CSUN's Commitment to You
CSUN is committed to achieving excellence through teaching,
scholarship, learning, and inclusion. Our values include a respect
for all people, building partnerships with the community, and
encouraging innovation, experimentation, and creativity. CSUN
strives to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can
learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. CSUN
actively seeks candidates who make contributions to equity and
inclusion in the pursuit of excellence for all members of the
university community.
The University
One of the largest universities in the country, California State
University, Northridge (CSUN) is an urban, comprehensive university
that delivers award-winning undergraduate and graduate programs to
over 36,000 students annually and counts over 425,000 alumni who
fuel the region's economy. Since its founding in 1958, CSUN has
made a significant and long-term impact on California, generating
nearly $1.9 billion in economic impact and more than 12,000 jobs
each year. California State University, Northridge is a designated
Minority Serving and Hispanic Serving Institution (MSI/HSI) and a
California Black Serving Institution (BSI), nationally and
statewide recognized for advancing opportunity and promoting the
success of Hispanic, Black, African American, and other
historically underserved students. In 2025,
Washington
Monthly named the university the No. 1 master's university in
the nation for contributions to the public good and ranked CSUN No.
2 Best Bang for the Buck in the West and No. 3 Best Colleges for
Your Tuition and Tax Dollars. Also in 2025, the university earned a
4.5-star rating in
Money's Best Colleges, ranked No. 3 for
diversity among public universities and No. 8 in the nation for
social mobility in
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse.
In addition, CSUN placed No. 9 on the California Mobility Index for
advancing economic and social mobility from the College Futures
Foundation.
The College of Humanities
With ten academic departments and five interdisciplinary programs,
the College of Humanities is the most diverse college at California
State University, Northridge. The College comprises disciplines
that traditionally make up the study of Humanities-including
Philosophy, English, and Modern & Classical Languages-while
also housing the oldest and largest Chicana/o Studies Department in
the United States and the only Central American and Transborder
Studies Department in the country. In addition, core to the College
is the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies & Liberal
Studies, which puts CSUN among the top three institutions in
California in preparing K-6 educators for the classroom. Among the
College's newest programs are minors in Middle Eastern &
Islamic Studies, Queer Studies, and Civic & Community
Engagement. In all, the College offers students over 40 major,
minor and graduate degree paths, with many potential options for
specialization.
About the Position of Dean of the College of
Humanities
As a member of the university's senior academic team, the Dean is
the chief administrator of the college. The Dean reports to the
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and oversees
departments and programs in the college. The Dean has primary
responsibility for administering college instructional programs;
creating and sustaining an environment supportive of academic
excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship; developing and
promoting long-range goals for the college; supporting
interdisciplinary activities among departments of the college;
planning, administering, and communicating about the college annual
budget; implementing and interpreting university and state
policies; making independent recommendations on all college
personnel matters; managing, supporting, and evaluating college
managers and staff; and recommending appointments of chairs and
supervising their administrative functions. The Dean plays a major
role in developing external relations with organizations,
individuals, the community, and government, and in seeking
supplemental external support for the college. The Dean has
responsibility for providing effective leadership to support the
increasing ethnic and gender diversity and international character
of the college. The Dean represents the college in the university
and community, and performs other duties assigned by the Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
As a leader, the Dean will have the opportunity to thrive in a
community in which our leaders share common traits as identified in
our Leadership Principles
https://www.csun.edu/leadership-principles.
Qualifications
Required qualifications:
- Earned doctorate from an accredited institution with
eligibility for appointment at the rank of Professor within one of
the disciplines of the college
At least three years of successful administrative experience in
higher education, involving oversight of academic programs,
personnel, and/or budget management at or above the level of
department chair (or equivalent)
Demonstrated record of excellence in university-level teaching,
scholarship, and/or creative activity
Demonstrated experience mentoring faculty, promoting faculty
research and scholarship, and advocating for resources to support
their professional growth
Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and work
effectively with diverse groups, including students, faculty,
staff, university administrators, alumni, and community
leaders
Demonstrated ability to provide visionary leadership, set
strategic goals, and promote academic excellence in a complex and
diverse academic environment
Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, access,
and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff in all aspects of
academic and administrative leadership
Preferred qualifications:
- Five or more years of administrative or leadership experience
in higher education, especially overseeing complex operations or
large organizational units
- Demonstrated success in fundraising, advancement, or
development activities, including securing major gifts or building
relationships with donors and alumni
- Demonstrated ability to lead innovation, manage change, and
implement new initiatives or technologies in academic settings
- Evidence of successful strategic planning and implementation,
including experience with long-term visioning and adapting to
higher education trends
- Familiarity and experience working within shared governance
structures and fostering collaborative decision-making with faculty
and staff in a collective bargaining environment
- Experience using data analytics for institutional assessment,
program evaluation, and continuous improvement
More information can be found in the institutional profile at
https://www.academicsearch.org/open-searches-public/entry/25391/?search=25391.
Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule
- Salary is commensurate with knowledge, skills, and experience.
The University offers excellent fringe benefits.
- The anticipated HIRING RANGE: $210,000 to $242,000 per year,
dependent upon qualifications and experience.
Application Period
The position is open until filled but only applications received by
Friday, August 28, 2026, can be assured full consideration. Review
of applications will continue until the position is filled.
In order to be considered in the initial review, applications must
be submitted prior to the date listed above. Application
submissions received after the initial review date will be reviewed
at the discretion of the University.
Effective Date of Appointment: As soon as possible.
How to Apply:
The university is being assisted by Academic Search. Applications
should consist of a substantive cover letter, a CV, and a list of
five professional references with full contact information. No
references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the
candidate. Applications can be confidentially submitted at:
CSUNDeanHumanities@academicsearch.org
Nominations and expressions of interest can be directed to the
search team, electronically and confidentially, at:
CSUNDeanHumanities@academicsearch.org
Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by
contacting senior consultant Chris Butler at
Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org.
Background check
This position is a sensitive position as designated by the
CSU.
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be
completed satisfactorily. Failure to satisfactorily complete the
background check may affect the status of candidates who apply for
the position.
CANRA
The person holding this position will be considered a 'limited
reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting
Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in
CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
Conflict of Interest
This position is a "designated position" in the California State
University's Conflict of Interest Code. The successful candidate
accepting this position is required to file Conflict of Interest
forms subject to the regulations of the Fair Political Practices
Commission.
Please note: California State University,
Northridge (CSUN) is not currently sponsoring staff or management
positions for H-1B employment visas. Applicants must be authorized
to work for any employer in the United States.
Equal Employment Opportunity
CSUN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination
on the basis of Age, Disability (physical or mental), Gender,
Gender Identity (including Nonbinary or Transgender), Gender
Expression, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition,
Nationality, Pregnancy or related conditions, Race or Ethnicity
(including color, caste, or ancestry), Religion or Religious Creed,
Sex (including Sex Stereotyping or Sex Characteristics), Sexual
Orientation, and Veteran or Military Status. Our nondiscrimination
policy is set forth in the
Interim
CSU Nondiscrimination Policy. Reasonable accommodations will be
provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose by
contacting Recruitment Services at 818-677-2101.
To apply, visit https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/nr/en-us/job/558941/dean-college-of-humanities
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