Kansas State University

Position announcement: Dean of the College of Human Ecology

Submitted by Michelle Langvardt

Mission:
The mission of the College of Human Ecology is to discover, disseminate and apply knowledge to meet basic human needs and improve the human condition. This knowledge advances professions, public policies, human services, businesses and industry.

Vision: 
The College of Human Ecology will be pivotal in moving K-State to be a top 50 public research university by 2025 through its academic, research and extension programs. The college will remain one of the premier human science colleges in the nation with a focus to improve the human condition.

Character:
Approachable, inclusive, future-focused, collaborative. Known for pushing boundaries.

Position specifications:
Kansas State University seeks a dynamic visionary leader as dean of the College of Human Ecology.

Position: Dean, College of Human Ecology
Organization: Kansas State University
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Reporting Relationship: Provost/Senior Vice President

Background:
Kansas State University is a comprehensive land-grant university with an international reputation for excellence in research, undergraduate and graduate on-campus and distance education, extension and outreach. Since its founding in 1863, the university has evolved into a modern institution of higher education that is committed to quality programs and responsive to a rapidly changing world and the aspirations of an increasingly diverse society. K-State has formally identified a strategic plan outlining the goals of the university to be achieved by 2025 that highlights an aggressive plan to become recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 public research universities.

The mission of Kansas State University is to foster excellent teaching, research, extension and service that develops a highly skilled and educated citizenry necessary to advancing the well-being of Kansas, the nation and the international community. The university embraces diversity, encourages engagement and is committed to the discovery of knowledge, the education of undergraduate and graduate students and improvement in the quality of life of those we serve.

Kansas State University develops human potential, expands knowledge, enriches cultural expression and extends its expertise to individuals, businesses, education and government.  K-State is recognized by the Princeton Review as one of America's best colleges and U.S. News and World Report lists the university among the top 75 public universities in the U.S.  The K-State 2025 strategic plan and vision define us as a great place for students and a modern land-grant university valuing and integrating research, education and engagement. K-State 2025 serves as a guide for our decision-making and priority setting.

The university has a student enrollment of over 24,000 in nine colleges on three campuses.  Students represent all 50 states and more than 90 countries. K-State offers more than 250 undergraduate majors and options, 65 master’s degrees, 45 doctoral degrees, and 22 graduate certificates in multiple disciplines across campus.

The College of Human Ecology has about 100 budgeted full-time instructional, research and extension faculty and 17 budgeted full-time classified staff; it enrolls more than 2,100 undergraduate students in 15 majors, two minors and one certificate, and nearly 400 master's and doctoral students in 18 programs. The college is made up of three departments, one school, five centers and four institutes. In 2011, the college had an annual state budget of about $7.2 million and secured more than $20 million in extramural grants and contracts.

Programs within the college have national and international reputations for excellence in on-campus and distance education, research, service and outreach, and include the:

• Department of apparel, textiles and interior design (apparel design, apparel marketing, interior design)
• Department of hospitality management and dietetics (dietetics and hospitality management with tracks in foodservice and restaurant management, lodging management and convention, meeting and event management)
• Department of human nutrition (athletic training, nutritional sciences, public health nutrition, nutrition and kinesiology, public health physical activity, sensory analysis and consumer behavior)
• School of Family Studies and Human Services (communication sciences and disorders, early childhood education, family studies, life span human development, marriage and family therapy,  personal financial planning, youth development and conflict resolution)
• Center on Aging (interdisciplinary - gerontology)
• Office of the dean (family and consumer sciences education)

Currently the college’s five academic units are housed in nine buildings across the K-State campus. In September 2001 the Hoeflin Early Childhood Education Center and Chandler Institute of Child and Family Studies was dedicated and opened to serve as the clinical training site for students. The facility features state-of-the-art technology and houses offices, a research suite and six classrooms for children ranging in age from six weeks through five years. The Campus Creek Complex was dedicated in September 2005 and houses the Speech and Hearing Center and the Marriage and Family Therapy Center. On Sept. 7, the college dedicated a Justin Hall expansion that features two state-of-the art classrooms, two conference rooms, student gathering areas, student services center and dean’s leadership suite. All three projects were funded 100 percent by private support.

Key responsibilities:
As chief academic and administrative officer of the college, the dean actively represents the college to a variety of constituencies, both internal and external to the university. The dean’s primary role is to provide vision and leadership for the college and to foster a culture supportive of the college’s core mission. Fundraising to support the many programs, faculty, and facility needs of the college is an important responsibility of the dean.

Professional experience and qualifications:
The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to:

• Provide innovative leadership and vision for high quality education, including teaching, research, extension, and service
• Facilitate strategic planning that supports the pursuit of excellence
• Promote openness, collaboration, and shared decision making
• Communicate well in a variety of internal and external contexts
• Make appropriate decisions in personnel and resource acquisition and allocation
• Advance collaboration for interdisciplinary and international endeavors
• Enhance a positive climate for student learning and faculty/staff development
• Encourage a continuing commitment to valuing diversity
• Enhance interaction with professional, alumni, and constituent groups
• Successfully increase financial support for the college
• Manage large, complex budgets and fiscal matters

Education:
Applicants must have a distinguished record of achievement in the areas of research, teaching, extension or service with evidence of professional distinction and national or international recognition in the field that merits appointment as a tenured, full professor in one of the college’s academic units.

A terminal degree in one of the disciplines represented in the college or in a closely related field is required.

Application process:
Inquiries, nominations and applications will be treated confidentially. Applicants should provide a letter of application, a vita, a one page statement outlining their vision as dean of the College of Human Ecology and contact information for three professional references with knowledge of the applicant's career and administrative experience. All documents should be submitted electronically in PDF format. To be considered, applications must be received by Dec. 28.

Applications should be directed to: Martin Baker, Baker and Associates (MBaker@baasearch.com)

Additional Information:
For more details on Kansas State University and Manhattan, Kan. please visit the following websites:
http://www.k-state.edu/  (Kansas State University)
http://www.k-state.edu/2025 (K-State 2025 Visionary Plan)
http://www.he.k-state.edu/  (College of Human Ecology)
http://www.manhattan.org/  (Manhattan, Kan.)

Kansas State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among its employees.  In accordance with Kansas Board of Regents policy, the university is required to run a background check on the final candidate.