Dean of the College of Engineering - Utah State University

Overview:

Utah State University (USU) invites nominations and applications of individuals to provide leadership and a dynamic vision as Dean of the College of Engineering. Utah State University is a Carnegie-recognized R1 institution, and Utah's land-grant and space-grant university with $290M in annual research funding for each of the past three years. Founded in 1888, USU enrolls nearly 20,000 students at its main campus in Logan, including 1,300 graduate students. Another 7,700 students enroll at USU’s nine Statewide campuses, two dozen teaching centers, and in its internationally based and online programs. In addition, over 3,000 high school students are enrolled in USU courses as part of an innovative statewide concurrent enrollment program.

 

USU’s College of Engineering is comprised of innovative, passionate, and committed faculty who are actively engaged in exciting advances in research and preparing tomorrow’s leaders to solve problems in engineering and engineering education. The college serves approximately 1,760 undergraduate and approximately 300 graduate students across five academic departments (Biological Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering Education, and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering) and is home to nine research centers, including the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE) and the world-renowned Utah Water Research Lab. Six college programs are accredited by ABET. The college employs a growing faculty of 79 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 6 research faculty, and 11 teaching faculty.

 

In 2022, highly competitive engineering faculty had $31.5 million in research expenditures from top agencies. Currently there are 10 faculty who have been awarded the NSF CAREER award, one that received the Office of Naval Research YIP Award, and 1 that received the Air Force YIP Award. College faculty and students are actively engaged with USU’s Innovation Campus, a business development and enterprise facility, and USU’s industry-leading Space Dynamics Laboratory. USU engineering students thrive in outreach programs such as Engineers without Borders, Society of Women Engineers, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. In addition, they excel in design competitions such as the Society of Automotive Engineers Baja Competition and the IEEE International Future Energy Challenge

 

As chief academic officer for the College of Engineering, the dean will report directly to the provost. In addition to a strong academic background and credentials sufficient for appointment to the rank of full professor, the successful candidate will:

 

• Provide strong leadership and dynamic vision for the College of Engineering that accelerates the college success in the current and future landscape of higher education.
• Encourage and facilitate substantial growth of the college’s research enterprise including funding success, strong research infrastructure support, interdisciplinary collaboration, new areas of innovation and partnership, publications with high impacts, and enhanced college reputation and leadership.
• Guide the development and continuing support of high-quality academic credential and degree programs that provide transformative learning experiences to position USU students for rewarding and impactful engineering careers in service of 21st century societal challenges.
• Promote a learning environment that includes programs and process which enhance student belonging and success as parts of positive enrollment management strategies.
• Enhance and cultivate relationship and partnerships with alumni, Utah government officials and legislators, industry stakeholders, and the local community to establish and grow the research ecosystem.
• Lead and strongly advocate for equity and diversity in the college by exemplifying and cultivating an inclusivity culture with respect to students, staff, and faculty.
• Effectively, responsibly, and strategically manage financial, infrastructural, and personnel resources in the college.
• Lead robust fundraising efforts that align with the university and college-specific strategic plans and provide resources that champion a thriving institution, ensure vision attainment, and advance campaign success.
• Engage the dean’s advancement board, as well as college alumni and friends in innovative ways that ensure exceptional experiences and advance the college’s mission and future success.
• The College of Engineering has built strong partnerships with regional and national organizations such as the USU Space Dynamics Laboratory, industries, and state agencies. The dean will strengthen and expand upon these partnerships to support innovation, work toward common goals, adapt to industry/government needs, and modernize higher education.
• Be an active, collaborative, and contributing member of the university’s academic leadership team.
• Establish and maintain a strong marketing and communication strategy, in collaboration with University Marketing and Communications, that informs constituencies and partners external to the college and which also facilitates frequent, open, and honest communication within the college and institution.
• Prioritize the university’s land grant mission and its imperative for inclusive access through expansion and responsive delivery of educational programs, research and outreach throughout the USU statewide campus system.
• Ensure the College of Engineering meets ABET accreditation standards and principles.
• Lead the college in ways that reflect highest personal standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism and address issues of inequity and Title IX with all due process to foster a work environment that is positive and respectful.

The candidate must have distinguished academic credentials sufficient for appointment to the rank of full professor. The Dean will possess proven and excellent leadership ability, articulate a broad and comprehensive vision of the college based on its strengths and values, promote values and practices that reflect commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and embrace the land-grant mission of the university that places high importance on educational access, community partnerships, and outreach. In addition, the successful candidate will value the diversity of scholarly disciplines within the college, effectively promote innovative growth in research, teaching, and Statewide Cooperative Extension programs, and enhance the infrastructure to support and expand the college’s thriving external research funding base.

Application review will begin no later than March 1, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. The successful candidate could start as early as July 1, 2024, but the date is negotiable. Applicants should submit a letter describing their qualifications for the position and a statement regarding their vision of the role and responsibilities for the Dean of a College of Engineering in a modern, research university. A current curriculum vitae and contact information for a minimum of five references should be included. References will not be contacted without the prior permission of the candidate. Please see https://www.usu.edu/provost/jobs/dean-search-engineering/committee for more information about the Search Committee.

