Dean of the School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences and Director of 1890 Research and Extension

University of Arkansas System•Pine Bluff, AR

38d

About The Position

Reporting to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean and Director of 1890 Research and Extension serves as the chief academic and administrative leader of SAFHS and Cooperative Extension, providing visionary, servant-oriented, and future-focused leadership across teaching, research, Extension, and outreach. The Dean and Director of 1890 Research and Extension will act as a steward of people and programs, ensuring that faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders are empowered to excel. This 12-month tenured role requires an independent thinker and direct communicator who values listening, transparency, and collaboration while championing innovation and impact in alignment with UAPB’s land-grant mission. About the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences The School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences (SAFHS) is central to UAPB’s 1890 land-grant mission. It comprises three departments—Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, and Human Sciences—that prepare students to address pressing challenges in food systems, environmental stewardship, human health, and community resilience. SAFHS is home to Arkansas’s only comprehensive aquaculture and fisheries program and the state’s only accredited human sciences program, while its agriculture programs advance research and innovation in sustainable farming, natural resource management, and agribusiness. Faculty and students engage in millions of dollars of externally funded research annually and provide statewide Cooperative Extension services that translate university expertise into real-world solutions. SAFHS serves as a living laboratory where students, faculty, and partners collaborate to solve tangible challenges, drive economic development, and expand opportunity across Arkansas’s rural and urban communities. Why Join UAPB? At the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, you will find a community of purpose, an institution with momentum, and a leadership team committed to excellence and transformation. The campus is located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a region rich in cultural history and poised for growth. UAPB offers the personal connections of a close-knit academic environment with the resources of a broader state university system. If you are energized by the opportunity to lead with vision, build thriving academic communities, and drive meaningful outcomes, we welcome your application to join a leadership team committed to redefining what is possible in public higher education.

Requirements

Earned doctorate in Agriculture, Fisheries, Human Sciences, or a related discipline from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Minimum of three years in senior leadership experience (e.g., dean, associate dean, department chairperson, director, or similarly ranked position) preferably at a four-year land-grant institution of higher education.
Distinguished record in teaching, research, and service that merits a tenured appointment at the rank of Professor.
Strong fiscal management skills and experiencing allocating capital to achieve strategic priorities.
Proven success as a strategic and innovative leader who can plan, articulate, and execute a comprehensive vision for an academic unit.
Commitment to shared governance and collaborative engagement.
Deep understanding and appreciation of the land-grant mission, which includes teaching, research, and Extension.
Demonstrated success in program innovation, teaching excellence, and student outcome improvement.
Proven ability to collaborate across university departments and system-level leadership while serving as an effective communicator and relationship-builder with academic, industry, and governmental partners to advocate for the school’s priorities and elevate its visibility.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of five years of academic administration experience at a four-year institution of higher education.
Evidence of the ability to leverage institutional assets and capabilities to advance the vision and mission of an academic School, College, or department.
Record of securing and managing extramural research funding.
Interdisciplinary teaching and research experience.
Technological proficiency to support instructional delivery, student engagement, and administrative efficiency.
Experience cultivating partnerships across institutional units and with external stakeholders.
A leadership style that inspires performance, encourages innovation, and builds trust.

Responsibilities

Champion a student-centered culture that advances academic achievement, personal development, and career readiness.
Foster an environment where students feel acknowledged, valued, and prepared to become leaders who transcend limitations and contribute solutions to societal challenges.
Expand high-impact experiential learning opportunities, including undergraduate and graduate research, fieldwork, internships, international exchanges, and cooperative learning.
Utilize data and analytics to strengthen student persistence, retention, four-year degree completion, and postgraduation outcomes.
Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Career Services, University College, and departmental leadership to enhance student advising, student onboarding, and student success interventions.
Ensure that all programs across SAFHS provide students with the academic rigor, applied experience, and professional competencies to thrive in Arkansas’s evolving agricultural and human sciences workforce.
Provide strategic academic oversight for all degree programs across the departments of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, and Human Sciences, including new program development aligned with labor market demand and land-grant mission.
Lead a shared governance culture by reviewing, revising, and developing internal policies and procedures that align with federal, state, and university regulations.
Supervise department chairpersons and directors overseeing Evans-Allen Research, Cooperative Extension, and International Programs.
Develop and expand cutting-edge undergraduate and graduate programs that respond to local, national, and global agricultural challenges.
Foster interdisciplinary teaching and research, integrating agriculture, aquaculture, human sciences, sustainability, technology, and One Health approaches.
Ensure curricular relevance by incorporating emerging technologies (e.g., AI, data science, precision agriculture, biotechnology, climate adaptation).
Foster a high-performance academic environment through the recruitment, mentorship, and evaluation of faculty and staff.
Maintain academic compliance and accreditation standards across all academic units within SAFHS.
Strong record in budget management, fiscal accountability, and resource allocation aligned with strategic priorities.
Serve as the designated institutional signatory for the Evans-Allen Research Program, Cooperative Extension Program, and the 1890 Facilities Grant Program, ensuring compliance with fiscal and operational requirements.
Ability to build high-performing faculty and staff teams, emphasizing professional growth and performance accountability.
Allocate funding to expand sponsored research, grow externally funded initiatives, and strengthen core operations.
Develop systems for performance accountability and data-informed decision-making.
Demonstrated ability to leverage data-informed decision-making to improve programs, student outcomes, fiscal responsibility, and institutional reputation.
Provide strategic leadership for the School’s research and extension portfolio, integrating applied research and outreach to address agricultural, environmental, and community development challenges across Arkansas.
Strengthen SAFHS’s participation in USDA and 1890 land-grant research programs, particularly the Evans-Allen and Aquaculture Research Centers.
Ensure high-quality execution of Cooperative Extension activities that translate university expertise into meaningful outcomes for rural and urban communities.
Ability to expand research productivity, secure competitive federal and state grants, and grow industry-sponsored research partnerships.
Demonstrated evidence building interdisciplinary research teams that address global food security, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Supervise faculty and administrators leading grant-funded initiatives in aquaculture, natural resources, food security, family development, and positive youth development programming.
Promote interdisciplinary cooperation, faculty and student mentorship, and forward-thinking research agendas that meet today’s needs and anticipates the challenges of tomorrow.
Represent SAFHS in national research and extension forums, including the Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) and the Association of 1890 Extension Administrators (AEA), advocating for federal and state support for 1890 initiatives.
Cultivate strong relationships with agricultural and human sciences industries, producers, community partners, and public agencies to promote applied research, workforce development, and public engagement.
Partner with University Advancement and alumni networks to pursue fundraising, endowments, and sponsored program opportunities in support of the school’s mission.
Elevate SAFHS’s visibility across Arkansas, nationally, and globally through strategic communication, media engagement, professional association participation, and public testimony.
Approach external relationships as a custodian of opportunity, advocating for transformative partnerships that turn concepts into practice and ideas into measurable impact.
Represent the School in international, national, regional, and state forums to articulate its value, communicate impact, and expand its influence as a leader in agricultural and human sciences education.