DEAN OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
Western Carolina University is launching a national search for a new Dean for the
College of Education and Allied Professions (CEAP). It is anticipated that the new Dean
will ideally assume office by January 1, 2009 or as soon as possible thereafter.
ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a dynamic, fast-growing member of the 16campus University of North Carolina system. Located in Cullowhee, North Carolina,
WCU is situated in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 52 miles west of
Asheville and adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cullowhee and
nearby Sylva offer real small-town charm – while big cities like Atlanta, Charlotte,
Knoxville and Greenville are just a few hours away.
From its 600-acre main campus, through programs in nearby Asheville and Cherokee, at
various community colleges across the state, and via online and distance education
delivery, the University serves more than 9,000 students and has more than 500 full-time
faculty members.
The University has launched the Millennial Initiative, an ambitious and comprehensive
regional economic development strategy that will enable the University to partner with
business, industry and government. New property and portions of the existing campus
will be used to create multi-use neighborhoods that will become home to a mix of
academic buildings, research facilities, business, industry and housing as part of a
“knowledge enterprise zone.” The first project to be built on the Millennial Initiative
property is a new $46.2 million complex that will house WCU’s programs in health and
human sciences. The second proposed building on the Millennial Initiative property will
be of special interest to Western Carolina’s next Dean of the College of Education and
Allied Professions. The University’s master plan calls for a new 163,000-square-foot, $40
million CEAP building to be developed as part of a neighborhood focusing on learning
and education, creating opportunities for public-private partnerships in research and
policy studies, competitive learning systems, and pedagogy and software development.
THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
The primary role of the College of Education and Allied Professions is to prepare
professional educators, counselors, psychologists, recreation personnel and other human
service specialists at both entry and advanced levels. With over 2500 students enrolled in
the CEAP, approximately 1,600 are undergraduate students majoring in academic
programs offered by the College, while more than 900 students are pursuing advanced
degrees through the College, including the education specialist degree and the doctorate
of education. The College is composed of 80 full-time faculty members. More than 45
external grants totaling more than $2 million are being administered by the CEAP.
Most recently, the College is the proud recipient of the 2007 Christa McAuliffe
Excellence in Teacher Education Award, presented by the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities, and the 2006 Distinguished Program in Teacher Education
Award, presented by the Association of Teacher Educators.
DESIRED ATTRIBUTES OF A NEW DEAN
The Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of the College and reports to
the Provost /Senior Vice President of the University. The position demands an energetic
teacher/scholar who is a leader for the College of Education and Allied Professions. The
Dean will be expected to lead the College to national prominence by emphasizing
scholarly inquiry by the faculty within all disciplines in the College.
Interested candidates must possess a doctoral degree within a discipline related to the
College and a scholarly record that merits appointment as a full professor with tenure.
Other required qualifications include evidence in exemplary leadership in supporting and
facilitating teaching and scholarship; excellent management skills; effective
communication skills; experience in budgeting and resource management; and experience
in obtaining external funding. In addition, there is an expectation that the successful
candidate will have evidence of commitment to excellence in higher education;
experience in developing and working with school systems and community partners; and
a commitment to engage the region through academic programs, public service and
applied research.
The successful candidate will:

Promote and support the quality of programs in the College for
teacher/professional education and allied professions, including extensive distance
education programs.

Maintain sensitivity to the faculty viewpoint and seek appropriate means for
obtaining faculty input and addressing faculty concerns.

Shape the culture of the College over time to more fully integrate scholarly
inquiry into its mission and expectations, and facilitate faculty efforts to obtain
extramural funding.

Establish him/herself as a state and national leader in education and allied
professions, furthering the reputation of the programs and providing venues for
faculty to participate in the national agenda affecting teacher/professional
education and allied professions.

Provide leadership in achieving ambitious teacher recruitment targets.

Build and manage key relationships within the region to support the academic and
service mission of the College and facilitate recruitment efforts.

Raise external funds to support the College's programs and initiatives.

Provide leadership in the management of the College including the recruitment,
appointment and supervision of staff and faculty.

Foster a College culture that supports the attainment of cultural competence and
the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and faculty.

Develop, allocate and manage the College’s budget and provide transparency in
budget oversight.

Plan for sufficient faculty growth in numbers and expertise to meet the expansion
opportunities of the College’s programs.

Oversee accreditation processes and build on recent success in meeting all
NCATE and state standards for program accreditation.

Serve as an effective communicator, facilitator and advocate for the College and
its programs.

Coordinate collaborative efforts in academic planning, faculty recruitment and
ongoing faculty development.

Recognize the role of other colleges as partners in teacher education, building
collaborative relationships across colleges to ensure high quality teacher
education programs.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
For additional information, please consult http://www.wcu.edu/3030.asp
or www.academic-search.com/search.html.
The search committee will begin a review of applications in mid-September, 2008.
Applications should consist of a letter of interest that reflects on the desired attributes, a
resume, and a list of five references. Nominations and expressions of interest will be
treated in confidence and should be sent electronically (Microsoft Word preferred) to:
WCUDean@academic-search.com
Assisting in the search is:
Maya Ranchod Kirkhope, Senior Consultant
Academic Search, Inc.
maya.kirkhope@academic-search.org or (703) 440-1008