Dean of the Women's College

Description

About Stephens College

Stephens College began in 1833 with a belief that women deserved access to the power of education. Nearly two centuries later, that work is unfinished. Too many people who want to create, care, build, question, and act with purpose still lack the access or education that would empower them to lead. Stephens exists to widen the frame of possibility. Through personalized, experiential education rooted in care, mentorship, and professional engagement, Stephens turns learning into action and action into lasting impact.

That conviction takes shape in our Women's College, as well as our Conservatory for the Performing Arts and a portfolio of graduate programs, which accept all genders. It takes shape in Columbia, Missouri, a major college town whose professional, cultural, and civic life acts as an extension of the campus. And most importantly, it takes shape in our students, who find at Stephens a community that knows their name and talents, who feel empowered to speak up and take charge of their own education, and who, in turn, shape life on campus and in Columbia. Stephens students graduate ready not just for what the world will ask of them, but ready to shape what comes next.

About The Women's College  

The Women's College is built on a simple conviction: students become leaders by doing consequential work early, mentored by accomplished faculty, staff, and alums who believe in them. Its undergraduate and graduate programs are organized into five academic pathways that unite degree programs around the careers and lives they unlock:

• Healthcare & Life Sciences: Future nurses train in the campus Simulation Center and at Magnet-designated Boone Health; Women in STEM Research students conduct original research across all four years; future doctors and vets train in our popular Biology program; and graduate students in Physician Assistant Studies and Counseling prepare to care for their corners of the world.
• Education: Future teachers stand in front of a classroom at The Children's School at Stephens College in their very first semester, because the best way to learn to teach is to teach.
• Equestrian & Animal Care: At the College's renowned Equestrian Center and in the Center for Companion Animal Behavior, Equestrian and Animal Behavior students learn responsibility for lives other than their own, launching careers across the equine and animal behavior fields.
• Creative Arts & Design: Students in fashion, graphic design, creative writing, English, and content creation make work for real audiences: through the student-run agency Creative Ink, its award-winning magazine, Stephens Life, and in the pages of Harbinger, the student-run literary journal that has published new voices for nearly a century.
• Business: Six concentrations, from Entrepreneurship to Hospitality Management, for students whose ambition is to build something.

A sixth pathway, Performing Arts, resides in our all-gender Conservatory for the Performing Arts.

The undergraduate block schedule makes all of it possible, enabling students to engage in internships, partnerships, student-led enterprises, research, and study abroad programs during the academic year. Professional experience is woven throughout every degree rather than deferred to the end as a culmination.

The next Dean of the Women's College will assume leadership in a time buoyed by new momentum across the college: a new mission, a new strategic plan in development, and institutional alignment around the very things that make Stephens one of the most distinctive colleges in the nation.

About the Position

The Dean of the Women's College serves as the chief academic officer of the Women's College, is a member of the Academic Leadership Team, and reports to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Dean provides leadership in the Women's College, overseeing all academic programs, faculty, staff, and operations within the College. The Dean is responsible for fostering a culture of academic excellence, innovation, and collaboration, advancing student recruitment, retention, and success, building meaningful partnerships with external stakeholders, and acting as an ethical steward of the College's resources, facilities, and personnel.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Provide academic and administrative leadership for the Women's College and oversee all academic programs, including supporting operations, in concert with faculty and staff colleagues.

2. Oversee and facilitate curriculum development and coordination, review, and academic quality across all programs in the Women's College, including new program development and continuous review of existing programs.

3. Recruit, mentor, evaluate, and support the professional development of faculty and staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive workplace where all voices are heard and valued.

4. Develop and manage the Women's College's budget responsibly and transparently.

5. Ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal laws, policies, and norms.

6. Work effectively with leads in Nursing, Counseling, Education, and Physician Assistant programs to ensure program-specific accreditation standards are met or exceeded.

7. Make independent recommendations on all personnel matters within the College, including faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure.

8. Contribute to shared governance by collaborating with the Faculty Assembly and its committees; ensure compliance with its policies and procedures.

9. Collaborate with the Dean of the Conservatory for the Performing Arts and senior leadership on shared academic matters and College priorities.

10. Work collaboratively and constructively with campus offices, including Admissions, Marketing, Advancement, the Registrar, the Library, Assessment, Workforce Development, and Student Success and Engagement to recruit, retain, and support the achievement of Stephens College students.

11. Champion and support student success initiatives, including in advising, retention, career readiness, and experiential learning opportunities.

12. Build and sustain relationships with community partners, industry leaders, healthcare, and other organizations relevant to the College's programs.

13. Support interdisciplinary collaboration within the Women's College and across the institution.

14. Promote the College's programs and mission to prospective students, alumni, donors, and external stakeholders.

15. Participate in professional development to remain current with trends in higher education.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

1. Terminal degree from an accredited institution.

2. A strong record as a productive faculty member active in their discipline and institution(s) with eligibility for appointment at the rank of Professor.

3. At least three years of successful academic administrative experience at or above the level of department chair or program director, with demonstrated oversight of academic programs, personnel, and budgets, or equivalent experiences.

4. Demonstrated commitment to student success, including experience with recruitment, retention, and program development/innovation.

5. Proven ability to build productive relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

6. Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.

7. Commitment to shared governance, transparency, and academic excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience in a women's college or other mission-driven institution.

2. Experience launching new programs, including graduate programs in the sciences, health sciences, arts, and/or humanities.

3. Experience securing external funding from federal agencies, state agencies, foundations, or other external sources.  

4. Experience with accreditation relevant to health science programs, e.g., ARC-PA, CACREP, etc.

5. Experience collaborating across academic and administrative units to support enrollment management, curricular coordination, faculty achievement, and student success.

6. Familiarity with the unique opportunities and challenges of small, independent colleges.

Applications should consist of:

1. A substantive cover letter describing your interest in the position and addressing your qualifications and leadership approach.

2. A current curriculum vitae (CV).

3. A list of five professional references with full contact information (references will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate).

Nominations and expressions of interest may be submitted confidentially to Dr. Leslie Willey at [email protected].