What are the responsibilities and job description for the Dean of the College of Professional Studies position at Westfield State College?

About Westfield State University :

Founded in 1839 by Horace Mann, Westfield was the first co-educational college in America to offer an education without barrier to race, creed, or economic status. The institution is an education leader committed to providing students of every generation with a learning experience built on its founding principles. This spirit of innovative thinking and social responsibility is forged in a curriculum of liberal arts and professional studies that creates a vital community of engaged learners who become confident, capable individuals prepared for leadership and service to society.

Originally founded as a normal school, the institution transitioned into a state teachers' college in the 1930s and proudly emerged as Westfield State University in 2010. This transformative journey highlights our commitment to fostering broad intellectual development, professional preparation, and impactful community service.

Known as "Whip City," Westfield boasts a history steeped in innovation since the 19th century. Initially known for bricks, whips, and cigars, it emerged as a major hub for the buggy whip industry in the 1800s. Over time, Westfield diversified into industries like bicycles, paper products, textile machinery, and wood products. This transformation turned Westfield from an agricultural town into an industrial city.

Westfield State University sits on an expansive 256-acre campus, nestled just west of Springfield in the picturesque Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. Enjoy the perfect blend of outdoor activities in the Berkshires and convenient access to the vibrant city centers of Hartford and Boston. The University has about 4,000 undergraduate students and 800 graduate students across several professional graduate programs.

The College of Professional Studies is home to a variety of professional undergraduate degree programs leading to a Bachelor of Science. The College also offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, Physician Assistant, and Master of Social Work degrees. Our commitment to cultivating leadership and innovation prepares professional students for success in these dynamic fields. Renowned regionally and nationally, our graduates are equipped to navigate today's professional landscape. Through internships, practicums, clinical rotations, and capstone projects, we ensure readiness for the modern workplace.

Job Description :

General Statement of Duties

Westfield State University seeks an innovative and collaborative leader who will bring scholarly and administrative skills to the role of Dean of the College of Professional Studies. The Dean will have the opportunity to lead a talented group of faculty in the College that houses a diverse array of disciplines ranging from Management to Nursing. The Dean will supervise an Administrative Assistant and the academic department chairs; manage a significant budget; and provide leadership to the College's 63 full-time, tenure / tenure-track faculty and a comparable number of part-time faculty.

The Dean will be a champion of both undergraduate and graduate education, leading the faculty in developing a compelling vision for what it means to provide a high-quality public education in applied disciplines ranging from Accounting to Social Work. The Dean will work with the campus community to sustain a learning environment that recognizes the value of a transformative education for Westfield's diverse student body. The successful candidate will lead and support the faculty and others in developing and expanding graduate programs. The Dean will serve as the lead accreditation officer for all the accredited programs in the College and also maintain a quality assurance system for continuous program improvements. The Dean must provide active leadership for the College's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and promote an environment that advances inclusive excellence and actively opposes discrimination and intolerance.

Leadership Opportunities

Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of the College of Professional Studies will serve as the senior academic officer for the College. The Dean promotes excellence in curricula; teaching and learning; academic advising; scholarship and creative activities; professional development; the stewardship of financial and other resources; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Dean develops faculty leadership within the College and enables faculty to develop their scholarly and pedagogical visions to fully realize their strengths. The Dean will lead all accreditation efforts for accredited programs in the College and will ensure that all programs meet national and state professional standards.

The new Dean will need to provide leadership in several significant initiatives that are currently underway at Westfield and within the College. These include the implementation of the University's new general education program (Westfield Integrative Student Experience : WISE) and the accompanying Academic Plan in each department. WISE is centered on five student learning outcomes chosen by the faculty and implemented in fall 2024. The Dean will work with departments to ensure their majors are relevant to the 21st Century student. Other initiatives include supporting the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan and continuing to foster Westfield's culture of assessment of both student learning outcomes and academic advising. The Dean will also assist in refining our professional graduate programs to better meet the interests and needs of today's market.

Administration of the College

Works with department chairs and faculty to develop a vision for the programs within the College that are consistent with Westfield's mission, the University's strategic plan, and the Academic Plan of the Division of Academic Affairs.
Shares the University's deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, while working to introduce strategies, systems, and initiatives that work to counter the inherent biases within higher education.
Works with the Provost and other deans to develop and administer policies that guide the consistent and responsible use of budgets within the College. This includes the strategic deployment of tenure-track faculty lines, ensuring the consistent allocation of operating funds across academic departments, and assisting department chairs in managing their budgets.
Manages the course schedules in the College to ensure course offerings match student needs.
Continuously review the organizational structure and operations of the College to enhance efficiency and respond to opportunities.
Represents the University's academic interests to external stakeholders, including other educational institutions, government agencies, industry partners, and community organizations, including cultivation and fundraising.

