College of Education dean search chooses search firm

Anne Meltzer, Herbert and Ann Siegel Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of the College of Education dean search, announced today the selection of a search firm and creation of a Web site.

“Last month, we officially opened the formal search process to find our next dean of Lehigh’s College of Education (COE),” says Meltzer.

Since that time, the search committee has conducted a series of meetings with COE faculty, staff, students and the advisory board seeking input on the challenges and opportunities facing the college and the leadership characteristics desired in the next dean. These meetings, says Meltzer, have been fruitful and were critical to the committee’s work to develop an understanding of the qualities and attributes a dean must possess in order to provide successful leadership for the college. A meeting with the alumni council is scheduled for November.

We also considered a number of search firms to assist us with our search and ultimately selected R. William Funk and Associates, a search firm specializing in higher education.

“We encourage the Lehigh community who would like more information on the search, to view the position description or to nominate a candidate, to visit our Web site,” says Meltzer.

Through these meetings, the committee has determined that a successful candidate for the dean’s position is an individual who can lead the College of Education’s efforts to address the significant issues facing pre K-12 education and human service delivery and provide strategic leadership to further advance the College’s national stature. It is expected that the dean will have a record of scholarship with an earned doctorate in one of the six fields represented by the disciplinary programs in the college. Other attributes of a successful candidate include:

• demonstrated success in and commitment to scholarship and teaching;
• a commitment to diversity and community partnerships;
• the ability to cultivate and articulate a shared vision of the College to both internal and external constituencies;
• the ability to recognize excellence in others and facilitate their success;
• demonstrated academic management skill;
• a commitment to forming strong partnerships with other Colleges at Lehigh and beyond;
• the potential for effective outreach to major foundations and external educational leaders;
• strong organizational and communication skills.

The COE search committee members include:

• Ed Shapiro, director for center for promoting research to practice and professor, school psychology
• Arpana Inman, assistant professor, counseling psychology
• MJ Bishop, associate professor, teaching, learning and technology
• Lee Kern, professor and program coordinator, special education
• Roger Douglas, associate director, office of international programs, COE
• Lisa Kensler, graduate student and research assistant, educational leadership
• Diane Hyland, chair and professor, psychology
• Robert Thornton, professor, economics
• Charles Smith, professor, mechanical engineering and mechanics
• Ex officio member: Mohamed S. El-Aasser, provost

In addition, Annette McCans from the CAS dean’s office will provide staff assistance and Debra Nyby, administrative director to the provost, is an ex-officio member of the committee who will also provide support from the provost’s office.

The overall timeline for the COE dean search is as follows:

• September 2007: First meeting of the search committee with the provost; search committee is given their charge.
• October/November 2007: Nominations solicited on an international, national and local level.
• December 2007: Search committee reviews candidate files and identifies the “short list” of candidates.
• Early January 2008: Search committee conducts “off-site” interviews with “short list” candidates and submits a preliminary report to the provost with their recommendation. The top three candidates will be invited to campus.
• Late January/Early February 2008: Candidates invited to campus for town hall meetings with college faculty and staff. Visits also include meetings with department chairs, faculty personnel committee and senior level administration.
• February 2008: Final report with recommendations submitted to the provost.
• March 2008: President/Provost review report, meet with finalists, make a selection and extend an offer.

More information will be shared with the campus throughout the coming months, as it becomes available.

--Sarah Cooke