Dean, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
Summit Search Solutions, Inc

Job Info

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Portland State University seeks a Dean, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/PSU_Dean_MCECS_Profile.pdf

The Position:

The new Dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science will join a dynamic leadership team that is defining a bold and ambitious next chapter for the University. As its chief executive and academic officer, the successful candidate will be a nationally recognized, inclusive, and entrepreneurial leader able to infuse Maseeh College with a sense of common purpose and to create a record of accomplishment that advances the mission of the University.

The H. Chik M. Erzurumlu Dean of Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science is an endowed position that will report to the provost & vice president for academic affairs and work collaboratively both within Maseeh College and across other colleges to create a unified vision for the College and to provide strategic leadership to advance its overall quality, reputation, stature, and aspirational goals. The next Dean will oversee a budget of over $22 million, $10 million in research expenditures, and a talented academic team including five department chairs, three Associate Deans (Academic Affairs, International Partnerships, Research), the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration, and a dedicated administrative staff.

Responsibilities:

Academic Leadership

The dean is the chief executive and academic officer for the College and is expected to:

• Develop and realize a compelling strategic direction and plan to distinguish Maseeh College.
• Engage with a multidisciplinary faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and various constituencies within the academy and in the public sphere.
• Set the standard for intellectual engagement and accomplishment by providing operational leadership of the College.
• Strengthen the undergraduate and graduate educational and research missions; ensure support and resources to enable thriving research programs.
• Garner support from college alumni and from internal and external stakeholders, including industry, local and state government, educational institutions, and other external partners.
• Provide recommendations to the Provost regarding tenure and promotion reviews, hiring, appointments, and sabbaticals.
• Set the direction and structure for the College's curricular and scholarly efforts to foster and promote exceptional academic degree programs and research pursuits.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership in Accordance with University Values

• Provide leadership around faculty development and professional growth in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching, research, and community engagement.
• Support the enhancement of diversity within the College and across the campus and foster an environment where college faculty, staff, and students feel engaged, included, and equipped for success.
• Expanding the diversity profile of both its students and its faculty, as well as an inclusive community, a mission that the next Dean will promote broadly and intentionally.

Representation and Promotion of the College Both Internally and Externally

• Maintain open, positive channels of communication with all college and university stakeholders.
• Serve as the College's public voice, promoting initiatives within Portland State University, and articulating the College's contributions in local, state, regional, and national arenas.
• Serve as a member of and actively collaborate with other deans on the Academic Leadership Team, to provide university-wide leadership to shape a future of success for PSU as a whole.
• Build positive relationships with external groups and stakeholders in support of the mission of PSU as an engaged institution, and to foster research and service opportunities for faculty and students.

Financial Management, Leadership, and Fundraising

• Provide oversight and management of the fiscal affairs of the College.
• Ensure the efficient use and strategic investment of the College resources.
• Creatively grow, leverage, and manage resources to fuel the College's aspirations.
• Lead the establishment of a vision for long-term financial health, and the development of long-term and short-term goals to move the College toward this goal.
• Develop, lead, and encourage fundraising, in collaboration with the PSU Foundation, to support the College's goals and the goals of its departments, programs, and students, as well as outreach and public service efforts.

Administrative Leadership, Oversight, and Personnel Supervision

• Recruit and nurture excellent faculty and staff, building an inclusive climate and community.
• Foster an environment that supports and encourages distinguished scholars, exceptional teachers and outstanding students.

Cultural Competence

• Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seek opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.

• Adhere to all PSU policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct, which can be found at: https://www.pdx.edu/human-resources/professional-standards-conduct-policy.

Qualifications:

• An earned doctorate and a record of distinguished scholarship, sponsored research, and teaching including supervision of PhDs, requisite for an appointment as a tenured full professor.

