Dean of the College of Individual & Community Health

Dean of the College of Individual & Community Health

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Initial review of applications will begin on Wednesday, November 10th, so applications should be submitted by that time for guaranteed consideration.

APPOINTMENT DATE: July 1, 2022

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites applicants to join our team as the Dean of the College of Individual and Community Health (CICH). BSU's vision is to educate people to lead inspired lives. To accomplish BSU's vision, the University prioritizes creating a culture in which diversity is embraced and all people are safe, welcome, and validated. BSU also prioritizes increasing engagement with Indigenous communities to become a destination university.

BSU is located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota and occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. BSU balances rigorous academia with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, robust, outdoor culture. The proximity to the lake and the surrounding north woods allows easy access to an assortment of recreation. Major campus facilities are connected by all-season underground passages for safe and warm travel during the cold, winter months.

Enrolling more than 5,000 students, BSU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. BSU's Shared Fundamental Values include civic engagement and leadership, international and multicultural understanding, belief in the power of the liberal arts, and environmental stewardship.

The Dean of the College of Individual and Community Health (CICH) reports directly to the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs and provides leadership for the academic programs within the CICH. In addition to direct supervision of the Associate Dean for Nursing and of all CICH faculty and staff, the Dean serves as a key leader in collaborative efforts with other areas of the University, including student retention, and participates directly in furthering the strategic priorities of the President, the Provost, and the institution as a whole.

The College of Individual and Community Health includes nine academic departments:

• Center for Sustainability Studies (Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geology)
• Criminal Justice: Police Science and Leadership
• Community and Criminal Justices Studies
• Human Performance, Sport, and Health
• Nursing
• Sociology and Communication Studies
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social Work

The college delivers high-quality programs that are focused on the betterment of people and communities and prepare tomorrow's workforce and global citizens for a variety of professional careers, encompassing the behavioral, social, environmental, and health sciences. Students develop the abilities to become professionals who communicate effectively, analyze and process complex information, contribute creatively, and adapt to a rapidly changing world. CICH graduates impact the quality of life and well-being of our community, country, and planet.

The guiding tenants for the College of Individual and Community Health are to:

• Provide a transformational environment for our students to develop the knowledge, skills, and awareness to live an integrated and intentional life.
• Be a leader in elevating individual, community, and environmental health in partnership with rural and tribal communities.
• Foster excellence in planning, implementing, and evaluating initiatives that address sustainability and both social and environmental justice.
• Mentor our students to identify, achieve, and surpass their goals.

Responsibilities of the Dean include:

• General duties:
  • Serving as the primary academic spokesperson and advocate for the college
  • Managing the college's human, financial and physical resources
  • Mentoring and supervising the faculty members within the college
  • Leading college efforts to secure external fundraising
  • Engaging in scholarly activity and continuing professional development
  • Establishing and overseeing goals for programmatic enrollment and strategic leadership within the college.
• Planning, implementing, and ensuring leadership of:
  • Recruiting, motivating, evaluating, and retaining a diverse faculty and staff of excellence
  • Orientation plans for new faculty and staff as well as the monitoring continuous professional development
  • Articulating, planning and supporting the priorities and initiatives to realize the college's contributions to the BSU strategic plan, master academic plan, and priorities of the President, Provost, and University as a whole
  • Improved diversity, international and graduate initiatives, within the college in keeping with institutional priorities
  • Assessment efforts and curricular initiatives within the college in pursuit of institutional priorities and implementation and completion of the academic master plan, regional accreditation, and five-year program reviews.
• Working with other Administrators to review and modify policies to enhance and support:
  • Student Learning and the campus learning environment
  • College and affiliated units while strengthening of the University's academic reputation
  • Successful applications for grants directly related to academic and student programs in the college
  • Minnesota State system policies and professional standards
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Minnesota State, and other policies relating to non-discrimination in employment, affirmative action, and equal opportunity
  • Faculty and staff bargaining unit contract administration.
• Administering and providing fiscal resources for:
  • Student access to diverse learning opportunities, including study abroad, experiential/applied modalities, distance, and lifelong learning
  • Strengthening academic opportunities for students within the college
  • Assessment for the improvement of student learning and institutional effectiveness
  • Academic supplies (research, instruction, etc.) scholarship, and creative endeavor
  • Instructional, office, support, and academic/student assets.
• Creating and supporting outreach and service through partnerships and alliances through:
  • Developing cooperative partnerships with public, private, non-profit, international, and corporate sectors
  • Developing relationships, programs, and partnerships with two- and four-year colleges and universities and with higher education related regional, state, national, international, and philanthropic organizations.
• Modeling civic and professional involvement through:
  • Minnesota State and other relevant committees
  • Personal civic involvement as an engaged community member
  • Representation of BSU on projects, councils, and other relevant activities.

