Georgia Southern University (Georgia Southern) invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS). The University seeks a dynamic, visionary, and energetic executive leader to shape the College’s future, advance academic and research excellence, expand its impact, and strengthen its regional and national profile.
Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean serves as chief executive and principal ambassador for the CBSS, providing strategic leadership, institutional vision, and responsible stewardship of the College’s approximately $15.3 million operating budget. The Dean will build on the College’s strengths, drive innovation and growth, and expand its impact. Based on a solid foundation and working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, alumni, University leadership, and external partners, the Dean will sustain and enhance academic excellence, strengthen interdisciplinary engagement, elevate research productivity and funding, and spearhead entrepreneurial initiatives. As the College’s leading advocate, the Dean will champion its mission to understand and improve the human condition and communities across the region, state, nation, and globe.
CBSS plays a multifaceted role in the University, from supporting undergraduate general education to deep and practical learning in its major programs and experiential learning opportunities to consequential contributions to community well–being through, among others, non–profit management, early childhood education, and counseling psychology. The Dean understands and advocates for the College’s broad portfolio of programs, its core values of liberal education and career development, and its future opportunities for growth and expanded impact. The next Dean of CBSS will articulate a compelling future for the College and a suitable role for each of the programs and each of the campuses in living into that future.
Georgia Southern, part of the University System of Georgia, is a public comprehensive university with its main campus in Statesboro, about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta and 55 miles northwest of Savannah. What began as the First District Agricultural & Mechanical School, a land grant college that opened in 1908, has since become a R2 University enrolling over 26,000 undergraduate students and 4,000 graduate students and boasting a global network of over 160,000 alumni.
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS) was established in 2018 during the consolidation of Armstrong State University in Savannah and Georgia Southern University. Since then, CBSS has grown into one of Georgia Southern’s largest academic units. That pattern of growth continued with an 11% enrollment increase in Fall 2026. The College enrolls approximately 3,550 undergraduate and 290 graduate students and employs 136 full–time faculty members. Faculty are organized in five departments: Criminal Justice and Criminology, Political Science and International Studies, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Public and Nonprofit Studies, and the unique School of Human Ecology. The departments offer seven undergraduate programs and seven graduate programs, and the School of Human Ecology offers four undergraduate programs.
A complete Leadership Profile with additional information may be found here: https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/dean-college-of-behavioral-and-social-sciences-georgia-southern-university
Nominations and Applications
Review of applications for the Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Science will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. To ensure full consideration, applications should be received by November 13, 2026, and must include:
- A letter of interest addressing the priorities and expectations for leadership identified in the profile;
- A current curriculum vitae; and
- The contact information (email and phone) for five professional references, including their relationship to the candidate. References will be contacted at a later stage in the search, and only with the candidate’s permission.
Georgia Southern University is being assisted by AGB Search. Application materials should be submitted through the AGB Search portal system here: https://bit.ly/4rqldEG
Please direct nominations and expressions of interest or any questions regarding the application process to: GSUDeanCBSS@agbsearch.com
Garry Owens, Ph.D., Executive Search Consultant
Carl Moses, Ph.D., Executive Search Consultant
The names of applicants and nominees, vitae, and other non-evaluative information may be subject to public inspection under the Georgia Open Records Act. Georgia Southern University provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. Individuals in need of reasonable accommodations under the America with Disabilities Act to participate in the search process should notify Human Resources: (912) 478-6947. The University System of Georgia comprises twenty-five institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at usg.edu/policymanual.
Georgia Southern University does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status.
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