Dean, Agriculture & Natural Res & Assoc Provost

Working/Functional Title

Dean, Agriculture & Natural Res & Assoc Provost

Position Summary

Michigan State University seeks a visionary individual with a record of achievement in the leadership of a complex organization. The Dean serves at the pleasure of the Provost with an initial appointment of a renewable five-year term, during which they will be a visionary leader with high academic standards and steadfast dedication to inclusive excellence. The Dean and Associate Provost will serve as the chief academic and administrative officer for CANR. Reporting to and working with the Provost, the Dean and Associate Provost has budget authority and is responsible for overseeing CANR’s programs, academics, and international portfolio as well as MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension. The Dean and Associate Provost will work collaboratively with internal constituencies, including department chairs and school directors, other schools and colleges, and outside constituents to foster a program that is both strategic and innovative, and that will enhance research, teaching, extension, and diversity. The Dean and Associate Provost represents the college within the university and in interactions with the college’s highly engaged and accomplished students and alums.

The Dean and Associate Provost will be responsible for the following:

• Managing effectively in an academic environment and enabling the College’s programs and strategic planning;
• Balancing the fiscal and business operations of the college including the state-based work in Extension and AgBioResearch;
• Leading, recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, academic staff and support staff and ensuring an inclusive environment that fosters success;
• Creating an environment that supports student success and growth;
• Balancing considerations of curriculum, enrollment, finances, and faculty resources to ensure excellent inclusive instructional and research programs;
• Generating increased engagement and donors support from external partners, institutional supporters, alums, industry, and other key constituencies;
• Building bridges and pursuing interdisciplinary partnerships with colleges across campus to identify connections and leverage new opportunities for faculty and students; and,
• Being a publicly visible and engaged advocate, primary representative, and champion for the College’s mission and image increasing the reputation of the College locally, nationally, and internationally.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate

Minimum Requirements

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience enabling leadership in an academic setting and serve as a strong advocate for CANR, and its faculty, academic staff, support staff, and students.

Essential Requirements for Consideration:

• A terminal degree in one of the fields related to the college;
• A proven record of scholarly accomplishments that demonstrate the level of excellence expected for a full professor in a College of Agriculture and Natural Resources department or school; and,
• Relevant administrative experience.

Desired Qualifications

While no one possesses them all, the successful candidate will demonstrate many of the following experiences skills, and qualities:

• Significant record of effective administrative leadership including supervisory and budgetary experience and decision-making;
• A record of successfully developing and implementing strategic plans for their institution, and bringing together diverse interest groups (faculty, academic staff support staff, students, alums, industry partners, etc.); 
• Experience as a values-driven, decisive, respectful leader and diplomat with strong organizational, conflict management, and consensus-building skills, together with the willingness to lead, energize, and inspire even when consensus is elusive; 
• Demonstrated ability to build a culture of trust, manage complexity, and balance competing priorities, multiple constituencies, and numerous responsibilities simultaneously in a dynamic, diverse, and multi-disciplinary environment, while maintaining a commitment to data-informed decision making, accountability, and shared governance; 
• A style of approachability and accessibility to engage with and respond to a diverse spectrum of external constituents;
• A record of demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and measurable outcomes for faculty, academic staff, support staff, and students;
• Progressively responsible experience managing fiscal, human, and other resources. This would include sound operational budget management, strategic resource planning and allocation, and experience in the broad spectrum of activities related to faculty, academic staff, and staff development and personnel processes; 
• Demonstrated record of supporting staff professional development and faculty professional development in teaching, scholarship, and service. Experience with expanding opportunities and funding for faculty scholarship/creative activity, including programs that engage undergraduate students; 
• Enhance the financial resources for the College through development activities;
• Effectiveness in supporting innovative programs and initiatives during a time of changing educational modalities—on-line, hybrid, micro-credentials, etc.; 
• Exceptional, written and oral communication skills coupled with enthusiasm for engaging the broader community, including alums, industry partners, community organizations, donors, and government among others;
• Commitment to ethical conduct, integrity.

Required Application Materials

Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a letter of interest (Adobe PDF files preferred).

Materials should represent qualifications relative to the opportunity described in this document, inclusive of a statement detailing how your past and future work will contribute to advancing MSU’s commitment to inclusive excellence, as well as contact information for at least five professional references, including email addresses and a brief note on the candidate’s working relationship with each. Materials should also be emailed to msudean@academicsearch.org.

Academic Search is assisting Michigan State University in this search. The deadline for fullest consideration is Monday, February 10, 2025. Review of applications will continue until the search is completed.

Confidential nominations and inquiries can be directed to Dr. Cynthia Patterson or Dr. Maria Thompson at: msudean@academicsearch.org

Special Instructions

As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University will conduct a professional misconduct review of all individuals seeking employment in executive management and academic management positions (e.g., President, Provost, Vice President, Vice Provost, Deans, etc.).  

A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for all individuals to be selected for this position. Interviewees will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. At the interview stage, candidates will also be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Although the declaration and authorization will be signed at the interview stage, the University will not reach out to the current and former employers until the semi-finalist candidates are identified for on campus interviews but before a formal offer of employment is made by the University.

The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the information, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether the professional misconduct history is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be considered withdrawn.

Review of Applications Begins On

02/10/2025

Website

www.canr.msu.edu

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.