Dear UO Community:
March 22, 2017
To: CAS Social Sciences Faculty
From: W. Andrew Marcus, Tykeson Dean of Arts and Sciences
Subject: Divisional Dean for the Social Sciences
Professor Carol Stabile, Interim Divisional Dean for Social Sciences, will be leaving her position with the University on June 30, 2017 to take over the headship of the Department of Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She has displayed a tremendous commitment to academic excellence while also retaining a keen understanding of the difficult choices we must make in these times of budgetary constraints. I have learned a great deal from Carol during her time in the dean’s role; a time that has seen some tremendous hires within the Social Sciences Division and the launching of an internal cluster on African American Studies. I am particularly grateful for her contributions to our college given the last minute manner in which I approached her about the position and her knowledge that this would be a temporary role. All of us in the dean’s office have been beneficiaries of Carol’s wealth of experience, direct problem-solving approach and good humor. Simply put, we will miss her.
I am now seeking your advice and comments in identifying our next Divisional Dean for Social Sciences from among our current faculty. Candidates:
- Must have broad experience with academic administration, preferably as department head, although center and program directors may apply,
- Should hold the rank of full professor, although in rare cases, associate professors with strong administrative experience will be considered, and
- Must have talents and academic values that are consistent with the highest goals and aspirations of our faculty and
I have appointed an advisory committee of CAS faculty to review nominations and applications and provide consultation to me for this selection. As is standard practice, the committee has two heads from within Social Science and one from outside the division. The committee includes Jocelyn Hollander (Chair), Frances White and Li-Shan Chou. I am grateful that they have agreed to screen applicants and evaluate their qualifications for the position.
I hope to select an incoming Divisional Dean for Social Sciences by the beginning of May so that we can plan for a smooth transition. The new Divisional Dean will begin a three-year term on July 1, 2017.
Applicant letters should be no longer than three pages in length and address:
- Qualifications for the job,
- Reasons for wanting to serve as Divisional Dean,
- Major challenges you envision the division encountering in the near future,
- Your philosophy regarding helping the division become ever better, and
- How you would promote diversity, especially among faculty, within the division and the
Please send nominations to me as soon as possible. Application letters should be sent to Miriam Bolton (mbolton@uoregon.edu), along with a current c.v., no later than Friday, April 14. If you are interested in the position and wish to speak with me before you apply, please let me know.
Position Description:
The Divisional Dean (DD) position is the primary designee/delegate for the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in almost all matters involving the administration and oversight of departments and programs in the DD’s assigned division (humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences). The DD is the first contact for department and program heads for all Dean-level issues, coordinates Dean-level decisions with the Dean and the Dean for Faculty and Operations, and then helps communicate these decisions to departments and programs in their division.
Strategic Vision. The DD takes the major leadership role in working with department heads, faculty, and other Deans to identify and articulate the strategic vision for the future of the division and the College. The DD is an ambassador for their division and the College-at-large. Examples of key activities connected with this responsibility are:
- Envisioning the future of the division in the context of the university’s mission and statewide and national forces affecting public higher education
- Working with divisional faculty and heads to understand strengths and challenges within the division and communicating those findings across the division and to university leadership
- Advocating for changes within departments and the College that sustain and enhance divisional departments’ national prominence and their attractiveness to students
- Leading the division during times of stress, which can range from severe budget constraints to GE strikes to outside political pressures
- Developing strategies for effective space use
- Serving as a divisional and college ambassador and advocate to groups within the university, including University Senate committees, Academic Affairs, Facilities Planning, and University Communications
- Serving as an ambassador to external members of the university community, including alumni, prospective students and their families, and funding agencies and foundations
- Collaborating with University Development staff to develop a vision for fundraising efforts and helping with those efforts
- Representing CAS and the Dean’s Office at key CAS- and University-wide events, particularly those connected to departments and programs in one’s division
- Participating in University-level committees (as assigned by the Dean) that are important to CAS and the future of the university, including such bodies as the Academic Leadership Team (ALT)
Management. The management issues coordinated by the DD are broad and diverse but are mainly connected to personnel and budget allocations:
Personnel
- Department head and program director appointments
- Department head and program director training on appropriate procedures as needed
- Department head and program director point person for addressing unusual issues within the university as they occur
- Faculty hiring, including negotiating start-up packages, allocation of endowed chairs and professorships, and faculty partner issues
- Faculty leaves, including sabbaticals, fellowships, or leaves for personal or medical reasons
- Faculty and OA review, including promotion and tenure review
- Retirements, resignations, and tenure-reduction program agreements
- Retention counter-offer arrangements
- Faculty grievance (formal and informal) decisions, and support with mediation of other personnel issues
- Merit, equity, and other salary increase oversight for faculty and OAs
- Annual CAS awards and grants evaluation and selection Budget
- Budget allocations to departments and programs
- Resource allocation requests by departments and programs
- Disbursement of a modest discretionary account for special requests
- Resource allocation for other CAS-level programs, such as CAS program grants and allocation of CAS endowment funds for undergraduate scholarships
Other Duties. Divisional Deans are often assigned other duties, as needed. These can include:
- Overseeing and mentoring University-wide candidates for a particular distinguished scholarship
- Overseeing the Dean’s Advisory Committee and coordinating the Dean’s staff in preparation of promotion and tenure cases
- Serving as the primary contact and coordinator for graduate education in the College
- Serving on high-level University committees and bargaining teams, including ex officio membership on committees relating to each division