Dean, College of Design

Posting Details

Posting Details

Job Title
Dean, College of Design

Requisition Number
FE05096

Working Title
Dean

Department Name
89000:Provost

Work Location
Lexington, KY

Type of Position
Faculty

Position Time Status
Full-Time

Tenure Track Status
Tenure Track

Required Education

A terminal professional design degree with professional certification or a Ph.D.

Required Related Experience

• A deep understanding and intimate knowledge of both research and practice aspects of academic design; ability to support scholarship and creative work across all disciplines within the College of Design.
• An outstanding record of scholarly/creative achievement.
• Progressive and broad leadership experience demonstrated through senior-level academic administrative roles or through equivalent leadership experience in industry, research, clinical, governmental or professional environments, reflecting the ability to lead complex organizations and advance strategic goals.
• Evidence of innovation in teaching, learning and educational engagement, with demonstrated experience supporting undergraduate, professional, graduate and/or other learner populations, and a record of excellence and impact.
• Distinguished record of scholarship, innovation and impact, demonstrated through extramural funding, publications, program development, policy influence, translational work or other recognized contributions to the field.
• Ability to build partnerships and collaborate with external stakeholders, government agencies and design partners to support the tri-part mission of teaching, research and service.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts and building long-term relationships with philanthropic partners.

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Job Summary

The dean of the College of Design serves as the college's chief academic officer, chief administrative officer and primary spokesperson. The dean reports directly to the provost and provides visionary leadership and strategic direction for the college's academic departments, programs and initiatives within a complex fiscal environment. The dean has responsibility for all operations, personnel, programs and resources in the college and works collectively with academic leadership, including other deans, and with various other units on campus. The dean has authority for the management and coordination of the College of Design and for implementing its plans, educational programs, services and scholarly endeavors. The dean may hold a primary, joint, secondary or affiliated faculty appointment in the College of Design and/or another academic college, school or unit of the university, as appropriate and consistent with university policy. Such appointments should support the college's academic mission and foster interdisciplinary collaboration across the university. The dean is responsible for advancing the college's academic, research and community engagement missions, ensuring excellence across all areas and positioning the college to anticipate and respond to emerging challenges and opportunities in the evolving landscape of design disciplines.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing visionary leadership to build and sustain critical partnerships within and beyond the university that advances the college's academic and research impact.
• Serving as a chief administrative officer for the college, reporting directly to the provost. Meeting regularly with the provost, members of the Office of the Provost and with other deans and university leadership for collaborative discussions.
• Identifying and establishing fundraising priorities and providing leadership for alumni engagement and assisting in the alumni activities of the college's schools and departments, in conjunction with the UK Alumni Association and other university units.
• Managing the college budget and positioning it for success under the university's financial allocation models that incentivize institutional priorities such as student enrollment and retention, delivery of curriculum, external funding and other factors.
• Leading the development and implementation of a strategy that will grow the level of extramurally funded research and the reputation of all forms of scholarship in the College of Design.
• Appointing faculty and staff to appropriate committees in consultation with appropriate shared governance bodies.
• Consulting on risk management issues (e.g., FERPA, sexual harassment, discrimination, etc.).
• Fostering an environment of shared governance by building relationships with all campus communities while shepherding a culture of collaboration.
• Supporting the recruitment of faculty members in the academic schools and departments to ensure the continued excellence of instruction and scholarly effort in the College of Design.
• Making recommendations on appointments, reappointments, terminal appointments, decisions not to reappoint, post-retirement appointments, promotions, granting of tenure, salaries and salary changes for members of the college when such authority has been delegated by the president or provost.
• Conducting periodic reviews of academic units relative to their missions, administration and finances and making recommendations for improving their performance as outlined in the Administrative Regulations. Supporting programmatic accreditation processes in conjunction with the academic units' leaders.
• Partnering, participating in planning and developing public relations and marketing activities with the university central units and in ways that support and align with the institution's mission and strategic plan.
• Assuming such other duties and responsibilities as may be requested by the provost.

