North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T) College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) seeks a visionary and collaborative leader to serve as its next Dean. The new Dean will be a talented executive who is a passionate advocate for the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The College seeks an experienced administrator with a proven track record of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, promoting research excellence, and building strong relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni, the community, and external partners.
N.C. A&T is a public, land-grant doctoral high research institution and has been the largest historically Black university in the country for the past decade. With an enrollment of over 14,000 students (Fall 2024), the University offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 36 master’s programs, and 14 doctoral programs. It is a top five producer of African American graduates in Liberal Arts and Communications/Journalism and has one of the oldest accredited theatre programs among the nation’s HBCUs, ranking at No. 1 for HBCU theatre programs in North Carolina.
The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) is a cornerstone of the University, with nearly every student passing through one of the six departments and a mission to prepare students for a global workforce by providing high quality academic programs, scholarly research and services that are innovative and interdisciplinary across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. CAHSS students can explore over 24 bachelor degrees and three master’s degree programs across the departments of Criminal Justice, English, History and Political Science, Journalism and Mass Communication, Liberal Studies, and the Visual and Performing Arts/Theater. Launched in the Fall of 2016, the College is home to the Center of Excellence in Social Justice which engages in interdisciplinary local, regional, and national exploration of the past, present and future regarding race, economics, higher education, civil rights, and public policy. With the first cohort founded in Fall 2024, CAHSS’s newest degree is the Ph.D. program in Criminal Justice, offering specializations across digital forensics, investigative science, research methodology, and social justice.
Through the College, N.C. A&T is one of the largest producers of undergraduate degrees awarded to African Americans in the visual and performing arts. Its theater program, accredited for more than 30 years, is one of only five accredited programs at HBCUs, and is the third oldest among the programs. The music program has been accredited for more than 25 years. The University is one of the top campuses for master’s degrees awarded to African Americans in English, literature, and letters. The University’s Journalism and Mass Communications department is one of only two accredited programs in the UNC system and is one of only seven accredited programs among HBCUs.
Reporting to the Provost, the Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) serves as the chief academic and administrative leader of the College, providing strategic vision and leadership to advance the College’s mission in alignment with the University’s strategic priorities. The Dean fosters excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement while championing innovation, digital advancements, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Dean has an administrative team comprising an Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Affairs, Association Dean for Faculty Success, professional staff and six chairs across the CAHSS departments.
The new Dean of CAHSS will have the opportunity to lead a dynamic part of the University, leveraging its existing strengths and implementing a forward-thinking vision that strengthens the role of arts, humanities, and social sciences in a rapidly changing digital and technological landscape. The ideal Dean will be an advocate and promoter of innovative pedagogies, interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary programs, and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for dynamic career paths.
A key focus point for the new Dean will be to champion the expansion of humanities research and creative production across the College’s disciplines in alignment with the University’s commitment towards gaining R1 designation. The new Dean will lead efforts to integrate digital humanities, computational social sciences, and emerging technologies into curricular and research across the College, and will facilitate collaborations between the social sciences, engineering, health sciences, agriculture, education and the sciences. The new Dean will be a visible and engaged leader who embraces the opportunity to build and deepen relationships with cultural institutions, non-profits, industry, and government agencies to bring resources, partnerships, and new collaborations to the College and its programming.
A terminal degree (Ph.D. or equivalent, including an MFA) in a relevant discipline within the arts, humanities, or social sciences is required, along with a distinguished record of research, creative work, and academic leadership. The successful candidate will be a leader who brings proven experience in strategic planning, innovative pedagogical impacts across the arts, humanities, and/or social sciences, and will be a confident fundraiser of resources, external investments, and partnership opportunities.
This is a full-time position that will be performed on site in North Carolina. Salary will be commensurate with experience and accompanied by a generous benefits package.
Storbeck Search l Diversified Search Group has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by TaJuan Wilson, Managing Director, Felicia McGinty, Managing Director, and Kate Phillips, Senior Search Associate.
Submit a compelling cover letter and CV/resume by filling out our Talent Profile here: NCA&T Dean – College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
For nominations and inquiries, please contact: [email protected], all inquiries are strictly confidential.