Dean of the

Feinstein School of Education and Human Development

at Rhode Island College

Rhode Island College, a public, comprehensive liberal arts college, invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development. The Dean reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

For complete information on this opportunity, review the Search Profile at

http://www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/RIC-FSEHD.pdf

The Opportunity

Rhode Island College, a highly respected institution of higher education, is dedicated to preparing students through rigorous academic programs, meaningful service, and enriching opportunities. As the current embodiment of the RIC’s historic roots as a normal school, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (FSEHD) has a key role in advancing the College’s mission and goals and serving a central role in teacher preparation for the State of Rhode Island and the larger New England region.

The School is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), now the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education to prepare teachers, school principals, counselors, school psychologists, and youth workers.

FSEHD seeks a dynamic and forward-looking leader to help build and implement a new strategic plan for the School that incorporates progressive research while preparing candidates to serve Rhode Island’s students, with particular focus on diverse learners and English learners. The 88 faculty members and interim leadership of FSEHD have spent the past year researching, preparing, and developing shared outcomes across the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs that span five departments, a lab school, and a joint Ph.D. program to create an innovative new framework for its undergraduate programs.

This academic leader will join a community of dynamic, energized faculty and students to complete and implement this strategic vision as they, together, write the next chapter for the FSEHD and seek to continue RIC’s tradition of serving as a regional and national leader in teacher education.

Rooted in the College’s commitment to active and experiential learning, the teacher certification programs work to prepare teachers who share a commitment to deep content knowledge, culturally responsive pedagogy, and reflective practice. FSEHD’s community programs in Youth Development and Community Health and Wellness offer undergraduate (and soon graduate) degrees for those who want to serve youth beyond the classroom walls. The graduate programs in Counseling and School Psychology prepare professionals to serve the schools and communities of Rhode Island. Additionally, the School’s dynamic lab school serves 211 young people in grades pre-K through five.

In 2017, the FSEHD graduated 160 students with initial licenses and 60 with advanced degrees. In the 2016-2017 academic year, 100 percent of FSEHD’s initial teacher certification candidates passed the Rhode Island Teacher Licensure tests.

Character and Qualities

The next Dean will be a person of integrity with high energy, an active scholarly agenda, and a collaborative work ethic who can lead across these programs. Per FSEHD’s mission, the dean will be deeply committed to the values of equity, diversity, and social advocacy who can help recruit and retain a diverse student body and prepare all of the School’s students to serve in diverse settings. The new dean will be an influential voice in making Rhode Island College a thriving center for education renewal.

The Dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development provides academic vision and leadership to advance the mission of teacher, counselor, community, and leadership education at Rhode Island College and within the state and region. This administrator is responsible for bringing a national perspective on PK-12 education to the College, building and sustaining a culture of innovation, responding to needs, and setting priorities. The person will engage faculty, students, and the broader education community in building and sustaining a culture of continuous quality and critical pedagogy for its teacher education programs. 

The Dean articulates those priorities to internal and external constituencies, serves as a public voice of the school in relevant forums, promotes academic excellence from Pre-K to doctoral education, and supports professional development and continuing education programs for in-service professionals.  The Dean collaborates with faculty, other deans, and the Provost and VPAA on curriculum planning and development, faculty and staff development and evaluation, and budget administration within the School. 

The Dean works closely with external partners, building strong and enduring partnerships with school districts, individual schools, and superintendents. As well as overseeing the leadership team of the College, the Dean has the primary responsibility for maintaining state program approval and accreditations and certifications.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Within the School      

• Lead faculty and staff in developing, sustaining, and measuring progress for a vision and strategic plan for the School and its programs.
• Lead and work collaboratively with faculty, department chairs, and other administrators to develop operational plans and evaluate activities that contribute to the immediate and long-term development and improvement of the School.
• Provide leadership in academic programs, including curriculum and program development and improvement.
• Provide a vision and an action plan for technology in PK-12 education and in teacher education, including online learning.
• Oversee faculty and staff hiring, development, and evaluation; student support services; allocation and use of available financial, space, and other resources; grant-writing and fundraising from public and private sources; and other aspects of the School’s operation.
• Ensure that programs use continuous improvement practices to meet or exceed state and national requirements and standards for exemplary schools of education, including state standards for approved programs and national standards for accreditation.
• Oversee outreach functions of central concern to the Feinstein School and the college, including promoting professional-development and continuing-education programs for in-service professionals, access programs for non-traditional undergraduates.
• Provide leadership in development of extramural grants and special projects.                                                                             

In the College

• Foster collaboration with campus partners, including the Sherlock Center on Disabilities.
• Promote and lead academic collaborations within the college through shared oversight of joint faculty appointments with Arts and Sciences and outside the college through shared administration of a joint Ph.D. in Education.