Minimum qualifications for this position include:

• Doctoral degree from an accredited college or university.
• At least two (2) years of experience in a university-level academic leadership role such as a department chair or three years of supervisory responsibilities.
• A job history which demonstrates quantifiable advancement in responsibilities.
• At least five (5) years of successful teaching experience in higher education.
• Contemporary knowledge of issues of access, inclusion, diversity, equity, and multiculturalism in a higher education setting.
• Commitment to the mission and values of BSU and to advancing official institutional plans.
• Commitment to ethical, collaborative, respectful, and decisive leadership.
• Ability to lead college constituencies through consensus-building and collaboration.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Doctoral degree in an area of study related to one or more of the disciplines within the college.
• At least five (5) years of experience in a university-level academic leadership role.
• At least five (5) years of supervisory responsibilities.
• At least eight (8) years of successful teaching experience in higher education.
• Understanding of and appreciation for the centrality of the liberal arts to all undergraduate and graduate programs of excellence.
• Experience in developing curriculum, learning outcomes, and assessment strategies.
• Experience with accreditation and licensure processes and standards.
• Commitment to building and sustaining collaborative endeavors both within and between colleges.
• Familiarity with collective bargaining.
• Understanding of technology's value as an administrative and learning tool.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Experience in leading and managing change.

Apply online: https://bemidjistate.peopleadmin.com/

Inquiries:

Sabrina Wille, Executive Assistant, Office of Academic Affairs

Sabrina.Wille@BemidjiState.edu

(218) 755-3999

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, please contact Teresa Hanson at Teresa.Hanson@BemidjiState.edu.

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

Bemidji State University is nestled among the pines along the shores of Lake Bemidji, just blocks from a thriving downtown community. In this Northwoods setting, students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities at their fingertips. Possessing all the charm and character of a college town, Bemidji remains a tight-knit community of good neighbors and engaged citizens who always come out to cheer for the Beavers. While the city of Bemidji - named after the Ojibwe Chief Shaynowishkung (nicknamed Bemidji) - is home to a diverse population of more than 15,000 people, it serves a regional population of more than 100,000.

Located between three American Indian reservations - Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth, students at Bemidji State University have the opportunity to experience a dynamic local culture and history. Bemidji also sits at the center of the legends of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The famous statues of Paul and Babe greet students as they drive in from the south along Lake Bemidji.

Though quaint and historic, the city offers the urban conveniences upon which college students rely. Bemidji State is conveniently located minutes away from affordable restaurants, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores, city parks and more. Small, locally owned shops and art sculptures line the streets of downtown Bemidji, while national chains can be found in and around the Bemidji area, including an uptown selection of department stores and restaurants.

The thriving downtown community presents ample opportunities for engagement off-campus. Among other things, there are fine-dining restaurants, cafes, and a natural foods co-op in downtown Bemidji. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows; restaurants and lounges offer weekly live music performances; the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits; and annual events such as the Loop the Lake Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Blue Ox Marathon, Bemidji Winterfest, and The Minnesota Finlandia bring the community together.

For those who love the outdoors, there are wooded, multi-use trail systems within minutes of campus and community parks with walking trails, playgrounds and a skate park. Lake Bemidji State Park and its miles of navigable trails is located directly across the lake from BSU, and the Buena Vista Ski Area - just 12 miles north of campus - offers downhill skiing and BSU-sponsored student transportation in the winter months. Further, the Mississippi River Headwaters is a mere 45 minutes from Bemidji.

For further information, visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0

Other Resources:

• Visit Bemidji - https://www.visitbemidji.com/
• 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji - https://www.218relocate.com/
• Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.bemidji.org/
• Explore Minnesota - https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji

The Chronicle of Higher Education. Keywords: Dean, Location: Bemidji, MN - 56601