• Successful academic leadership and accomplishments at the level of department head or above or comparable experience in industry or government.
• Substantial administrative experience with budgeting and financial planning.
• Proven experience in recruiting, developing, retaining, and evaluating faculty and professional staff.
• Ability and desire to garner philanthropic, corporate, and grant support.
• A successful record of establishing partnerships with industry for the purposes of research and development, internship programs, strategic partnerships, and more.
• Experience with and commitment to ABET accreditation.
• A record that shows a meaningful commitment to and demonstrated accomplishment in issues around inclusiveness, equity and diversity, incorporating them into the daily operations of the unit, including in the areas of hiring, promotion, retention, and programs.
• Demonstrated record of excellence in interpersonal and leadership skills including the ability to motivate a diversified faculty and staff in support of the strategic vision, effectively problem solve and negotiate.
• A well-regarded history of personal and professional ethics, character, and integrity.
• An understanding and commitment to shared governance.
• A successful record of developing, implementing, and sustaining innovative policies and programs that foster excellence in teaching, research, and service in higher education.
• Strong knowledge of issues and trends facing engineering and related disciplines.
• Strong communication skills with a commitment to inclusiveness, transparency, and consensus building.
• Firm, fair, and consistent judgment, combined with an ability to make and communicate tough decisions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with preparation and access issues relating to community colleges and K12.
• A record of community service and urban engagement.
• A belief in delegation of power and authority with appropriate controls.
• Ability to work in a unionized environment preferred.
• An ability to communicate with diverse audiences: to collaborate and communicate effectively across college lines and foster collaborative academic environments, capitalizing on assets throughout an institution.

About Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science:

The School of Engineering and Applied Science, now the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (Maseeh College), was established in 1982 at a time when the Portland area had a real need for comprehensive engineering education. In 2004, the College was named in honor of Fariborz Maseeh, Sc.D. Maseeh's connection with the University spans four decades - as a student, alumnus, donor and advocate. A first-generation immigrant born in Iran, he received both his B.S. in structural engineering and M.S. in mathematics from PSU before earning a doctorate of science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Maseeh is an internationally known expert in the field of micro-technology, and founder and president of The Massiah Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation making transformational investments in education, health and the arts.

Today, Maseeh College is a powerhouse partner for PSU and the Portland region as it recognizes the importance of preparing engineers, computer scientists, and citizens not only for the world of today, but also for the world that will be. Maseeh College realizes that it must continue to develop and apply new technologies to address complex challenges that are known now and that will arise. The College strives to rethink cities - encouraging not just smart cities, but brilliant cities that integrate technology for the promotion of improved education, human health, environmental health, resiliency, quality of life, and equity. The Portland metro area region is an important industrial power in microelectronics, computer software, energy and power, manufacturing, transportation and other infrastructure technology, and Maseeh College is the key resource for engineering education in the region. Importantly, regional, state, and local governments are willing and supportive partners in innovation. The College embraces five major thematic pillars, one cross-cutting theme that connects all the pillars (data science and machine learning), and a set of core values that will transcend everything that they do. These major components of the strategic vision are intended as a roadmap for bold actions that will guide the future of Maseeh College.

THE FIVE PILLARS

Pillar: Reimagine Engineering Education

• The need for a greater and more diverse engineering workforce to tackle complex technical challenges while serving as agents of social change requires a reimagining of how engineers are educated.

Pillar: Reinvent the Built Environment for Human Health

• The concentration of people in cities provides untapped opportunities for improving human health and well-being.

Pillar: Transform the Resiliency of Physical and Cyber Systems

• Continuing and emerging risks of extraordinary natural and cyber events require that engineers and computer scientists continuously innovate and evolve physical and cyber systems.

Pillar: Innovate to Improve Planetary Health

• An increasingly unpredictable climate calls for innovation to increase energy conservation, and lower the impact of energy production, distribution, and environmental degradation by engineered systems

Pillar: Weave the Computational Fabric from Sensors to Decisions

• The ubiquity of technology for gathering data to drive both individual and city-scale decision making provides great promise for enhancing the quality of urban living.

Maseeh College offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in engineering disciplines from five departments, employs 84 full-time faculty, and enrolls more than 3,000 students. The College is based in a state-of-the-art facility, the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology, and has steadily expanded its programs and student enrollment in recent years. The College is connected to Portland's growing, innovative industries and prepares students to gain competitive jobs in engineering and computer science. Maseeh College's close ties to leading tech companies provide the opportunity for students to build professional skills through internship programs while completing their degrees. Students are positioned to participate in research, community-based learning projects, and opportunities to develop their own ideas from proposal to prototype through Maseeh College's innovation programs. Students are in demand in the Portland job market and beyond, and they report the highest annual earnings of all PSU graduates one year after graduation. Upon graduation, 50% of the graduates have internship experience and 83% are placed within 6 months - this includes students who go directly into jobs as those elect to pursue higher degrees.

