Dean for The College of Professional Education

DEAN FOR THE COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Texas Womans University (TWU) invites applications and nominations for an innovative, experienced leader to serve as the Dean for the College of Professional Education. This presents an opportune moment as the university has garnered remarkable recognition in academics, research, and service. The Texas Legislature, recognizing TWUs distinctive mission, established the Texas Womans University System as the first university system in the nation with a woman-focused mission just two years ago.

The Dean for the College of Professional Education will play a pivotal role in advancing the universitys curriculum, providing effective leadership for the faculty, overseeing research endeavors, and spearheading the development of strategic and innovative programs that align with and enhance TWUs mission and strengths. The dean will report to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost.

Texas Womans University:

Founded in 1901 as a womens college, the university has grown its mission of serving marginalized populations in higher education over the past 120-plus years. For eight consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report recognized the university as having one of the top 10 most ethnically diverse student bodies in the nation and in 2023 ranked the university among the nations best for social mobility. Additionally, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal recognized the university as a top pick in 2023, and the Wall Street Journal ranked the university 7th in the nation for overall student experience. Also in 2023, Texas Womans earned the coveted Seal of Excelencia, a certification that demonstrates a universitys commitment to accelerating Latino student success. Less than 1% of colleges and universities have earned this distinction.

The nations largest woman-focused university system, TWU produces leaders in the fields of education, the arts, sciences, business, nursing and the health professions. Students have described their experience on the picturesque, flagship Denton campus as a private feel at a public cost.

It is the only public, general academic university in Texas to offer doctoral degrees in occupational therapy, physical therapy, dance and multicultural womens and gender studies. Men account for about 10% of the student population.

Since becoming a system in 2021, the university plans to form independent universities for its health science centers in Houston and Dallas.

Denton, just north of the DFW area, is consistently named one of the nations best college towns, and Dallas and Houston have world-class museums, performing art centers, entertainment districts and professional and collegiate sports venues. As a whole, the university has a $1.8 billion annual economic impact on the state.

The College of Professional Education:

For 115 years the College of Professional Education (COPE) has produced graduates prepared for both the present and future challenges in their professions. The College includes programs in library and information studies, child development, child life, family studies, marriage and family therapy, counseling and development, teacher education including early childhood education, educational leadership and higher education, literacy, language, and multilingual studies. One of the few Reading Recovery and Descubriendo la Lectura Training Centers in the U.S. is also housed within COPE.

The three schools that comprise COPE are the School of Library and Information Studies, School of Human Sciences and the School of Education. Two of the graduate programs in Human Sciences are externally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) while the education programs are accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The School of Education prepares teachers for early childhood education (PK-3), elementary (EC-6), middle school (4-8), special education, bilingual education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and works across other colleges and departments to prepare teachers in high school content areas and all level certifications such as Art, Dance and Music. The school also offers graduate level certification programs for aspiring principals and superintendents. The School of Library and Information Studies prepares librarians for school, public, academic, and special libraries through masters level and certification programs.

The College of Professional Education promotes a culture of research excellence and innovation with collaboration across disciplines and stakeholders. College faculty increased grant awards by $747,000 in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Grant awards focused on preparing school counselors, developing curriculum for students to better recognize bias, and leadership development for college students.

Innovative student-focused grant initiatives include Grow Your Own partnerships with school districts to support paraprofessionals pursuing degrees and teacher certification, providing rural students pathways to masters degrees, and utilizing virtual reality to help students develop counseling skills.

In 2024, the College launched Research and Innovation Fellow Awards. The Research Fellow is expected to advance significant research, while the Innovation Fellow focuses on developing groundbreaking programs and strategies to increase enrollment, improve retention rates, and enhance the College. The College hosts a Research and Innovation Speaker Series for invited guests and Research Talks for faculty to present current research in a collegial atmosphere to build camaraderie and collaboration.

The Dean:

The Dean will work with a Provost who is a very positive, optimistic leader who is looking for the same! There are so many great things happening for students, for leaders, AND for faculty.