 

Nominations and inquiries should be sent to:

 

Vice President, Dean and Professor Ken White, Chair
College of Engineering Dean Search Committee
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
1435 Old Main Hill; Utah State University
Logan, Utah, 84322-1435; Telephone: 435-797-2201; email: ken.white@usu.edu

 

For more information about the position, please go to: https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/7326/job.

Utah State University’s main campus is located in the City of Logan in northern Utah's beautiful Cache Valley and is within an easy day's driving distance of six national parks. The surrounding Wasatch Mountains, including ski resorts, trails, lakes and rivers, locates Utah State University in one of the finest recreational environments in the nation. The university is a place of diverse thought, where first-rate cultural offerings by local and visiting artists benefit thousands of students and members of the community. Logan is an attractive, affordable, and welcoming mountain west community that provides an outstanding living-learning lifestyle.

 

Utah State University offers competitive salaries and outstanding medical, retirement, and professional benefits. Women, members of minoritized groups, and veterans as well as candidates with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Utah State University is sensitive to the needs of dual-career couples, and is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to increasing diversity among students, faculty, and all participants in university life.

Responsibilities:

 

• Provide strong leadership and dynamic vision for the College of Engineering that accelerates the college success in the current and future landscape of higher education.
• Encourage and facilitate substantial growth of the college’s research enterprise including funding success, strong research infrastructure support, interdisciplinary collaboration, new areas of innovation and partnership, publications with high impacts, and enhanced college reputation and leadership.
• Guide the development and continuing support of high-quality academic credential and degree programs that provide transformative learning experiences to position USU students for rewarding and impactful engineering careers in service of 21st century societal challenges.
• Promote a learning environment that includes programs and process which enhance student belonging and success as parts of positive enrollment management strategies.
• Enhance and cultivate relationship and partnerships with alumni, Utah government officials and legislators, industry stakeholders, and the local community to establish and grow the research ecosystem.
• Lead and strongly advocate for equity and diversity in the college by exemplifying and cultivating an inclusivity culture with respect to students, staff, and faculty.
• Effectively, responsibly, and strategically manage financial, infrastructural, and personnel resources in the college.
• Lead robust fundraising efforts that align with the university and college-specific strategic plans and provide resources that champion a thriving institution, ensure vision attainment, and advance campaign success.
• Engage the dean’s advancement board, as well as college alumni and friends in innovative ways that ensure exceptional experiences and advance the college’s mission and future success.
• The College of Engineering has built strong partnerships with regional and national organizations such as the USU Space Dynamics Laboratory, industries, and state agencies. The dean will strengthen and expand upon these partnerships to support innovation, work toward common goals, adapt to industry/government needs, and modernize higher education.
• Be an active, collaborative, and contributing member of the university’s academic leadership team.
• Establish and maintain a strong marketing and communication strategy, in collaboration with University Marketing and Communications, that informs constituencies and partners external to the college and which also facilitates frequent, open, and honest communication within the college and institution.
• Prioritize the university’s land grant mission and its imperative for inclusive access through expansion and responsive delivery of educational programs, research and outreach throughout the USU statewide campus system.
• Ensure the College of Engineering meets ABET accreditation standards and principles.
• Lead the college in ways that reflect highest personal standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism and address issues of inequity and Title IX with all due process to foster a work environment that is positive and respectful.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Academic credentials or professional experience sufficient for appointment to the rank of full professor in the College of Engineering.
• Significant leadership experience in higher education.
• Strong commitment to the responsibilities and obligations to build and sustain a thriving, modern, and growing engineering college.
• Commitment to innovative and excellent educational opportunities that attract and retain diverse students and prepare them for successful engineering careers.
• Have skills necessary for very successful philanthropic fundraising, to lead efforts to increase the college’s research funding, and grow infrastructure to facilitate faculty and student success.
• Demonstrated experience with and commitment to shared governance.
• Have high expectations for faculty performance and demonstrate a commitment to providing a professional development environment with innovative mentoring processes and outstanding opportunities to achieve success.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Possess values which support a professional culture that is positive, thriving, innovative, and inclusive.
• Demonstrated commitment to diverse people and disciplines represented in the college and ways to support their professional growth and excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in engineering.
• Experience with and understanding of the land-grant mission of universities and the unique position they serve in providing educational access and opportunity.
• Experience with successful fundraising campaigns and major gift acquisition.
• Leadership experience in developing new academic programs, student enrollment management, and higher education budgets and operations.
• Administrative experience at a Carnegie Research I university and direct involvement in growth of a university research enterprise.
• Documented success in the management of higher education enterprises involving faculty and staff recruitment and retention.

Required Documents:

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. A current curriculum vitae.
2. Contact information for a minimum of five references.

Please upload the following documents under "Other Documents 1-10":

1. A letter describing your qualifications for the position.
2. A statement regarding your vision of the role and responsibilities for the Dean of a College of Engineering in a modern, research university.

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary:Commensurate upon experienceADA:

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

College/Department Highlights:

www.engineering.usu.edu

University Highlights:

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

 

*updated 04/2024

Notice of Non-discrimination:

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023