The University of Kansas
Dean, School of Education and Human Sciences
The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, us, 66045
Position Overview
The University of Kansas welcomes applications and nominations for an entrepreneurial, collaborative, and values‑driven leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Education and Human Sciences. University Background
Founded in 1865, the University of Kansas (KU) is the state’s flagship public research institution and a proud member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). With five campuses across Kansas, including the main campus in Lawrence, KU serves more than 31,000 students and offers more than 400 degree and certificate programs. KU’s mission is to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world. Guided by its strategic plan and core values of Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Excellence (IRISE), KU fosters a vibrant academic community committed to advancing knowledge, building vibrant communities, and serving the public good. School of Education and Human Sciences
The School of Education and Human Sciences (SOEHS) is a nationally ranked academic unit that educates future teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and health and sport professionals. The Dean will provide leadership to approximately 125 faculty and staff who support 2,200 full‑time undergraduate and 900 full‑time graduate students. The School is consistently recognized for its leadership in special education, curriculum and teaching, and human development. Guided by its 2024 strategic plan, SOEHS advances mission‑based priorities in student success, research and discovery, and healthy, vibrant communities—aligning closely with the University’s broader strategic vision. The School is consistently ranked among the top education programs in the country, earning the No. 8 spot among public universities and No. 15 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025–26 “Best Graduate Schools.” Its graduate program in special education is ranked No. 1 among public universities and No. 2 overall, while the curriculum & instruction program ranks No. 18 among public institutions. SOEHS also offers top‑tier online programs, including a No. 2 ranking for its online master’s in special education and No. 10 for its online Ed.D. in educational administration. Dean Responsibilities
The next Dean of SOEHS will join a lively academic community deeply committed to academic excellence and student success. This is a pivotal moment for SOEHS, with opportunities to build on its nationally recognized programs and collaborative culture. The Dean will be expected to articulate an inclusive vision that honors the School’s legacy while advancing innovation across teaching, research, and service. By fostering transparency, shared governance, and trust, the Dean will unite faculty, staff, and students around a shared mission of preparing ethical and thoughtful leaders in education and the human sciences and guiding the School into its next era of excellence. Candidates for the Dean position must possess a distinguished record of academic leadership and scholarship that qualifies them for appointment as a tenured full professor in one of the departments of SOEHS. They should demonstrate progressive leadership experience in higher education administration, including oversight of academic programs, faculty development, budgeting, and strategic planning. A robust research background, understanding of grant funding, and a track record of supporting research excellence and student success are essential. The ideal candidate will have a proven commitment to transparency, along with the ability to foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments in the SOEHS and with external partners. Strong communication skills and fundraising experience are strongly preferred. Required Qualifications
Academic accomplishment: Record of scholarly achievement with a robust research background that merits appointment as a tenured full professor in the School of Education and Human Sciences is required; deep understanding of, interest in, and respect for the academic enterprise and those whose work fuels that enterprise; ability to judge academic quality across all of the School’s endeavors. Strategic vision: Ability to articulate a compelling and innovative strategic direction and to galvanize a community around it; the highest aspirations and ambitions for the quality, reputation, and impact of the School; capacity for building consensus, commitment, and accountability around implementing and operationalizing strategic plans and initiatives. Authentic investment and interest in students: Commitment to understanding evolving student needs and concerns and to providing students with the meaningful experiences that lead to their academic and professional success; decision‑making that facilitates engaging and innovative teaching. Research and community impact: Demonstrated support for research, scholarly and creative work, leadership, and service; a commitment to socially impactful research; understanding of grant funding and recognition of the importance and impact of running large‑scale grants. Support faculty and staff: Ability to recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty at all levels and to facilitate their professional success; commitment to recognizing and valuing the contributions of staff and empowering them to contribute to the School’s advancement; experience working on a unionized campus is preferred. Operational and financial acumen: Successful experience in leading and managing an organization, including the ability to shape and implement a plan, lead large and cross‑disciplinary projects, manage financial resources, collaborate effectively with others; ability to be a systems thinker and creative problem‑solver who can establish infrastructure; in‑depth experience with budgets, financial planning, and strategic resource allocation. Fundraising and external relations: Successful experience or strong potential for success in fundraising; desire to think creatively about diversifying funding streams; eagerness to build relationships with donors and to engage with the School’s alumni; ability to identify, build, and steward community relationships and partnerships. Knowledge of the education landscape: Awareness of the challenges facing PK‑12 and higher education; understanding of the complexities that go into hiring, developing, and retaining qualified teachers in each department; understanding of how national, global, social, and technological changes impact learning; knowledge about the complexities facing education, particularly for marginalized students and those with disabilities; capacity to serve as a respected thought leader within the regional education community and beyond. Collaboration: Relationship‑based leadership style with a firm belief in shared governance and a high level of collegiality and respect in working with the union, faculty, staff, and students; experience bringing people together to solve challenges and implement initiatives and plans; innovatively thinks about how to build collaborative partnerships across the School and with other academic units. Communication: Ability to connect with audiences large and small and to communicate with transparency, clarity, and effectiveness; exceptional capacity to promote the School’s interests, priorities, and impact across and beyond KU; openness to listening and to integrating the input of others; skill at facilitating complex and nuanced conversations. Additional Candidate Instructions
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 30, 2026. Contact
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Alejandra Gilette‑Teran and Cathryn Davis at KU‑SOEHS@wittkieffer.com. Advertised salary range: commensurate with experience. Application review begins Saturday January 31, 2026. Anticipated start date Tuesday August 18, 2026. Apply to Job.
