| About the College |
Our College and Our Students
A leader in interdisciplinary undergraduate education, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University, established in 1967, attracts students from a variety of backgrounds regionally and nationally. Our students, working closely with faculty, produce cutting-edge work through socially responsive, community-engaged interdisciplinary study. We are one of the oldest and strongest interdisciplinary colleges in the country. Our students interact with Fairhaven faculty with expertise in art, science, education, psychology, creative writing, law, audio technology, human rights, gender, feminist, and queer studies, and film. Our students are uniquely positioned to learn and experiment in a variety of environments due to our interdisciplinary expertise. The majority of students create their own course of study, and we also support students doing traditional and upside-down majors.
Our Advising & Evaluation Model
Our unique, intensive, student-centered advising model supports students from the moment they express interest in the College. Faculty and staff work together to advise and support our students through their degree programs in addition to acknowledging and providing resources for mental health needs.
Fairhaven College uses student narrative self-evaluations and faculty narrative assessments instead of traditional A-F letter grading. Our pedagogy and evaluation system are developmental, individualized, and growth-oriented. Fairhaven’s alternative grading system encourages students to take learning risks to explore and shape their education rather than focus on a GPA or letter grade. At the end of each course, and in order to receive credit, students are required to reflect on their learning providing them the opportunity to develop self-reflection and critical thinking skills. Our students also take letter-graded courses at WWU or prior institutions.
Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University cultivates student responsibility for designing and assessing their learning through interdisciplinary inquiry, creativity, and scholarship. With an emphasis on justice, social and environmental responsibility, and cultural diversity, we challenge ourselves through active, innovative, and experiential learning to examine our choices, roles, and purposes in the world. Fairhaven College is distinguished by:
- Small, seminar-style courses at a public university
- Narrative evaluations instead of grades
- Close advising relationships with faculty
- Opportunities for independent and international study
- Student-designed interdisciplinary degrees
More information about Fairhaven College is available at: https://fairhaven.wwu.edu/about-fairhaven-college
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| About the Position |
Primary Roles & Responsibilities
Western seeks a Dean who has experience as a visionary leader with keen insight and a track record of inspiring others, fostering innovation, and valuing diversity. The Dean should have the experience and professional qualifications necessary to support teamwork, set high standards, ensure accountability, and collaboratively craft a long-term strategy for Fairhaven College. The Dean will understand and support the values of a public, comprehensive, residential campus; recognize the critical role of faculty and staff in the life of the university; support intense student involvement in college governance; and serve as an advocate for Western and Fairhaven College internally and externally. The Dean is charged with communicating the values of the College, and with articulating the unique identity and philosophy of Fairhaven, and the importance of Fairhaven mission to the Western community. The Dean of Fairhaven College advises students and has the opportunity to teach.
The Dean reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President, and is responsible for the leadership, management, and operation of the College. The Dean supervises and directs the College workforce, including working with the faculty chair, program director, faculty, and staff. The Dean leads the College to develop and periodically review its strategic objectives consistent with the mission of the College and university.
Models Leadership
The successful candidate will be expected to fulfill leadership and mentoring responsibilities that provide equitable and inclusive learning and working environments for faculty, staff, and students. The Dean models active, transparent leadership in the development, implementation, maintenance, and advancement of accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for faculty, staff, students, and programs. This includes the demonstrated ability and commitment to cultivating learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of diverse students, faculty, and staff with regard to race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class and other systemically undervalued and marginalized communities.
Working with Students
The Dean works to understand the nuanced needs of college students, and advises, mentors, and advocates for them. This includes knowledge of student development and demonstrated experience in supporting a diverse student body, including non-traditional students.
Teaching & Advising
The Fairhaven Dean:
- may instruct one course per academic year in the College.
- will serve as assigned faculty advisor for approximately 10-15 Fairhaven College students.
- will participate in the College’s advising program, including community events, academic progress monitoring, holding office hours, mentoring advisors.
Advocacy
The Dean actively advances student voices in the work of the College and facilitates constructive resolution of student concerns and challenges.
- Meet regularly with the Fairhaven Student Senators.
- Incorporate student voices into Fairhaven curriculum planning.
