Job no: 914658
Senior Associate Dean for Research
Position SummaryThe College of Communication Arts and Sciences (ComArtSci) at Michigan State University invites applications for the position of Senior Associate Dean for Research. The College is a pioneer in its own right. Established in 1955, during Michigan State's Centennial year, ComArtSci was the first such college in the country. Today, with over 3,500 students and more than 58,000 alumni, it is among the largest and most respected. With internationally ranked programs and internationally renowned faculty members, MSU's ComArtSci prepares students for careers across a broad spectrum of the arts and sciences of communication. Employees of ComArtSci reflect diverse areas of expertise and employment types within the University, which include 15 continuing system academic specialists; 79 fixed term faculty and academic specialists; 78 tenure system faculty; and more than 100 professional, technical, and administrative support staff.
ComArtSci's undergraduate, master's and doctoral students are enrolled in 21 programs within the college's five units. ComArtSci prepares students for careers in areas such as communications, public relations, journalism, game design, and communication disorders. Students and faculty work together to create feature-length films, produce award-winning news features, and are leaders in communication research. ComArtSci has the strength, skill, and talent to serve the common good nationally and globally.
The primary function of the Senior Associate Dean for Research is to provide leadership, management, vision, strategic planning, and oversight of and to the research operations, including the human, financial, and space resources related to those functions of ComArtSci. We seek candidates who are eager to act strategically in support of raising the college's already strong profile in research productivity. ComArtSci had nearly $7.5M in grant expenditures in FY23, which represented a 75% increase over FY21. This position is 60% administrative and 40% research meaning there will be ample time and support for maintaining the candidate's active research program. In addition to a generous start-up package, outstanding candidates may be considered for one of the College or University's Endowed Professorships.
The Senior Associate Dean position reports directly to and serves as a primary advisor to the Dean. The role entails overseeing the Dean's office support staff who are germane to research and grant operations as well as chairing College-level committees whose primary function is to serve the research needs of the College. However, the Senior Associate Dean would also have a tenure home in one of the five departments in the College.
Roles and Responsibilities to include:
COMARTSCI RESEARCH AND CREATIVE WORKS
Research at the College of Communication Arts and Sciences has demonstrated global impact. The College addresses public problems through research and creative works in three signature areas:
These signature areas are engaged from many perspectives through thematic research areas:
ComArtSci's research is enhanced by numerous dedicated labs researching learning games, social science, media, and technology, as well as the interdisciplinary Health and Risk Communication Center, which supports the work of over 50 affiliated faculty members who study the role of communication in health behavior change and risk reduction. A list of the College's research centers and labs can be found here: https://comartsci.msu.edu/research-creative-work/centers-and-labs
There is a strong tradition of externally funded research in the College regardless of the field of expertise or size of the partnership. Faculty productivity averages four publications annually per tenure-system faculty member, and overall, College grant activity totals approximately $7.5 million per year. ComArtSci researchers have obtained funding from a wide range of sources, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Defense (DOD), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Canadian government, as well as foundations such as the Ford and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations, among others, and firms such as Microsoft, AT&T, and Google.
More information about the College may be found here:
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS: https://comartsci.msu.edu/degrees-programs/undergraduate
GRADUATE PROGRAMS: https://comartsci.msu.edu/degrees-programs/graduate
COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENTS: https://comartsci.msu.edu/about/history-mission-vision/pride-points
RECENT COLLEGE NEWS: https://comartsci.msu.edu/all-articles
Equal Employment Opportunity StatementAll qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required DegreeDoctorate
Minimum RequirementsA cover letter of no more than five pages summarizing qualifications for this position, including a statement of interest in the position, statement of commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), which include examples of how you have advanced DEI in your professional career, and contact list of three (3) professional references knowledgeable about your professional work.
Special InstructionsTo apply, please refer to posting #914658 and complete an electronic submission at the Michigan State University Employment Opportunities website https://careers.msu.edu/. Please direct inquiries to the chairs of the search committee, Monique Turner (mmturner@msu.edu) and Michael J. Stern (sternmi5@msu.edu). The search committee will begin its evaluation of applicants on January 15, 2024.
Review of Applications Begins On01/16/2024
Websitehttps://comartsci.msu.edu/
Department StatementComArtSci is deeply committed to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion, which are embedded in the College's mission, strategy, policy, and practice.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are integral to our practice as communicators, storytellers, and innovators. We believe our responsibility is to foster an open and welcoming environment that aspires to attract, recruit, and sustain diverse students, faculty, and staff. Diversity is among the main drivers of institutional excellence, and we are proud to embrace and promote broad communities of knowledge, backgrounds, and experiences. Our efforts to advance DEI are guided by a shared vision grounded in a culture of caring, belonging, transparency, and accountability.
In alignment with the University's DEI Report and Plan, we commit to actively challenging, disrupting, and dismantling systems that reinforce and maintain historical and contemporary social inequalities. We are dedicated to ongoing dialogue to strengthen our commitment to social justice, advocacy, and activism. We strive to be DEI thought leaders who inspire, influence and cultivate progress in our College and throughout the MSU community.
MSU StatementMichigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
Advertised: Nov 21, 2023 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: Nov 21, 2025 Eastern Standard Time
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