Job description
Posting Number: S2025-006
Other Specifications:
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA), a member of the University of Texas System, announces its search for the next Dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education (PCOE). The University seeks nominations and applications for an experienced, dynamic, and visionary leader that can usher the College into a new era of success.
SFA is a regional comprehensive university located in the quaint and historic city of Nacogdoches, Texas, located 140 miles northeast of Houston and 165 miles southeast of Dallas. SFA is a mid-sized university with an enrollment consistently falling in the 11,000 – 13,000 range. The University’s student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1, and the average class size is 27 students. SFA continues to have a strong undergraduate emphasis. However, growth in master’s and doctoral degree programs continues to receive significant strategic attention. SFA is currently at an exciting time of significant change: it recently became a part of the University of Texas (UT) System in 2023; its new President – Dr. Neal Weaver – started in 2024; and a new Provost – Dr. Jordan Barkley – will join in the summer of 2025. The University is currently engaged in the process of developing its next strategic plan with the goal of presenting it to the UT System Board of Regents in the spring of 2026. The incoming Dean will leverage this opportunity to collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and the University.
PCOE is comprised of diverse disciplinary offerings including the Department of Allied Health Studies (formerly the Department of Human Services & Educational Leadership and the Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences); the Department of Education Studies (formerly the Department of Education Studies); and the School of Human Sciences & Professional Studies (formerly the School of Human Sciences). PCOE offers nearly 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and 50 educator certification preparation programs. Many of these are available online to better meet the needs of today’s students, who often are working adults with families or don’t live close enough to SFA to attend traditional classes. The PCOE’s programs help students obtain the real-world knowledge they need to be successful professionals. The College enrolls 2,263 undergraduate students, 577 graduate students, and 77 doctoral students. There are 12 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and two doctoral degrees offered. Of the College’s 100 full-time faculty, 74 are tenured and tenure track, and 88 hold graduate faculty status. The College has approximately $25 million in annual active grants and external contracts. Students at PCOE have access to a wide range of labs and facilities designed for their areas of study. There are also two auxiliary service units, the SFA Charter School and Early Childhood Laboratory.
Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and serving on the Deans’ Council, the PCOE Dean is responsible for the College’s strategic planning processes, academic program development, accreditation, student and faculty recruitment and retention, and fundraising. Furthermore, the Dean directs, oversees, and actively participates in fulfilling the College’s mission, vision, and values. PCOE seeks a dean who will lead a strategic planning and visioning process that leverages the strengths of an academic unit with diverse disciplines, help identify new programs and grow enrollment. The incoming Dean will be an experienced, entrepreneurial, creative, and collaborative leader, with a deep appreciation for the variety of disciplines represented in the College and have a passion for providing an outstanding educational experience to all students. The successful candidate will have an earned doctorate and a distinguished record of academic performance consistent with appointment as a tenured full professor in a discipline appropriate to the College.
A detailed leadership profile is available at wittkieffer.com.
Essential Job Functions:
1. Exercises leadership in budget preparation.
2. Establishes funding priorities.
3. Monitors budget execution within the college.
4. Coordinates fundraising activities.
5. Keeps academic administrators informed of issues related to their programs and faculty.
6. Oversees the process of hiring and evaluating faculty and staff.
7. Facilitates college policy development.
8. Advises the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs on matters affecting the instructional programs of the university.
9. Oversees degree plan preparation and qualification for graduation.
10. Facilitates program development, operation, and evaluation.
11. Supervises, counsels, and evaluates academic administrators, faculty, and staff.
12. Promotes excellence in faculty teaching, service, professional growth/development, and academic achievement.
13. Provides leadership for enhancing the visibility, enrollment, and resources of the college both on and off campus.
Non-Essential Job Functions:
1. Makes recommendations on all personnel actions within the college.
2. Interprets policy and adjudicates appeals and exceptions.
3. Teaches in college, as time permits.
4. Participates in recruitment and retention activities, as appropriate.
5. Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
1. Knowledge of, or the ability to learn, university policies and procedures.
2. Ability to be classified as professor in one of the disciplines within the college.
3. Ability to establish and maintain a good rapport with university faculty and staff, students, and the general public.
4. Ability to work collaboratively and build strategic relations with colleagues, coworkers, and constituents.
5. Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
6. Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions.
7. Ability to develop objectives, evaluate effectiveness, and assess needs.
8. Ability to manage a budget and work within the constraints of that budget.
9. Ability to solicit funds for the college and university.
10. Ability to develop, interpret, and evaluate policies and procedures.
11. Ability to supervise and train others.
Required Education:
Terminal degree in an academic discipline tenurable within the college is required.
Required Experience and Training:
Five years of administrative experience in academic administration, preferably at the academic unit head level or above, and qualifications for rank of professor with tenure in one of the disciplines of the college is required. Experience working to promote excellence in a variety of programs is required. Strong record of research and other scholarly achievements is required.
How to apply
Please use the following link to apply:https://wittkieffer.com/positions/201164
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile and a CV or resume. WittKieffer is assisting Stephen F. Austin State University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by September 8, 2025. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Alejandra Gillette-Teran and Randi Miller at SFASU[email protected].
Stephen F. Austin State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