Poised at the threshold of R2 designation, TWU seeks a Dean who will build on this momentum to advance both our distinguished teaching tradition and our expanding research enterprise. The successful candidate will implement innovative approaches to help faculty balance these complementary missions, ensuring sustainable workload models that enable both high- impact teaching and productive scholarship. This leadership will be crucial in furthering our dual commitment to student success and research excellence.

As in many universities today, the College faces challenges related to challenging enrollment and constrained resources. The new Dean will work to develop strategic initiatives to recruit and retain students while also advocating for equitable resource distribution within the university. This will involve building partnerships and securing external funding to supplement the budget.

The new Dean will focus on creating a strategic vision for the College that fosters continuity, stability, and growth. Through a long term commitment to the university and College, the new Dean can help restore confidence in the Colleges leadership and build a sustainable future.

The Dean has the opportunity to encourage and foster the development of innovative teaching methods, like hybrid and online education models, to cater to a wider demographic of students, including non-traditional students or those seeking professional development in education.

The Dean will lead the charge on securing new funding sources, such as grants, endowments, or partnerships with industry or governmental bodies, to ensure the Colleges financial health and foster investment in critical programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Actively works to promote collaborative interdisciplinary, interinstitutional, and education and community-related partnerships.
• Provides academic leadership for the College.
• Oversees the short and long range goals and objectives for the College.
• Provides leadership establishing and meeting enrollment goals.
• Establishes, implements, and monitors policies and procedures for the College.
• Provides information and makes recommendations to the Provost on all matters related to the College.
• Serves as liaison between the College and TWU central administration.
• Directs and evaluates the work of the department(s), associate deans and other direct subordinates within the College.
• Provides leadership and guidance in faculty and staff searches.
• Recommends faculty for promotion and tenure consideration.
• Formulates and administers the College budget.
• Sets priorities for resource allocation and utilization.
• Works with appropriate departments to develop external funding.

Required Qualifications:

• Earned PhD or Ed.D in a discipline represented in the College.
• Established record of teaching, research, and service that aligns with the universitys standards for the rank of full professor in a discipline represented in the College.
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible academic administrative leadership experience, demonstrating achievement in leadership roles.
• Extensive experience in curricular development, budget management, research facilitation, and securing external funding.
• Demonstrated success in academic leadership and the management of instruction.

Desired Qualifications:

• Ability to strategically plan, direct, and evaluate complex operations, optimizing human, financial, and other resources to achieve institutional goals.
• Academic and administrative expertise relevant to the Colleges programs and mission.
• Strong capacity to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize goals, and make sound decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of institutional policies and procedures.
• Expertise in integrating resources, policies, and data for informed decision-making.
• In-depth experience of PK-12 certification and Texas-specific teacher education requirements in higher education.
• Demonstrated ability to foster collaborative partnerships both within the university and with external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in budgeting and fiscal planning, including maximizing resources within fiscal constraints.
• Proven ability to read, analyze, and interpret financial reports and legal documents.
• Effective in presenting information to diverse audiences, including university administrators, faculty, staff, public groups, and the Board of Regents.
• Problem-solving skills with the ability to define issues, gather data, and develop solutions.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective, collegial working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and the public.
• Transparent and effective communication skills, promoting openness and trust within the College and university community.

Nominations and Expression of Interest:

Anthem Executive is pleased to assist Texas Womans with this national search. To express interest, you are requested to submit the following to:

TWU Dean COPE@anthemexecutive.com

A letter of interest stating how your experience is applicable to the position and its opportunities, responsibilities, and requirements; a curriculum vitae or resume; and five professional references with email addresses and telephone numbers. (References will not be contacted without your prior authorization.)

While letters of interest may be accepted until the position is filled, interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible to assure full consideration. Anthem and the university reserve the right to end or extend the expression of interest, application, and nomination process at any time. Expressing interest is the first step in receiving consideration and does not make one an applicant for the position.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Texas Womans University, an AA/EEO employer, supports diversity. Men and women, and members of all racial and ethnic groups, are encouraged to apply. All offers of employment will be contingent on the candidates ability to provide documents which establish proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States. All positions at Texas Womans University are deemed security sensitive requiring background checks and verification of all academic credentials.

recblid q2oyadmzuuymfl7me1ovfmub2cb65t