In the Broader Community

• Represent and promote the position of the FSEHD and RIC on issues related to community and teacher education with local school districts, state agencies, state and national government, national associations and accrediting bodies, other external organizations, and public forums.
• Lead the School’s participation in community partnerships school districts, community-based organizations, and statewide and regional groups.
• Promote and foster a sense of community and shared purpose for teacher, counselor, community, and leadership education at Rhode Island College.
• Foster excellence in teacher education through building a research agenda, promoting scholarship, championing best practices, and sharing the college’s vision with the broader formal and informal education and learning communities and education policy makers.        

Qualifications

Candidate must have an earned doctorate and a proven record of accomplishments in educational leadership. A record of teaching, research, and service at the college level commensurate with appointment as full professor is required.

Preferred Experience

• Previous teaching or administrative experience in a PK-12 school setting
• At least three years of administrative experience at the college/university level

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Demonstrated collaboration skills across disciplines, academic units, PK-12 schools, higher education institutions, agencies, and organizations
• Competence in curriculum development, program assessment, and assessment of student learning
• Skill in using a social justice and equity lens in articulating the mission and vision of the school, in work with constituents and stakeholders, and in understanding the strengths and needs of its students
• Skill in working with diverse populations
• Effective and consistent interpersonal, communication, conflict-resolution, management, and organizational skills
• Knowledge of current trends/topics in education 
• Knowledge and awareness of education change and reform agenda
• Knowledge of accreditation standards/procedures
• Knowledge of PK-12 educational settings
• Knowledge and experience in the application of innovative technology in furthering learning in the classroom
• Experience in administrative planning, management, and budgeting
• Experience in supporting faculty in teaching and research activities
• Experience with development and support of professional-development and continuing-education programs for PK-12 professionals
• A commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion

The College requires that all applicants and employees be able to perform the essential functions of the job and will explore reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Rhode Island College

Since its founding in 1854, Rhode Island College (RIC) has delivered high-quality, low-cost, education in innovative ways. As Rhode Island’s first institution of public higher education, the College has grown from its origins in teacher preparation to becoming a leading regional comprehensive college, with particular strengths in nursing, teacher preparation, social work, business, STEM, and liberal arts disciplines.

With the goal of preparing students to be engaged citizens as well as meeting the state’s and region’s needs for today’s workforce and tomorrow’s leaders, RIC ensures that students have the support, skills, and opportunities to learn and thrive. The College offers an extraordinary collegiate experience with top-notch academic programs, active classroom learning, significant experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom, and state-of-the-art facilities.

Nearly 90 majors and programs are offered through its five distinct academic schools: School of Nursing, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the Schools of Social Work, Business, and Arts and Sciences. With an enrollment of approximately 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the College student body is 68 percent female and 32 percent students of color, and approximately half of its students are first-generation college students.

Eighty-nine percent of the College’s full-time faculty hold terminal degrees in their specialization. With an average class size of 20 students and a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the College has a friendly, close-knit community that results in lifelong friendships and mentors.

Students have the opportunity to participate in research and internships to advance their learning and goals. Study-abroad and domestic study-away programs allow students to pursue their education in different institutions and settings for a semester, year, summer, or during the short January term.

One of RIC’s key initiatives is to provide a high-quality student experience. The College is investing more than $310 million in facility and infrastructure improvements over a five-year period.

The College also is committed to building community, equity, diversity, and cultural competency for its faculty, staff, and students and the regional community. Inclusive excellence is one of the five pillars of the College’s strategic plan, “Affirming our Strength and Building our Future,” along with learning innovation, student success, community partnerships, and institutional effectiveness.

Approximately 375 students participate in varsity sports. A member of the Little East Conference, the RIC Athletics programs are NCAA Division III with 12 varsity teams for women and 9 for men. The intercollegiate athletics program ranks in the top 30 percent nation-wide.

Providence, Rhode Island

The College is based in the vibrant capital city of Providence. The city has a population of 175,000 people and is an hour from Boston and three hours from New York City. Rhode Island’s population is approximately 1 million people; it is rich in diversity, culture, and history. Providence has been ranked as one of the top “hippest cities” in the US and has a growing and diverse high-tech economy.

The area offers a wide variety of cultural, entertainment, and recreational venues. The RISD Museum of Art has more than 80,000 works of art, and the Roger Williams Park Zoo is considered one of the finest zoos in New England. Broadway shows and plays, festivals, over 700 restaurants, minor league Triple A baseball, and more than a hundred public and private beaches are only a sampling of what this great city and state offer residents and visitors.

Application and Nomination Process

Confidential inquiries are welcomed; nominations are invited.

To Apply - Applications must include: a) Letter of interest, b) Current curriculum vitae, and c) At least three references with full contact and e-mail information (References will not be contacted without applicant’s consent.)

Submit applications to RIC-FSEHD@myersmcrae.com by October 15, 2018, for best consideration. The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Submit nominations to RIC-FSEHD-Nominate@myersmcrae.com with the individual’s contact and e-mail information.

Kenny Daugherty, President of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, is assisting the College with this search.

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting 515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201

(478) 330-6222 | www.myersmcrae.com

As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution which values and is committed to expanding the diversity of its faculty and staff, the College invites members of protected classes, including minorities and persons with disabilities, to identify themselves as such at the time of application.