The dean will focus on advancing the college's strategic priorities, with particular attention given to the following leadership goals:

• Providing leadership for the ongoing evaluation, refinement and implementation of the college's strategic plan to advance the missions and strategic priorities of the college and university.
• In alignment with the university's strategic plan, the dean will be expected to engage faculty, staff, students and partners to develop clear strategic priorities to move the college forward. This includes developing future leaders of the design workforce, advancing innovation and practice and serving as a connector with design partners across Kentucky, the nation and the world.
• Leveraging community engagement and team science to promote research growth.
• Further developing and maintaining essential partnerships.
• Nurturing formal avenues for intra-college collaboration around teaching, research, fabrication and technology.
• Representing the college and improving its visibility with all involved in advancement opportunities.
• As a key leader within the university, the next dean will play a key role in fundraising and advancement opportunities. The need to raise money will remain constant. It will require dedicated and strategic time from the dean. Fundraising efforts will include working with the university's Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement in formulating and implementing a philanthropic and development strategy that supports the college's research, education, scholarship, capital and long-term needs.
• Strategic development of student recruitment and admissions processes, planned enrollment growth and continued high retention in undergraduate programs. Ensuring integrity, effectiveness and compliance with university and College of Design policies relating to student selection and admission, education programs, and student support services and programs.
• Strategic research development to grow a larger externally funded research project portfolio in the college that recognizes the multiple forms of scholarship undertaken by design faculty.
• Graduate program planning and development that grows under-enrolled programs and supports strengthened links between graduate design programs and design scholarship.
• Continued facilities development to ensure adequate space for enrollment growth and allotment of faculty research space aligned with growth in scholarship and community engagement.
• Continued development of design studies and other non-degree educational offerings to extend knowledge of design fields and their connections to contemporary social/environmental issues and to ensure greater revenue balance with the college's commitment to excellence in studio education.

Isaacson, Miller is assisting the Univeristy of Kentucky in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to Kate Gladstone from Isaacson, Miller. Application materials should include:

• A letter of interest that clearly addresses how the applicant meets the required and, where appropriate, preferred qualifications for the position
• A current résumé/curriculum vitae

We strongly encourage submitting application materials as PDF attachments. The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, applications and nominations should be provided by January 8, 2027.

Please direct inquiries, nominations, and application materials to:

• Kate Gladstone, Associate | E-mail: kgladstone@imsearch.com

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website:

https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/university-kentucky-college-design/dean

Ben Tobin, Nella Young, Kate Gladstone, and Alaine Small

Isaacson, Miller

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

• Views the dean position as an opportunity to serve and inspire all College of Design stakeholders.
• Capacity to lead strategic decision-making processes and to organize the execution of plans while inspiring consensus, using good judgment, advancing students, faculty and staff and adjusting to fresh thinking and situational shifts.
• Nurtures the professional growth and success of College of Design leadership, faculty, staff and students.
• Possesses an energetic, well-grounded and success-oriented personality driven by a desire to help others. Shows initiative and self-discipline, with confidence and charisma to lead, encourage and empower others.
• Promotes a process of engaged decision-making in which authority and accountability are delegated in alignment with a shared strategic direction. Seeking feedback and appropriately acknowledging the contributions of team members.
• Ability to build a collaborative culture with an open and accessible leadership and communication style.
• Successfully leads multiple competing priorities and divergent viewpoints.
• Executes complex decisions that align with university policies based on the university principle of shared governance.
• Models a strong moral compass with unquestionable integrity and high professional standards.
• Supports the well-being of college stakeholders through transparent leadership, accessibility and respectful workplace practices.
• Possesses excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate complex or technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Values collaborative engagement and actively seeks opportunities to connect with a broad range of institutional and external partners to support the college's mission.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?
Yes

Preferred Education/Experience

• A successful leadership record demonstrating the capacity to manage and advance a college or comparable complex organization.
• An ability to develop and fulfill the college's land-grant mission by building a shared collaborative vision.
• A strong record of research and scholarly or professional accomplishment with national and international stature and ability to cultivate and extend the college's research agenda.
• A demonstrable commitment to leadership that advances all members of the college community, with skills in communicating, collaborating with and supporting all disciplines.
• A demonstrated commitment to excellence through research, instruction, advising and service to the institution and field.
• Possess an innovative and forward-thinking leadership approach to elevate the college's academic and research profile within the evolving fields of design.
• Experience cultivating and successfully garnering support from individual donors, foundations and corporations.
• Ability to foster external partnerships and develop collaborations with state legislators and other constituency groups.
• Commitment to ensuring effective student recruitment and successful activities to stimulate the college's enrollment growth.
• Experience leading and organizing accreditation activities in support of academic units.
• Experience leading a broad range of academic units across multiple disciplines.
• Ability to plan strategically for the college's sustainable fiscal future, growth of research and graduate programs and continued capacity and quality of facilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering institutional engagement and collaboration across faculty, staff and students.
• A commitment to working with staff and faculty to attract and retain promising early career and experienced individuals.
• Effective communication skills with a commitment to transparency, collaboration and shared decision-making.

Deadline to Apply

Open Until Filled
Yes