Dean, School of Natural Sciences

The University of California (UC), Merced invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the School of Natural Sciences (SNS). A campus with high ambitions and increasing impact, UC Merced has earned R1, Student Access and Opportunity, and Community Engagement designations by the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions. It is the only public, land-grant institution currently holding all three designations. The university was recently ranked 26th nationally among public universities by US News and World Report, 1st in the nation for social mobility and 18th overall by the Wall Street Journal, and 1st in the nation among young universities by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The next SNS Dean will lead this unique school into an exciting new era as it continues to grow, champion inclusive excellence, and distinguish itself within the UC system and among research universities globally. The new SNS Dean will join a thriving learning and scholarly community at a pivotal time, with the opportunity to facilitate its ongoing development and ensure its continued rise. The SNS Dean will need to be a gifted academic leader who will work closely with SNS faculty and staff and the broader campus community to continue developing the school as a magnet for high-caliber students from diverse backgrounds, talented faculty and staff, and a respected center for research addressing major global challenges as well as pressing regional needs. Role of the Dean of the School of Natural Sciences The Dean of the School of Natural Sciences is the chief officer of the School with overall administrative responsibility for an academic unit that currently includes five departments offering eight undergraduate majors and four graduate programs and the Institute for Symbiotic Interactions, Training, and Education in the Face of a Changing Climate (INSITE). The School also hosts the Department of Medical Education as part of the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) PRIME+, a state funded UC Merced, UCSF, UCSF- Fresno initiative to establish a BS to MD physician preparation pathway for the San Joaquin Valley. SNS faculty also play active roles in the Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, the Health Sciences Research Institute, and the Sierra Nevada Research Institute. SNS has 100 tenured and tenure-track Senate faculty and 31 non-Senate faculty, 1,940 undergraduate students, and 277 graduate students (277 Ph.D.). As the Schools executive lead, representative, and administrator, the Dean provides intellectual and academic leadership for the instructional and research missions of SNS and in doing so works closely with the Schools faculty and staff as well as senior leadership across the campus to deliver the Schools mission. The Dean supervises the hiring, promotion, and retention of faculty and staff, guides the development and provides oversight of undergraduate and graduate curriculum and degree programs, oversees and promotes the continuous improvement of the Schools academic and administrative operations, manages all School resources, and works with campus administration and the Academic Senate on matters of School and campus-wide policy. As part of the Provost's leadership team, the Dean is an active participant in planning the campus' ongoing development. Successful candidates will have demonstrated leadership skills in a full range of activities associated with the academic and research missions of the School. Key Opportunities and Challenges for the Dean of the School of Natural Sciences UC Merced has made remarkable progress and merits outstanding leadership to move into its next phase marked by excellence in research, innovation in teaching, and thoughtful growth, guided by excellent leadership and shared governance. As an emerging research university, UC Merced has exceptional freedom to pioneer new models for teaching, research, and service. In leading SNS into its next stage of growth, the Dean will address several key opportunities and challenges, which are detailed below. Lead the vision and strategy for the School The next Dean of SNS will provide critical leadership for the Schools ongoing development and the continued advancement of its mission. Building from the current Academic Plan, the Dean will advance the Schools contributions to achieving the goals outlined in UC Merceds Strategic Plan. As part of this effort, the Dean will continue to develop the schools administrative infrastructure with the goal of achieving ongoing sustainability of its academic and administrative operations. To this work, the Dean will bring a spirit of community and collaboration administrative expertise and change leadership. In collaboration with the faculty and staff, the next Dean will establish the strategic direction for SNS in the coming years. Recruit, retain, and support talented faculty Attracting, hiring, and retaining high-caliber faculty will be essential to continuing to grow the Schools reputation and the impact of its scholarly and academic output. Beyond facilitating the strategic addition of new faculty, the Dean will promote structures and programs that continue to aid, develop, and support existing faculty in their pursuit of excellence in scholarship and instruction, including both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research across the campus. Along with supporting individual achievement, the Dean will strive to further the culture of inclusive excellence that is core to the mission of UC Merced. Enhance the academic profile and scholarly impact of the School The Dean will lead the growth of the Schools research portfolio and support faculty engagement in research and scholarly activity. In close collaboration with faculty, the Dean will further expand existing research and scholarship programs and identify new opportunities for scholarly research. The Dean will elevate the visibility of the achievements of SNS and its faculty, students, and staff. Strengthen enrollment and educational impact SNS will be an important contributor to UC Merceds goal of achieving enrollment growth. In this context, the Dean will bring creativity to collaborations across campus that facilitate the Schools undergraduate enrollment growth, focusing on efforts that increase new student enrollment and the retention of existing students. Likewise, working collaboratively with the Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Education, the Dean will consider how best to support and strengthen graduate education. The Dean will also encourage faculty to take a data-informed and forward-facing approach to building new academic programs, undergraduate and graduate, and to reflect on existing programs with the goal of continuous improvement. SNSs 1,940 undergraduate students form a multi-ethnic student body that is 60% first-generation and 60% Pell eligible. For undergraduate students, opportunities for academic enrichment include involvement in research, student professional organizations, comprehensive student advising, leadership opportunities, and experiential learning, just to name just a few. As with faculty, inclusive excellence will be a framework the Dean will use to approach enrollment growth for undergraduate and graduate students in SNS. As the most ethnically diverse campus in the UC System, and as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Minority-Serving Institution, the campus is a vivid example of how inclusive excellence fosters the best possible environment for learning and scholarship. Manage the academic enterprise with financial acumen and organizational expertise As part of SNSs continued development, the Dean will be responsible for analyzing and refining the Schools administrative infrastructure to support its ongoing growth and success and for collaborating with the EVC/P leadership team to foster and strengthen a culture of fiscally aligned planning and accountability. The Dean will apply analytical and strategic leadership as well as financial acumen while bringing creativity, fiscal resourcefulness, and thoughtfulness to budget challenges while advancing priorities for growth. The Dean will work with the faculty and staff to position them for success in this changing environment. In advancing these efforts, the Dean will sustain a positive team culture across the School that advances the campus commitment to inclusive excellence. Advocate for SNS as a unit, both internally and externally As the leader of the SNS community, the Dean will be a compelling spokesperson for the School. The Dean will build relationships and bridges at UC Merced through working collaboratively with other Deans and administrators. At the university level, the Dean will advocate for investment in infrastructure and initiatives that will amplify the Schools and the campuss research and educational missions. The Dean will work with the Division of External Relations and Strategic Communications to promote SNS externally, creating and maintaining relationships in the region and state, nationally, and globally. This advocacy will raise the profile and prestige of the School, and lead to broadened partnerships for scholarship and learning and to additional financial resources to support the Schools mission. The Dean will engage in fundraising efforts for SNS as the advancement infrastructure grows at the campus. UC Merced's Provost Office is partnering with Berkeley Executive Search (BES) in the search for the next Dean of SNS. Nominations and inquiries may be sent to executivesearch@berkeley.edu. To officially apply for consideration, learn more about UC Merced, and review the full job posting, please visit: https://aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02013 #J-18808-Ljbffr