Dean of the Honors College

Dean of the Honors College

The University of Alabama in Huntsville

 The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) seeks an innovative and visionary leader for its next Dean of the Honors College. The Dean will provide leadership and be an advocate and spokesperson for the college, working effectively with students, staff, faculty, campus leadership, and external stakeholders to advance the Honors College. The Dean of the Honors College reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

As chief academic and executive officer of the Honors College, the Dean’s primary responsibility is to carry out the mission of the university and the Honors College. The Dean leads the college by providing a challenging and nurturing learning environment for Honors students through the use of innovative pedagogy, interdisciplinary curricula, and effective advising. The Dean chairs the Honors Council, which is the advisory body on matters pertinent to the program and guiding general policy and direction for the program. Other duties and responsibilities of the Dean include: 

• Shaping the incoming Honors cohort by attracting and admitting a diverse group of high-achieving students;
•  Maximizing the number of admitted Honors students that reach the Honors Diploma;
• Working with Housing, Student Life, Student Success Center, and the Honors Student leadership team to create a vibrant and supportive community of Honors Students both inside and outside of the Honors residence hall;
• Engaging with alumni, fellow deans, and other internal and external stakeholders to advance the goals of the Honors College and the University;
• Recruiting Honors Faculty Fellows to enhance and support curriculum and programming; supervising the college’s office and support personnel;
• Promoting creative, interdisciplinary courses with innovative pedagogical approaches;
• Managing the college’s budget and scholarship endowment; and
• Engaging in fundraising efforts to advance the college. 

Qualifications: Candidates for the position must hold a terminal degree and have academic and scholarly accomplishments meriting appointment to the rank of professor with tenure in one of the university’s academic colleges. The successful candidate will have a record of progressive leadership with demonstrated experience in honors pedagogy and honors programing,  experience with advancement activities and building community partnerships, and a history of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates should review the following categories in their cover letter: administrative; curriculum development; Honors student recruitment, engagement, and support; community and alumni outreach; advancement; and cross-college collaboration.

About the College:  The University of Alabama in Huntsville Honors College delivers an intimate and innovative college experience at a public university price and blends a traditional emphasis on arts and sciences, critical thinking, and communication skills with a practical, career-oriented education. It offers small, inspiring classes and unparalleled research and career networking opportunities in one of the fastest-growing high tech cities in the U.S. The college strongly emphasizes the connections between community and academic success.  About 10% of UAH undergraduates participate in the Honors College for a rolling average enrollment of about 850 students from all colleges at UAH. The Honors students are advised in their academic colleges in collaboration with the Honors College to create a compelling curriculum. Top graduate school placements and prestigious national awards (Goldwater, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, etc.) show that UAH Honors students are highly sought after graduation. Residential spaces and honors offices are located in Frank Franz Hall, the Honors freshman residence hall.

About the University:  The University of Alabama in Huntsville has a broad offering of academic and research programs in the colleges of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering; Nursing; and Science.  The university has over 9,000 students coming from 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as from 48 countries.  UAH holds the highest research activity rating, “R1 – Very high research activity”, in the current update of the Carnegie Classification of Institutes of Higher Education. UAH is adjacent to Cummings Research Park, which houses nearly 300 companies and 29,000 employees involved in technology research and development, making it the second largest research park in the U.S. and fourth largest in the world.  It is also in close proximity to Redstone Arsenal, which is home to more than 75 federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Materiel Command, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center, and a new $1billion FBI campus. Within this environment, 76% of UAH graduates remain in north Alabama upon graduation. For more information about UAH, see www.uah.edu/about.

About Huntsville:  The Huntsville area is a culturally diverse community with a metropolitan area population of more than 400,000 and growing, making it the most populous city in Alabama. It also maintains one of the highest per capita incomes and standards of living in the Southeast. Known as the “Rocket City,” Huntsville has a major presence of technology, space, and defense industries, which allows the city to offer a variety of educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities. Huntsville has a high concentration of Ph.Ds., engineers, and STEM workers, and is recognized as a leading technology city with a rapidly expanding and diverse corporate ecosystem rich in innovation. Huntsville boasts a number of museums, historic sites, parks, and professional sports venues, including Huntsville Museum of Art, Burritt Museum and Park, EarlyWorks Children’s Museum, Alabama Constitution Village, Huntsville Botanical Garden, Monte Sano State Park, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Minor League Baseball’s Toyota Field, and Propst Arena for professional hockey. Active downtown and mid-city arts and entertainment districts, including Broadway and symphony performances and a new outdoor amphitheater music venue, contribute to Huntsville’s vibrant cultural life. For more information about Huntsville and its convenient location with easy access to Nashville, Birmingham, and Atlanta, please visit www.huntsville.org. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked Huntsville as the best place to live in 2022-2023 among the 150 most populous metro areas in the country.

Application Procedure:  Applications should be a single pdf file containing: 1) a cover letter describing professional experience as it relates to the qualifications of the position; 2) a vision statement for the UAH Honors College or honors education; and 3) a curriculum vitae. Please submit the materials to Dr. Karen Frith (karen.frith@uah.edu). For full consideration, applications should be submitted by July 31, 2023, although applications will be accepted until the position is filled. There will be a 2-step interview process, and five reference letters will be requested for finalists. All letters are to be submitted directly by the individuals providing the reference, rather than the candidate. Please refer to log number 23-24-1002.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer of minorities/females/veterans/disabled.