Founding Dean for combined College of Education, Professional Psychology, and Social Work

University of Denver•Denver, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Founding Dean provides executive leadership for the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), and the Morgridge College of Education (MCE) during a critical period of transition and institutional transformation. Reporting to the Provost, the Founding Dean is responsible for overseeing day‑to‑day academic and administrative operations of GSPP, GSSW, and MCE while leading a comprehensive and strategic, transparent, and inclusive process to develop synergies between the three academic units while preserving and creating growth opportunities for key areas of existing strengths. The Founding Dean will steward academic continuity, faculty and staff stability, and student success during the time of transition, while designing and implementing the governance, organizational, academic, and operational frameworks necessary for a successful and sustainable unified college. The role requires a collaborative change leader who respects the distinct professional identities and disciplinary traditions across GSPP, GSSW, and MCE while advancing a compelling and shared vision, culture, and structure. Additionally, the role will collaborate as a university citizen to align GSPP, GSSW, and MCE approaches to institutional transformation with broader Provost priorities for academic transformation across the University of Denver.

Requirements

Earned terminal degree in education, social work, psychology, or a closely related field.
Academic credentials appropriate for appointment as a tenured full professor and in accordance with accreditation requirements.
Demonstrated experience in senior academic leadership roles.
Proven ability to lead complex organizational change and collaborative planning processes.
Strong commitment to transparency, collaborative engagement, and data-informed strategic decision making.
Leadership and demonstrated excellence in securing external funding to support research, scholarly, and creative works.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading interdisciplinary or multi‑unit academic organizations.
Familiarity with accreditation and licensure requirements in education, social work, and/or psychology.
Experience with academic restructuring, mergers, or large‑scale institutional transitions.
Demonstrated financial and operational leadership.
Demonstrate knowledge and experience across identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of annual, major and principal gifts.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategic planning and execution of the unification of GSPP, GSSW, and MCE into a single college, in alignment with university goals and governance processes.
Develop, in collaboration with faculty, staff, and university leadership, a clear and compelling vision, timeline, and implementation plan for unification.
Oversee the integration of academic structures, administrative functions, governance, bylaws, policies, and reporting lines.
Ensure clear, consistent, and transparent communication with all stakeholders throughout the transition process.
Identify risks, dependencies, and opportunities associated with unification and proactively address them.
Ensure academic quality, reputational strengths, accreditation integrity, and continuity of programs during the transition period and over the subsequent unified college in future years.
Support faculty leadership in aligning curricula, program portfolios, and interdisciplinary opportunities within the unified structure.
Oversee professional licensure, clinical, internship, and field education requirements, and compliance with accrediting bodies.
Encourage innovation and excellence in research and curricular evaluation activities, interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching, and community‑engaged learning that best promote the student experience and success.
Advance a robust research enterprise that supports faculty scholarship, strengthens research capacity and infrastructure, and fosters interdisciplinary collaborations.
Facilitates the pursuit of external funding for research, development, and dissemination.
Elevate the role of research and externally funded work as key to the unified college’s mission, reputation, and future success.
Provide steady leadership to faculty and staff across academic units during organizational change.
Foster an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative culture that values shared governance, academic freedom, freedom of expression and pluralism, and differing professional voices.
Oversee personnel decisions, workload planning, and organizational design consistent with the charge and university policy.
Support leadership development among associate deans, chairs, directors, and administrative leaders.
Ensure continuity and quality of the student experience during the unification of these academic units, including advising, field, clinic, internship learning activities, and professional preparation.
Communicate clearly with students about the transition and its impact on their academic programs and credentials.
Promote student intellectual growth, well‑being, belonging, and timely degree completion for successful, purposeful careers.
Oversee budgets, resource allocation, and financial planning for all three schools/college during the transition period and over the subsequent unified college in future fiscal years.
Identify efficiencies, shared services, and strategic investments to support long‑term sustainability of the unified college.
Collaborate with university partners on administrative integration.
Work with faculty governance bodies and university leadership to develop structures appropriate for a unified college.
Serve as the chief academic and administrative representative of GSPP, GSSW, and MCE during the transition period and over the subsequent unified college in future fiscal years.
Partner with advancement teams to realize transformational philanthropy for the unit, including responsibility for annual and campaign fundraising goals.