate high quality, relevant, and innovative curriculum;
- Promote research, scholarship, and creative activity among the faculty;
- Provide consistent encouragement of undergraduate and graduate research;
- Promote student learning and retention through quality recruiting, counseling, internships, advising, and placement;
- Provide budgetary control and supervision; and
- Foster new partnerships, existing relationships, and articulate a vision that generates investment and support from the community, private donors, and alumni.
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate should have:
- A terminal degree appropriate to the College from a regionally accredited university;
- Academic credentials commensurate with the appointment to the rank of full professor;
- A minimum of five years of significant administrative experience, such as department chair, program director or equivalent position;
- A record of quality scholarship and/or creative activity demonstrated through peer‐reviewed publications and presentations appropriate to the discipline;
- A broad understanding and appreciation of the arts and humanities;
- The ability to work collaboratively with the research arm of the University;
- Experience promoting the growth of research, scholarship, and creative activity amongst the faculty;
- The ability to work with deans and faculty of a diverse set of colleges;
- The financial acumen to aid the University in matching aspirations with finite resources;
- Evidence of collaboration with faculty and administrators in various disciplines to advance programs and enhance recruitment and student success efforts;
- Experience developing interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, and/or inter‐institutional programs;
- A global perspective;
- Evidence of promoting diversity amongst faculty, administration, staff, and students;
- Evidence of the ability to be innovative and entrepreneurial;
- Experience with technology in the classroom and 21st century pedagogy;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
- A working knowledge of trends and regional and national priorities for higher education;
- Success in private sector fundraising or willingness to learn how to be successful; and
- Significant experience with accreditation.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The Search Committee invites applications, inquiries, and nominations for this position. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact details of at least five professional references. Applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled and review of applications will begin immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit materials prior to January 12, 2016 to the search firm assisting Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Applications can be submitted online at the following web page (https://www.parkersearch.com/tamucc-deanliberalarts) or via e-mail at the address below:
Ryan Crawford, Principal | Kassi Lee, Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2900 | Atlanta, GA 30328
rcrawford@parkersearch.com | klee@parkersearch.com
770-307-7031 | Fax: 770-804-1917
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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