Dean of the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, seeks a dean of the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies and invites nominations and expressions of interest.

One of the nation’s foremost research universities, Rutgers University was chartered as a colonial college in 1766, making it the eighth oldest institution of higher education in the country. A member of the Association of American Universities, Rutgers now comprises 30 degree-granting schools and colleges and more than 180 specialized research institutes. External research funding last year exceeded $297 million. The remarkable diversity of its 50,000 students, and over 9,000 faculty and staff reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the population of its state.

The School of Communication, Information and Library Studies was established in 1982 and holds true to its founding vision: three disciplines—communication, information, and media studies—all addressing the human challenges of an increasingly technological world. It offers undergraduate programs in communication, in information technology and informatics, and in journalism and media studies; two master’s programs in communication and information studies and in library and information science; and doctoral studies in communication, information and library studies. Its program in school library media studies was ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report in 2006. It is organized in three departments: communication; journalism and media studies; and library and information science. Its full-time faculty of 56 and 73 part-time faculty teach 1,270 undergraduate majors, 350 students in master’s programs, and 110 doctoral students. With courses in high demand at Rutgers among first- and second-year students, enrollment in undergraduate courses regularly exceeds 10,000 annually. The school’s work is carried out in part in several institutes and centers, which generally share an interdisciplinary focus. The school’s operating budget last year was $11.4 million, including $2 million in contracts, grants, and gifts.

The dean will be chief academic officer of the school, bringing a vision for its future. He or she will be expected to pursue a standard of excellence for teaching and scholarship that will inspire and lead faculty, students, and staff in their academic pursuits. The dean will have responsibility for expanding, strengthening, and managing the resources of the school—the faculty and the students, the finances, and the facilities. The dean will ensure the school’s programs and research agendas grow and deepen. He or she will establish links among disciplines within the school, with other schools and colleges in the university, and with external colleagues and constituents, extending the reach of the school. The dean will be the principal spokesperson for the school, both internally and externally, providing intellectual leadership and a voice for the quickly evolving ideas in which the school is engaged. He or she will also have principal responsibility for raising external funds for the school.

The dean will report to the executive vice president for academic affairs and will be a key member of the university’s leadership team. He or she will bring a strong commitment to the recruitment and retention of a diverse group of faculty and students and to student placement. The successful candidate will be expected to build and shape the school’s strengths and to foster change, when necessary, in order to enhance the quality, reputation and visibility of Rutgers’ educational and research programs.

The dean will need a strong understanding of both undergraduate and graduate education; a commitment to research; the ability to create an environment that attracts government, foundation, and corporate support; and an interest in advancing connections to alumni and the fund raising agenda, including participation in the university’s capital campaign. The new dean will bring the vision, energy, and leadership necessary to continue to advance the school in a global context. The ideal candidate will hold an earned Ph.D. or the equivalent in an appropriate discipline and will qualify for tenure as a full professor in one of the departments of the school.

Screening of background information is under way and will continue until the position is filled. Please submit nominations and expressions of interest, in confidence, to Mary Elizabeth Taylor at 212-686-2676, or Gaele McCully at 781-272-8899, or via e-mail to rutgersscils@wittkieffer.com.

An equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is committed to building a diverse community and encourages the applications of women and minority candidates.