Dean – College of Professional Programs

Overview

 

Dean – College of Professional Programs

About Eastern Washington University:
Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. EWU’s 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washington’s second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building and at Riverpoint, a campus shared with Washington State University. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Tribal Land Acknowledgement
Eastern Washington University resides within the traditional homelands of the Spokane People and other tribes who are connected through their shared history of this region. This land holds their cultural DNA and it is their Ancestors who are here and bring forth the knowledge of this place—the knowledge that comes from the land.

Job Summary:
Eastern Washington University seeks an experienced and dynamic leader to serve as the next Dean of the College of Professional Programs.

Eastern Washington University, located on the ancestral lands of the Spokane people, is a midsize regional, comprehensive institution offering in-person, online, and hybrid high-quality liberal arts and professional undergraduate and graduate programs in Cheney, Spokane, and elsewhere in Washington State. Approximately one-third of EWU students are Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or People of Color, and half are first-generation college students, making EWU one of the most culturally and economically diverse universities in the state of Washington. The Spokane metropolitan area is home to over 400,000 residents and offers great four-season outdoor recreational opportunities and vibrant arts and cultural community. EWU supports the economic and cultural life of the Pacific Northwest through our large alumni base and the expertise of our faculty, staff, and students.

The College of Professional Programs (CPP) provides quality undergraduate and graduate education that prepares our students to be successful professionals and to advance in their chosen careers; over 35% of Eastern's total enrollment are CPP degree seeking students. The college offers a wide range of programs, many of them nationally accredited: Addiction Studies, Aging Studies, Business, Children's Studies, Data Analytics, Disability Studies, Education, Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Management, Human Resource Management, Interdisciplinary Studies, International Business, Marketing, Mental Health Counseling, Organizational Leadership, Professional Accounting, Program Evaluation, School Psychology, and Social Work.

The College of Professional Programs at Eastern Washington University was established in 2021 with the mission to promote inclusive professionalism through transformational learning experiences that empower students. In this way, student success is achieved through our shared values of cooperation, opportunity, service, cultural responsiveness, and compassion.This is an invigorating time for students, researchers, and practitioners in professional fields in our region. In 2022 the College of Professional Programs graduated over 1,800 students. Spokane continues to grow as a regional hub that provides a rich setting for education and collaboration across many disciplines and industries.

The Dean will have a comprehensive understanding of university education for the 21st century. This will be an excellent leadership opportunity to build a cohesive and collaborative college comprised of the following academic schools: Business and Professional Accounting, Education, Libraries, Psychology, and Social Work. Together, CPP offers 33 graduate programs, 27 certificates, 28 majors, and 23 minors. The Dean will also oversee five centers, including the Center for Aging Studies, the Family Resource and Training Center, Archeological and Historical Services, the Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis. In addition, through the Interdisciplinary Studies program, students have the ability to tailor their studies to suit their own interests and pursuits.

Unique to universities, the College of Professional Programs includes the EWU Libraries as a school. EWU Libraries serves the university with 12 librarians with faculty status, 13 staff members, and an operating budget of $3.8 million. EWU Libraries offers over 1.1 million books and ebooks, over 117,000 periodicals online and in print, over 225 databases, and is a member of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of 38 academic institutions in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The Dean will be responsible for creating and supporting educational programs of the highest quality; serving as the chief spokesperson and college advocate; recruiting and maintaining an excellent and diverse faculty; supporting advisory boards; managing budgets and resource allocation; and contributing to college advancement including fundraising and enhancing relationships with alumni, donors, partner institutions, and community and civic leaders. The Dean will have the opportunity to expand on the vision of the newly founded College of Professional Programs and the future of traditional, hybrid, and online education. This includes building a collegial culture that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within the college.Eastern Washington University is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, staff, students, and academic program offerings and to strengthen sensitivity to diversity throughout the institution.

Eastern Washington University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, and applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. Special accommodations: Eastern strives to satisfy all requests for special access needs for persons with disabilities. Requests for such accommodations are welcome and may be made by calling Human Resources at (509) 359‐2381.

On top of salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees, discounted EWU sports tickets and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/.

The basic responsibilities of the Dean as described in Academic Policy include:

• Providing effective and efficient administration of the college and its programs, including the development and implementation of plans for the college
• Effectively and efficiently managing the financial and human resources of the college
• Being an active and collaborative participant in the setting of university policy through involvement in the President's Cabinet
• Being an active and collaborative participant in the setting of academic policy through involvement in the Academic Affairs Council
• Improving the quality of the educational services offered by the college through the development of processes that encourage improvements in academic programs and research and scholarship, including but not limited to faculty and staff development, grants and contracts, assessment programs, internships, and scholarly opportunities for faculty and students
• Participating in the university governance process, such as serving on committees and task forces as appropriate, which include search, program development and review, and strategic and ongoing institutional planning committees
• Maintaining a professional development plan
• Building partnerships with external constituencies such as alumni, private and public organizations
• Articulating and promoting the university's mission and objectives
• Seeking feedback on the success of the institution's academic programs
• Regularly convening chairs and directors for purposes of planning and the sharing of information
• Identifying unmet educational needs
• Participating effectively in university fundraising activities
• Ensuring that the curriculum reflects a diversity of learning styles and perspectives
• Expanding scholarship opportunities for underrepresented populations
• Promoting strategies that encourage honest dialogue and foster a campus-wide ethic of inclusivity and a welcoming climate

Job Duties:
% of Time: 100
Responsibility / Duty: It is the responsibility of the Dean to ensure the implementation of the university and the college’s policies and procedures, in addition to the promotion of excellence within the college; allocation of resources to meet college and university objectives; guidance in faculty personnel processes and enhancing relationships with alumni, donors, and community leaders. The Dean is informed and advised by the collective expertise of the college’s chairs/directors along with support staff who meet on a regular basis for the purpose of advising and resolving issues of college interest.

Specific accountabilities include:

Leadership

• Meet goals and expectations as established by the president and provost
• Provide effective and efficient leadership to the college and university
• Carry out the academic mission of the college in support of the academic goals within the university’s strategic plan
• Manage the fiscal and human resources of the college in compliance with federal, state, and university laws, regulations, union contracts, and policies taking appropriate actions in a timely manner
• Recruit, retain, and evaluate a diverse and highly qualified faculty and support staff
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the student population
• Ensure compliance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements and university policies and ensure employee and administrative compliance with these provisions

Collaboration

• Facilitate a shared vision that promotes the mission of the university and college
• Collaborate with department chairs, program directors, staff, and community leaders to improve existing programs of study and develop new and innovative programs that meet the needs of a changing society
• Work collaboratively with other Deans in advancing the university’s academic program with active participation in the Academic Affairs Council
• Work effectively with other constituencies in the university
• Assist in identifying and supporting the professional development needs of faculty and staff and developing long-range professional development plans
• Collaborate with the EWU Foundation’s college-assigned development officer to develop strategies and opportunities for donor cultivation
• Collaborate with the Division of Student Affairs to support the professional development of students

Communication

• Enhance community and alumni engagement
• Establish relationships with the community to further the goals of the college and university
• Establish a presence in the community representing the events and activities of the college
• Establish and maintain effective decision-making and communication within the college
• Actively cultivate donor relationships and participate in donor stewardship and participate effectively in both university and college fund-raising activities.

Scholarship and Student Success

• Ensure academic integrity and enhance the quality of the academic programs of the college
• Lead recruitment, retention, and advising initiatives
• Adhere to activities within the college that maintain standards for both disciplinary and university-level accreditation
• Foster a vibrant culture of student and faculty scholarship

Essential Function Indicator: Yes