Faculty and Staff Advocate and Supervisor
The Dean provides leadership in managing the duties and responsibilities of faculty and staff within the College including standards of performance evaluation, assignments, responsibilities, scheduling of those responsibilities, persons employed, promotion, transfer, non-appointment, non- renewal or reassignment including but not limited to the following:
- Supervise approximately 30 people including the faculty chair, program director, tenure track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, and staff.
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of faculty.
- Uphold shared governance in the College.
- Promote faculty development and improvement of instruction.
- Recommend to the Provost and Executive Vice President concerning tenure and promotion, professional leaves, general and special merit raises, and faculty development and other faculty grants.
- Conduct evaluations of the faculty chair and the program director.
- Lead the evaluation of minors and other programs within the College.
- Coordinate the activities of the College with the administrative staff, the faculty chair, the program director, and the various college committees.
- Determine the number, composition, and type of academic and non-academic staff.
- Discipline and terminate bargaining unit members in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Strategic Planning and Assessment
The Dean is expected, in collaboration with college faculty, staff, and students, to develop and sustain a long-term vision for the College, including the development of planning documents and implementing the mission of the College. Central to this work, the Dean articulates the importance of interdisciplinarity and intersectionality and their national and global urgency.
The Dean provides leadership for academic as well as strategic planning, budget and resource management, advancement and fundraising, program assessment, faculty appointment, development, and evaluation. Similarly, the Dean is an advocate for college staff, ensuring staff positions, promoting staff development, and managing staff workload. The Dean is expected to promote professional development of faculty and staff, and carry out regular evaluations of staff, the faculty chair, and the program director. The Dean oversees faculty evaluation and tenure and promotion policies in compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Dean will collaboratively implement the mission, vision, and strategic plan for Fairhaven College and provide leadership in college evaluation and planning, including:
- Determine academic programs to be offered, in collaboration with the College governance unit, and in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Collaborate actively in the development of curriculum, evaluation, and assessment efforts.
College Operations & Resource Management
The Dean is responsible for the development, allocation, and management of the College’s budget including controlling and directing expenditures from the College’s funds as well as resource planning and allocation to programs.
Fairhaven Liaison to the Western Campus
The Dean serves on the Deans’ Council and collaborates with other Western colleges in developing collegial communications with our colleagues. The Dean will participate with others in the Academic Affairs unit in decisions related to planning, establishing, modifying, reorganizing, creating, merging, or eliminating programs and courses of instruction, and in curriculum development and monitoring.
The Dean will represent the College and provide leadership in all external activities:
- Advocate for Fairhaven budget in a context of budgetary scarcity, including communicating the key role of staff in Fairhaven’s success.
- Develop and maintain a constructive and collegial administrative relationship with other university colleges and administrative units of the university, including the contractual agreement with the United Faculty of Western Washington (UFWW).
- Development work, including friend and fundraising, and community outreach.
- Seek financial support for the College and university from governmental and private sources.
- Support grant-writing by the faculty.
- Represent the College to the senior administration and community.
- Recruit students, faculty, and staff, and strengthen diversity in the College and university.
- Participate in all-university planning and policy formation.
- Develop, interpret, amend, and enforce written policies and procedures governing the work force to advance the mission of the College and university consistent with state laws, collective bargaining, and other agreements.
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| Required Qualifications |
- PhD or terminal degree.
- Record of scholarship and excellence in teaching sufficient to qualify for the rank of full professor at Fairhaven College.
- Record of effective leadership and advocacy experience in academic administration (e.g. as a Dean, Program Director, or Chair) for at least two years to include:
- sensitivity to faculty needs
- effective personnel management
- strong organizational skills
- strategic planning ability
- Demonstrated leadership in the development, implementation, and advancement of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and equal opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and programs, including in the areas of recruitment and retention.
- Demonstrated ability and commitment to cultivate learning and working environments that are equitable and inclusive of diverse students, faculty, and staff with regard to race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class, ability, and other systemically undervalued and marginalized communities.
- Demonstrated experience in advancing accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education with a commitment to being a transformational leader in an aspiring anti-racist institution.
- Proven commitment to creative, innovative, and experiential educational environments and programs, and student-centered and collaborative learning.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to support student success, best interests, and well-being.
- A commitment to shared governance, and a record of success in recruiting, leading, managing, collaborating and communicating with faculty, staff, and students.
- Demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse constituencies, both internal and external to the university.
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