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The University of Kansas welcomes applications and nominations for an entrepreneurial, collaborative, and values‑driven leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Education and Human Sciences. University Background
Founded in 1865, the University of Kansas (KU) is the state’s flagship public research institution and a proud member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). With five campuses across Kansas, including the main campus in Lawrence, KU serves more than 31,000 students and offers more than 400 degree and certificate programs. KU’s mission is to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world. Guided by its strategic plan and core values of Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Excellence (IRISE), KU fosters a vibrant academic community committed to advancing knowledge, building vibrant communities, and serving the public good. School of Education and Human Sciences
The School of Education and Human Sciences (SOEHS) is a nationally ranked academic unit that educates future teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and health and sport professionals. The Dean will provide leadership to approximately 125 faculty and staff who support 2,200 full‑time undergraduate and 900 full‑time graduate students. The School is consistently recognized for its leadership in special education, curriculum and teaching, and human development. Guided by its 2024 strategic plan, SOEHS advances mission‑based priorities in student success, research and discovery, and healthy, vibrant communities—aligning closely with the University’s broader strategic vision. The School is consistently ranked among the top education programs in the country, earning the No. 8 spot among public universities and No. 15 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025–26 “Best Graduate Schools.” Its graduate program in special education is ranked No. 1 among public universities and No. 2 overall, while the curriculum & instruction program ranks No. 18 among public institutions. SOEHS also offers top‑tier online programs, including a No. 2 ranking for its online master’s in special education and No. 10 for its online Ed.D. in educational administration. Dean Responsibilities
The next Dean of SOEHS will join a lively academic community deeply committed to academic excellence and student success. This is a pivotal moment for SOEHS, with opportunities to build on its nationally recognized programs and collaborative culture. The Dean will be expected to articulate an inclusive vision that honors the School’s legacy while advancing innovation across teaching, research, and service. By fostering transparency, shared governance, and trust, the Dean will unite faculty, staff, and students around a shared mission of preparing ethical and thoughtful leaders in education and the human sciences and guiding the School into its next era of excellence. Candidates for the Dean position must possess a distinguished record of academic leadership and scholarship that qualifies them for appointment as a tenured full professor in one of the departments of SOEHS. They should demonstrate progressive leadership experience in higher education administration, including oversight of academic programs, faculty development, budgeting, and strategic planning. A robust research background, understanding of grant funding, and a track record of supporting research excellence and student success are essential. The ideal candidate will have a proven commitment to transparency, along with the ability to foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments in the SOEHS and with external partners. Strong communication skills and fundraising experience are strongly preferred. Required Qualifications
Academic accomplishment: Record of scholarly achievement with a robust research background that merits appointment as a tenured full professor in the School of Education and Human Sciences is required; deep understanding of, interest in, and respect for the academic enterprise and those whose work fuels that enterprise; ability to judge academic quality across all of the School’s endeavors. Strategic vision: Ability to articulate a compelling and innovative strategic direction and to galvanize a community around it; the highest aspirations and ambitions for the quality, reputation, and impact of the School; capacity for building consensus, commitment, and accountability around implementing and operationalizing strategic plans and initiatives. Authentic investment and interest in students: Commitment to understanding evolving student needs and concerns and to providing students with the meaningful experiences that lead to their academic and professional success; decision‑making that facilitates engaging and innovative teaching. Research and community impact: Demonstrated support for research, scholarly and creative work, leadership, and service; a commitment to socially impactful research; understanding of grant funding and recognition of the importance and impact of running large‑scale grants. Support faculty and staff: Ability to recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty at all levels and to facilitate their professional success; commitment to recognizing and valuing the contributions of staff and empowering them to contribute to the School’s advancement; experience working on a unionized campus is preferred. Operational and financial acumen: Successful experience in leading and managing an organization, including the ability to shape and implement a plan, lead large and cross‑disciplinary projects, manage financial resources, collaborate effectively with others; ability to be a systems thinker and creative problem‑solver who can establish infrastructure; in‑depth experience with budgets, financial planning, and strategic resource allocation. Fundraising and external relations: Successful experience or strong potential for success in fundraising; desire to think creatively about diversifying funding streams; eagerness to build relationships with donors and to engage with the School’s alumni; ability to identify, build, and steward community relationships and partnerships. Knowledge of the education landscape: Awareness of the challenges facing PK‑12 and higher education; understanding of the complexities that go into hiring, developing, and retaining qualified teachers in each department; understanding of how national, global, social, and technological changes impact learning; knowledge about the complexities facing education, particularly for marginalized students and those with disabilities; capacity to serve as a respected thought leader within the regional education community and beyond. Collaboration: Relationship‑based leadership style with a firm belief in shared governance and a high level of collegiality and respect in working with the union, faculty, staff, and students; experience bringing people together to solve challenges and implement initiatives and plans; innovatively thinks about how to build collaborative partnerships across the School and with other academic units. Communication: Ability to connect with audiences large and small and to communicate with transparency, clarity, and effectiveness; exceptional capacity to promote the School’s interests, priorities, and impact across and beyond KU; openness to listening and to integrating the input of others; skill at facilitating complex and nuanced conversations. Additional Candidate Instructions
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 30, 2026. Contact
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Alejandra Gilette‑Teran and Cathryn Davis at KU‑SOEHS@wittkieffer.com. Advertised salary range: commensurate with experience. Application review begins Saturday January 31, 2026. Anticipated start date Tuesday August 18, 2026. Apply to Job.
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