Associate Dean-Management

MSU Careers Details•East Lansing, MI

About The Position

The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Strategic Initiatives is a member of the Dean’s leadership team and works closely with the Dean, other Associate and Assistant Deans, College staff, and University partners to provide leadership in undergraduate education and strategic initiatives within the College of Arts & Letters. The Associate Dean advises the Dean on matters within the position’s portfolio and collaborates across the College and University to advance College priorities and strategic goals. The role provides strategic leadership and oversight for undergraduate academic affairs, including undergraduate student experience and success, enrollment and degree completion, curricular innovation, academic advising and student support, and General Education strategy. It oversees the undergraduate studies budget and participates in budget forecasting and planning, using enrollment, instructional, curricular, financial, and student-success data to inform decisions and align resources with College priorities. The Associate Dean also leads continuous improvement and academic program review, represents the College in University governance and undergraduate education initiatives, and oversees key activities such as commencement. On behalf of and in consultation with the Dean, the Associate Dean leads selected strategic initiatives that span academic units or administrative areas and may involve significant partnerships. The portfolio evolves with College and University priorities. The work includes translating priorities into actionable plans, convening stakeholders, developing partnerships, identifying resources, and supporting implementation and assessment. As a tenured faculty member, the Associate Dean maintains an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity. This may include publications, creative practice, performance, exhibition, community-engaged scholarship, or other disciplinary and interdisciplinary work. The appointment is full-time for 12 months, at the rank of Associate or Full Professor with tenure, beginning in Fall 2027.

Requirements

Ph.D. or MFA in the candidate’s field, in a field represented within the College or a closely related discipline.
Record of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity appropriate for appointment with tenure at the rank of Associate or Full Professor in a department or program within the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University.
Demonstrated academic administrative leadership in higher education, such as service as a department chair, program director, associate or assistant dean, or in a comparable leadership role.
Significant experience with undergraduate education, including curriculum development, academic program planning, student success, enrollment, advising, and related areas.
Demonstrated experience leading curricular or organizational change and collaborating with faculty, staff, and academic leaders to develop and implement initiatives.
Experience using enrollment, curricular, student-success, financial, or other institutional data to inform academic planning and decision-making.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across academic units and administrative areas and build productive collaborations among diverse constituencies.
Experience managing complex projects or initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and shared institutional responsibilities.
Demonstrated commitment to strengthening undergraduate education in the arts and humanities and advancing the educational mission of a public research university.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, and collaborative leadership skills.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated leadership in undergraduate education at the college, school, or university level.
Knowledge of enrollment management, instructional planning, curricular demand analysis, and aligning academic resources with enrollment and programmatic priorities.
Familiarity with academic budgeting, resource allocation, financial forecasting, or incentive-based/resource-centered budget models.
A record of leadership or significant participation in General Education curriculum redesign or implementation.
Knowledge of academic program review, assessment, accreditation, or other processes supporting continuous improvement of academic programs.
Demonstrated success developing interdisciplinary or cross-unit academic programs, partnerships, or strategic initiatives.
Ability to translate institutional or college-level strategic priorities into programs and initiatives with measurable outcomes.
A record of building productive partnerships across colleges, professional schools, administrative units, or external organizations.
Success pursuing philanthropic, grant, or other external resources in support of academic programs and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for undergraduate education, curriculum, enrollment, and student success across the College.
Develop and implement long-range plans and initiatives to strengthen undergraduate programs, foster curricular innovation, and advance College and University priorities.
Work with departments and programs to align curriculum, course offerings, enrollment demand, instructional capacity, and resource allocation.
Oversee the College’s General Education strategy, including University-level reform, planning, policy, implementation, course and pathway development and assessment, and connections to College majors, minors, and certificates.
Lead continuous improvement of the College’s undergraduate curriculum and oversee Academic Program Review in collaboration with the Director for Strategic Planning, Assessment, and Accessibility.
Foster data-informed curricular planning and assessment and coordinate College participation in University curricular and governance processes.
Oversee the undergraduate studies budget and participate in budget forecasting and planning, including analysis related to the University’s new budget model.
Compile and analyze enrollment, instructional, curricular, and student-success data for reporting, assessment, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.
Use data to identify opportunities and challenges and inform curriculum, enrollment, instructional-capacity, and resource-allocation decisions.
Participate in the College’s SYNC planning and analysis initiative to assess financial, curricular, and operational implications of budget and resource-allocation decisions.
Represent the College on University undergraduate education committees, councils, and initiatives, and serve as liaison to relevant University governance bodies and offices.
Serve on the Dean’s leadership team and participate in Chairs and Directors meetings and other College leadership activities.
Oversee key undergraduate academic activities and events, including commencement.
Work with the Dean to develop internal and external partnerships that advance undergraduate education and College strategic priorities.
Work with Advancement and other partners to pursue philanthropic and external funding opportunities supporting undergraduate education and other College priorities.
Oversee and contribute to interdisciplinary and cross-unit initiatives that advance the College’s academic mission and create opportunities for faculty and students.
Build and strengthen partnerships with other MSU colleges, academic and administrative units, centers, institutes, and University leadership.
Convene faculty, staff, students, and external partners around emerging opportunities and facilitate development of programs, collaborations, and initiatives.
Work with the Dean, Advancement, Alumni Relations, and College leadership to connect strategic priorities with fundraising, alumni engagement, and external relations.
Maintain an active program of research, scholarship, and/or creative activity as a tenured faculty member.