Academic Department Support

Works with department chairs, program directors, and faculty to ensure that all academic programs meet the needs and demands of today's 21st Century learners. This may include new curriculum offerings that are responsive to student interests and emerging career opportunities. It may also include enhancing Westfield's professional graduate program offerings.

Works with academic departments to develop effective assessment plans that measure the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum.

Assists departments in enhancing their connections to alumni and fundraising.

Supports and enhances the College's capacity to fund and conduct research and creative activity.

Leads the ongoing accreditation efforts of the academic departments to ensure that all relevant program.

Faculty Support and Evaluation

Reviews application portfolios in Renewal, Promotion, and Tenure, as well as six-year professional assessments, and makes recommendations to the Provost.

Reviews tenure-track position requests from departments and makes recommendations to the Provost

Works with department search committees to evaluate candidates for faculty and staff positions to ensure we hire high-quality people who share our commitment to our mission.

Assists departments in mentoring new faculty to maintain the sense of community and commitment to public education that characterizes Westfield.

Supports faculty scholarship and other creative efforts and assists with grant applications.

Works with appropriate governance committees and other offices to develop and implement meaningful faculty development opportunities.

When appropriate, holds the responsibility and shares governance for hearing and responding to faculty or staff issues.

Evaluates staff and makes recommendations for advancement. Maintains national recognition.

Salary $150,000.00-$165,000.00 (will commensurate with education and experience)

Requirements :

Required Qualifications

Earned terminal degree in an academic discipline appropriate to the College of Professional Studies.

Demonstrated record of distinguished teaching, research / scholarship, and service consistent with a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of Professor in one of the College's academic departments.

Preferred Qualifications

A demonstrated history of an open, collaborative, and collegial leadership style that demonstrates a commitment to shared governance and the ability to earn the trust of faculty, students, staff, and administrators.

Ability to work collaboratively with academic departments and faculty to ensure academic programs are innovative, current, and relevant.

Experience developing, overseeing, and assessing professional graduate programs that serve recent graduates and working adults.

A record of progressively substantial and successful experience in academic administration including, but not limited to, budgeting, strategic planning, and personnel management.

Experience successfully leading academic departments through national accreditation and program recognition.

Evidence of an ability to balance multiple competing demands and priorities and a strong track record of problem solving and proactively addressing challenges.

Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and experience with programs and pathways to support historically underrepresented groups.

Ability to work within a unionized environment with shared governance.

Additional Information :

Employee Benefits :

Benefits are an important component of an employee's total compensation package.

Health Insurance : Westfield State offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-type health insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire. Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage is effective immediately.

Retirement : the MA State Employee Retirement System provides eligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-year vesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligible employees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5% employer matching contribution.

Tuition Waivers & Discounts : eligible employees, including spouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA state colleges, community colleges, and universities.

Paid Time Off : employees receive 12 paid holidays and generous vacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.

Additional information regarding employee benefits is available on the University's Benefits & Wellness webpage .

Disability Accommodations

Westfield State University is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and will ensure the availability of reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at (413) 572-8809 or visit us in the Horace Mann Building, 1st floor.

Background Check

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion and review of a background check. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration.

Application Instructions :

Academic Search is assisting Westfield State in this search. Nominators and potential candidates may arrange a confidential conversation about this exciting opportunity with one of the two Senior Consultants leading the search : Cynthia Patterson ( cynthia.patterson@academicsearch.org ) or Maria Thompson ( maria.thompson@academicsearch.org ). Please include a copy of your CV to inform the conversation.

To apply, a candidate should submit the following in three separate documents (pdf preferred) to WestfieldDeanProfStudies@academicsearch.org :

A letter of intent addressing how the candidate's experiences align with the leadership opportunity and qualifications articulated in this document.

A current CV / resume.

Contact information for at least five professional references, including email addresses and a brief note on the candidate's working relationship with each.

References will not be contacted without the prior knowledge and approval of the candidate and at a later stage in the search.

When submitting a nomination, please send the nominee's full name, title, position, and email address to WestfieldDeanProfStudies@academicsearch.org.

The deadline for initial consideration is Monday, February 17, 2025 . Review of applications will continue until the search is completed.

APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED OR FORWARDED FROM THIS SOFTWARE APPLICATION.

The University will ensure that employment and academic decisions, programs, and policies will be based solely on the individual eligibility, merit, or fitness of applicants, employees, and students without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status, or veteran status.

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Salary : $150,000 - $165,000

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