Missouri State University, located in Springfield, invites applications for the position of Dean of the College of Business (COB)/David D. Glass Distinguished Leadership Chair. This is an opportunity to lead a successful AACSB-accredited College of Business at a pivotal moment in Missouri State University's evolution as a comprehensive public university.
The next dean will build on significant strengths while helping position COB for greater academic distinction, enrollment growth, research impact, industry engagement and national visibility. The dean will guide and inspire COB and work collaboratively with, and advocate for, faculty, staff and students by promoting excellence in teaching, scholarship and service; encouraging faculty development; prioritizing student learning; facilitating student recruitment and retention; building partnerships with external constituents and public organizations; engaging in fundraising and alumni relations; and demonstrating sound fiscal management. As chief administrative officer of COB, the Dean will provide professional, intellectual and administrative leadership with a focus on student success and the public affairs mission of the university. The appointee is expected to begin February 1, 2027.
The Opportunity
The next Dean will have the opportunity to:
- Build on a strong academic foundation and AACSB accredited programs in business and accounting.
- Advance innovative and market-responsive programs that respond to changing workforce needs.
- Strengthen enrollment and student success across undergraduate and graduate programs.
- Expand experiential learning and career connections with employers throughout Missouri and beyond.
- Accelerate faculty scholarship and external funding as Missouri State advances toward R2 Carnegie classification.
- Expand corporate, alumni, community and philanthropic partnerships.
- Elevate COB’s national profile while strengthening its role in the region's economic and civic life.
- Lead curricular and pedagogical innovation in response to emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence, data analytics, automation and digital transformation).
Leadership Priorities
The successful candidate will marshal the talents of the COB’s faculty and staff and work collaboratively across the university to advance COB through the following priorities:
1. Student Success, Career Readiness and Engaged Learning: Prioritize student learning, persistence, belonging, achievement and placement across all programs. Support strong academic and career advising, student research opportunities and experiential learning.
2. Academic Excellence, Program Innovation and Market Responsiveness: Lead the advancement of high-quality, research-informed business education curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Foster innovation in program design, interdisciplinary teaching, experiential learning and evidence-based pedagogy. Ensure programs remain competitive, relevant to labor market demands and aligned with institutional goals.
3. Strategic Enrollment Growth and Market Responsiveness: Collaborate with institutional partners to develop data-informed enrollment strategies that strengthen recruitment, retention and timely graduation. Align program capacity with market demand, expand pipeline initiatives and articulate the distinct value of business programs to prospective students and other constituents.
4. Industry, Community, Alumni and Philanthropic Engagement: Strengthen relationships with business and industry leaders, alumni, donors, professional organizations and community partners. Expand philanthropic support, corporate partnerships, internships, experiential learning, advisory relationships and other external resources that advance COB’s academic mission and student success.
5. Faculty Excellence, Development and Research: Attract and retain high-caliber faculty who excel in teaching, research and service. Maintain transparent evaluation systems, strengthen mentoring structures and support professional development at all career stages. Foster a collegial and intellectually rich environment that enables faculty success.
6. National Visibility, Innovation and COB’s Role in Missouri State’s R2 Aspirations: Build upon existing scholarly strengths and cultivate an environment that supports high-quality research, interdisciplinary collaboration, external funding and meaningful engagement with business and community partners. As Missouri State advances its aspiration for R2 Carnegie classification, the Dean will play an important leadership role in strengthening COB’s research profile and national visibility.
About Missouri State’s College of Business
COB is composed of six academic units. The business unit, accredited by AACSB, includes: the Pendleton Family School of Accountancy and the departments of finance, economics and risk management; information technology and cybersecurity; management; and marketing. The School of Construction, Design and Project Management houses undergraduate and graduate programs that are separately accredited by ABET, ACCE and GAC PMI. COB is guided and supported by an executive advisory council along with 13 departmental, school and academic program advisory boards. In addition to the Dean and two Associate Deans, COB contains more than 100 full-time faculty, 31 staff, 53 graduate assistants, and several part-time faculty and staff. COB enrolls more than 4,500 students (3,813 undergraduate/734 graduate) in 24 undergraduate major options and five graduate programs. With nearly one-third of Missouri State graduates earning business degrees in a typical year, COB is one of the university's most influential academic units and plays a significant role in preparing the workforce and business leaders of the region and state.