Maseeh College's nationally recognized faculty members work with staff to provide a supportive, rigorous, and collaborative learning environment for students. They are motivated by PSU's commitment to serving the community and enjoy seeing their work make an impact in the real world. This enthusiasm is reflected in students, who engage in impactful research and internships. Many of the faculty members are considered leaders in their respective fields (including the National Academy of Engineering) and are often called upon to serve as advisors, keynote speakers, and panelists. Most importantly, they are committed to sharing their knowledge with the next generation of scholars.

The Maseeh College Academy of Distinguished Teachers has been established to recognize and celebrate faculty members with a deep commitment to student success and who excel in their efforts to provide a holistic and inspiring experience for all students. Members will serve seven-year terms and one new member will be added to the Academy each year. Members of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers have access to discretionary funds from philanthropic giving to support initiatives that advance teaching excellence, student experience, curriculum development, and broadening participation in engineering and computer science. The Academy is often called upon as a sounding board for improving the educational experience of Maseeh Colleges students, and to help reimagine engineering and computer science education at PSU.

Internationalization is a key priority of Portland State. PSU's primary approach to providing international experiences is to "bring the world to Portland," as many of its students have obligations that tie them to their community. In 2009, the Maseeh College partnered with Intel to create the Intel Vietnam Scholars Program, which trained three cohorts of Engineers to be the core of the technical workforce at Intel's new facility in Hoh Chi Minh City. In 2013 the Maseeh College created joint-teaching programs in Electrical Engineering Automation, Computer Science, and Civil Engineering at the Changchun University of Technology and the Jilin Jianzhu University that now reach 1,500 students in China, some of whom complete at PSU. In Fall 2021 PSU launched the Portland Institute at the Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, one of China's leading institutions in Telecommunications. This exciting program is expected to add another 1,000 students. Students who transfer to PSU in these programs are fully integrated into its classes. Their presence provides an authentic, cross-cultural experience to all students.

About Portland State University:

Portland State University (PSU) is Oregon's largest urban university, located in Portland, Oregon. PSU enrolls over 26,000 students and offers programs for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. PSU is an internationally recognized university known for excellence in student learning, innovative research, and community engagement. PSU contributes to the economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and quality of life in the Portland region and beyond. Employees describe Portland State University as a vibrant, diverse, progressive place to work and an environment that welcomes process improvement and innovation. Portland State's 50-acre downtown campus is located in the heart of the city; a hub of culture, business, and technology, and just 90 minutes from mountains and the Oregon Coast.

Portland State University is committed to providing access and excellent education to students from all backgrounds. PSU is a national College of Distinction, a mark of excellence earned for its pioneering University Studies program, a four-year pathway to undergraduate success. Additionally, the U.S. News & World Report ranks PSU as the No. 1 school in Oregon for social mobility due to the institution graduating the highest number of economically disadvantaged students and No. 4 nationwide for Service Learning. See www.pdx.edu for additional information about the institution.

Portland State is composed of 7 constituent colleges, offering undergraduate degrees in 123 fields, and postgraduate degrees in 117 fields. Schools at Portland State include the School of Business Administration, College of Education, School of Social Work, College of Urban and Public Affairs, College of the Arts, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The athletic teams are known as the Portland State Vikings with school colors of green and white. Teams compete at the NCAA Division I Level, primarily in the Big Sky Conference.

PSU's President, Steven Percy, is now in his fourth decade as an educator and leader. He has dedicated his career to fostering vibrant connections between universities and the communities they serve. An expert in public policy, administrative ethics and urban politics, Percy is known for his ability to advance civic engagement and create innovative solutions by linking the skills and capacity of universities to the knowledge and energy of communities. He believes in using collaborative, interdisciplinary applied research to facilitate university-community partnerships that solve problems and improve the quality of life.

As PSU celebrates its 75th anniversary, Percy and his leadership team are taking a close look at how the university can expand and deliver upon its access mission by building anti-racist practices and policies. According to Percy, "promoting equity and justice at PSU is the most important work of my presidency. It will allow PSU to live up to our mission and our aspirations. This work is complex and layered, requiring care, thought and time. I will continue to listen, learn and build my capacity to lead this work." Read more about the University's work on creating a more racially just and equitable place for all.

To Apply:

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applications can be submitted immediately and will be reviewed as they come in. Those received by January 30, 2022 will be given first consideration.

For more information or to offer recommendations or nominations:

Tammarah Townes
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
(302) 388-9480
ttownes@summitsearchsolutions.com

Portland State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities and a campus climate that supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.

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