Dean of the Ruth Whitaker Holmes School of Behavioral and Health Sciences

Frederick, Maryland•Frederick, MD

About The Position

Hood College seeks a mission-driven, innovative Dean of the Ruth Whitaker Holmes School of Behavioral and Health Sciences. The dean will advance the vision for the School, oversee its current programs, guide the development of new academic programs, build partnerships to increase the School’s reputation and resources, and direct initiatives responsive to the College’s strategic priorities and regional marketplace needs. This is a 12-month, non-tenure-track administrative position serving a School with 32 full-time faculty and staff. The dean reports to the provost and works with the campus community, academic leadership team, and external constituencies. The projected start date is no later than July 1, 2027, and the dean is evaluated annually based on quantitative and qualitative criteria. The School includes undergraduate programs in nursing, sociology and social work, psychology, art therapy, and public health, as well as graduate programs in counseling, health informatics, nursing, nutrition, trauma, and thanatology. A DNP program is tentatively planned for fall 2028. The School prepares graduates to support and advocate for diverse communities through a holistic study of physical, mental, and social well-being, in an interdisciplinary environment grounded in liberal arts and applied research and practice. The College seeks a dynamic, service-oriented, forward-thinking, and engaged leader with an interdisciplinary and holistic view of human health. The dean should recognize the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of health and understand how racial and social disparities affect access to health services. The role includes teaching one undergraduate or graduate course each academic year in the dean’s disciplinary area, as well as dedicating the equivalent of at least one day per week (20%) to partnerships with local governmental agencies, nonprofits, and businesses to develop experiential opportunities and support graduate job placement. The School is based in a newly renovated 20,000-square-foot facility with classrooms, offices, conference rooms, and nursing simulation laboratories. It also houses the Neighborhood Counseling Training Center, which offers field experience for graduate counseling students and serves undergraduate students and community members. The facility is part of a lease agreement with Frederick Health. Several programs hold national accreditation, and the School emphasizes applied learning through clinicals, field work, internships, and research, supported by partnerships with regional healthcare, research, manufacturing, and community organizations.

Requirements

Doctoral degree in an academic field represented within the School.
At least five years of experience and a record of successful, significant faculty leadership as a department chair, program director, or center director, including personnel management experience.
Demonstrated success supporting and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Exemplary communication and interpersonal skills, including ability to engage in open, transparent, data-informed decision-making in a shared-governance system.
Financial savvy and experience developing, managing, and enhancing budgets and other fiscal resources.
Higher-education teaching experience as part of a successful tenured role or equivalent.
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email, and the Internet, with ability to learn new applications quickly.
Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to provide information and respond to internal and external questions in person and by phone.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Proficiency with statistical and financial concepts and ability to apply them to tracking, projections, goal setting, report interpretation, and cost-effective program decisions.
Ability to solve practical problems, interpret varied instructions, work independently and in groups to execute project plans, and apply logic in theoretical contexts.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with reasonable accommodation where applicable; physical demands include frequent standing, walking, hand and finger use, reaching, talking and hearing, sitting, and occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds.
Ability to work in an environment with usually moderate noise and interaction with employees, students, the public, telephones, and office equipment.

Nice To Haves

Commitment to Hood College’s mission and values and passion for health education in a liberal arts setting.
Commitment to working across disciplinary boundaries in support of health and wellness initiatives.
Record of entrepreneurial, creative, and strategic educational planning, collaborating with diverse constituencies and responding to market demands or outcomes data.
Deep understanding of current and evolving health education trends relevant to curriculum, pedagogy, and applied learning.
Experience with assessment and accreditation processes.
Enthusiasm for externally focused work and proven success with fundraising, including grant application and management, and engagement with alumni and community stakeholders.
High standards of honesty, integrity, trust, and ethical behavior.
Ability to balance advocacy for the School and its programs with the needs of the broader College community.

Responsibilities

Advance the profile and visibility of the School through existing and new academic programs that meet emerging sector needs.
Champion the School’s fiscal needs and use sound administrative judgment to prioritize and allocate resources.
Work with department chairs to ensure academic program quality through student-centered, outcomes-based assessment and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with department and program leaders and the provost to develop relevant interdisciplinary programs.
Strengthen local and regional partnerships to recruit students, create internship and cooperative opportunities, and support job placement after graduation.
Teach one undergraduate or graduate course each academic year in alignment with the dean’s disciplinary background.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty and staff, particularly chairs, program directors, and academic support staff.
Grow undergraduate and graduate enrollment and maintain the relevance of School offerings.
Increase School resources through external funding in partnership with the Office of Institutional Advancement.
Initiate research and educational collaborations with companies, government agencies, and academic institutions in the area, in collaboration with Institutional Advancement and the Director of Corporate and Government Relations.
Provide visionary leadership to College stakeholders, prospective students, and regional partners.
Spend the equivalent of at least 20% of work time partnering with local governmental agencies, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses to develop internship and cooperative arrangements and support job placement.
Support faculty recruitment, onboarding, and mentoring for adjunct, professor of practice, and full-time tenure-track faculty.
Support faculty teaching and research needs through strategic allocation of financial and facilities resources and grant opportunities.
Work collaboratively to develop and implement a School strategic plan aligned with the College’s mission and goals.
Work with program leaders to maintain external accreditation requirements.