COB is headquartered in David D. Glass Hall, a state-of-the-art learning facility with high-tech classrooms, computer labs and nine experiential learning labs. COB also has classrooms, computer labs and experiential learning spaces in Kemper Hall, including the new Construction Education Success Center. Student support within COB is enhanced through an undergraduate advisement center, international business programs office, graduate programs office and a dedicated satellite office of the Missouri State University Career Center. COB provides advisors and financial support for 33 affiliated student organizations as well as state, regional, national and international competitions to enhance extracurricular opportunities.
About Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a multi-campus, comprehensive public university with a statewide mission in public affairs. With more than 24,000 students, the university offers more than 100 undergraduate and 60 graduate-degree programs.
The university's distinctive public affairs mission is grounded in three pillars:
- Ethical leadership
- Cultural competence
- Community engagement
Through this mission, Missouri State prepares students to engage thoughtfully with the complex challenges facing their professions, communities and society. The next Dean will be an important institutional leader in advancing this mission through business education, scholarship and engagement with external partners.
The university's main campus is located in Springfield and includes six academic colleges: Agriculture; Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; and Natural and Applied Sciences.
For more information, visit Missouri State University.
About Springfield and the Region
Springfield is the third-largest city in Missouri with a metropolitan population of more than 500,000. It is noted for its thriving economy, excellent schools, superior health care facilities, beautiful neighborhoods, active arts community, exciting entertainment scene, temperate climate and outstanding recreational opportunities. Located in the southwest region of the state, Springfield is surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the Ozarks hills, streams and lakes. Springfield is ranked among the 100 Best Communities for young people, is in the top 40 cities for quality of life and is home to two top-100 integrated health systems in the nation. For more information about the City of Springfield and to see photos of the city, please visit www.liveinspringfieldmo.com.
Qualifications and Leadership Characteristics
The university is seeking an individual with the vision and leadership qualities necessary to continue to enhance the future of an already strong COB.
Required qualifications
- Earned doctorate/terminal degree in business or related field.
- Academic credentials appropriate for appointment as a full professor.
- Significant academic leadership experience.
- Demonstrated record of achievement in teaching, scholarship and/or academic administration.
- Evidence of effective fiscal and organizational management.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience as a dean, associate dean, department chair or comparable academic leader.
- Experience with AACSB accreditation and continuous improvement.
- Successful record of enrollment growth or program development.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising and external relations.
- Experience developing corporate/community partnerships.
- Experience developing and/or supporting international programs and partnerships.
- Evidence of supporting faculty research and external funding.
- Experience with graduate, online, professional or executive education.
- Demonstrated understanding of emerging business disciplines and technologies, (including AI, analytics, entrepreneurship, fintech, supply chain and digital transformation).
Beyond these qualifications, the university seeks a leader who is intellectually engaged, strategically minded, financially responsible, externally oriented and committed to shared governance and collaborative decision making. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to inspire faculty and staff, build trust across constituencies, communicate effectively, embrace innovation and advocate persuasively for COB and its students.
Application Process
Applicants should upload as three (3) separate documents (PDF format preferred):
• A detailed cover letter, addressed to the search committee, expressing the candidate's qualifications and leadership vision for COB, particularly the opportunities and priorities identified in this announcement.
• A current resume/curriculum vitae (CV).
• A list of five professional references, including email addresses and a brief note of the candidate’s working relationship with each.
The search committee expects to select a new dean during fall 2026, with the successful candidate assuming full-time responsibilities as early as possible in 2027. The salary will be competitive and commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.
For more information about the position, please contact the co-chairs of the search:
Dr. Mark Smith
Dean, McQueary College of Health and Human Services
MarkASmith@MissouriState.edu
Dr. Barri Tinkler
Interim Chief Academic Strategy Officer
BarriTinkler@MissouriState.edu
Although the search remains open until the position is filled, for full consideration, candidates should submit all application materials by Monday, October 5, 2026.
Although nominations are not required to be considered for this position, leaders who know of outstanding candidates are welcome to submit confidential nominations by sending the nominee’s full name, position, institution/organization and email address to BarriTinkler@MissouriState.edu.
Employment will require a criminal background check at University Expense.
Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Institution.
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