(Archived) Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and world. Located for over 125 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city- centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its staff and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender.

MISSION

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

VISION

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

North Park University is in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

The undergraduate experience at North Park includes 30 majors and programs in the liberal arts and sciences, including pre-professional options like law, medicine, and art therapy, all in a world-class city and a diverse faith community.

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) houses 3 academic units. The Division of Humanities and Social Sciences offers degree programs in communication arts, English, modern languages, history, philosophy, politics and government, and sociology/criminal justice. The Division of Sciences offers degree programs in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and psychology. The School of Music, Art, and Theatre offers programs in music (undergraduate and graduate), art and theatre.

Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) provides leadership and administrative oversight to the academic departments. The Dean is responsible for articulating the value of a Liberal Arts education, developing a vision for program quality, and building the future of the college, all within the context of the University’s core distinctives.

Essential Responsibilities:

A. Lead the CAS in strategic planning, program review, and advancing a culture of assessment in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

• • Realize the CAS mission and vision and implement strategic planning initiatives
  • Establish and maintain assessment programs designed to enhance student learning
  • In cooperation with faculty and staff, ensure that plans and programs are accurately described and correctly implemented in the calendar, the catalogues, and the schedule of classes

B. Provide leadership for the faculty and staff in program excellence consistent with the mission of the University.

• • In collaboration with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, provide oversight for the development of quality and effectiveness indicators of existing academic programs
  • Encourage innovation and creativity in the development and improvement of majors, nurturing programs and opportunities specific to the CAS

C. Supervise, evaluate, and support each departmental unit in a manner that promotes excellence in instruction and research and pursues innovative

• • Articulate and monitor academic standards with balance for faculty, student, and administrative concerns
  • Supervise and work with three Associate Dean/Division Directors and Department Chairs

D. Serve as the chief advocate for the CAS faculty, and support teaching, scholarship, and creative projects.

• • Represent the CAS in the University and community
  • Encourage participatory decision-making, shared governance, a spirit of collegiality, and inclusion throughout the CAS

E. Facilitate clear communication among faculty concerning the overall operations of academic programs, administrative policy, budgets, and hiring.

• • Update faculty on the critical issues facing higher education and the Liberal Arts, current strategies in the use of technology in teaching, and trends of delivery of curriculum
  • Provide collaborative leadership and an effective structural link between the CAS faculty, the administration, and other University units
  • In collaboration with faculty and administration, establish written policies and procedures for operations in the college

F. In collaboration with the University Dean, oversee and evaluate the work of faculty and staff in the CAS, including tenure and promotion reviews, post-tenure reviews, sabbaticals, and special assignments.

• • Provide recommendations for faculty in the tenure and promotion process
  • Provide counsel on personnel issues leading to problem solving
  • Provide leadership in hiring, planning staff needs, and organizational structures

G. Develop and manage

• • Provide oversight of annual budget development and tracking
  • Expand professional development opportunities for faculty and seek grant support for special initiatives

H. Hear cases of student academic integrity, appeals, academic grievances

Essential Qualifications:

• Able to articulate and operationalize a vision for the future of a Liberal Arts education
• A collaborative leader who can work with and bring together diverse groups to achieve growth and excellence
• Knowledge and passion for diversity and intercultural relations
• A terminal degree in a discipline from the College of Arts and Sciences with a strong record of teaching and scholarly activity
• At least 5 years of higher education administrative experience which includes leadership of faculty
• Successful experience growing programs
• Successful experience motivating, leading, and encouraging faculty
• Breadth of understanding to lead the range of programs
• Experience with budgets, strategic planning, and decisive decision making

Application Process

Interested applicants should review the North Park Staff Application and submit:

• A detailed cover letter addressing the expectations of the
• A written statement that describes your understanding, experience, and commitment to North Park’s three core identities--Christian, city-centered, and intercultural—as well as your faith journey and how it aligns with the mission and values of the University.
• A current curriculum vitae (CV).
• A list of three professional references with contact information and a brief description explaining the working relationship of each to the applicant.