"Dean, Liberal Arts and Professional Studies"

Company Description

Monroe Community College is a unit of the State University of New York (SUNY) and is one of only nineteen community colleges across North America selected for board membership in the League for Innovation in the Community College. Founded in 1961, MCC prides itself on providing an affordable, quality education for more than 8,500 students in the Rochester area. MCC is a large institution offering over 100 programs across two main campuses, two specialized centers, and various community sites.

Monroe Community College expects and upholds equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in our educational programs, policies, campus life, employment, and community involvement. We believe diversity enriches our lives and leads to understanding and appreciating our differences and commonalities. To achieve academic and institutional excellence, we actively recruit, engage, and retain students, faculty, staff, and community partners who represent the diversity of our region, nation, and world. MCC embraces inclusion and diversity, offering activities and programs to enhance the personal and professional development of faculty, staff, and students. The College welcomes candidates committed to MCC's mission of access, academic excellence, and a desire to work in a diverse and dynamic environment.

Job Description

Function of Position:

Reporting to the Provost/Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs (ASA), Dr. Michael Jacobs, the Dean has general responsibility for the quality of courses, programs, activities, faculty, staff, and resources of the departments within the Schools of Arts & Humanities, Business & Entrepreneurial Studies, Community Engagement & Development, and Social Sciences & Global Studies; these include the Departments of Anthropology, History, Political Science & Sociology; Business Administration; Education & Human Services; English- Philosophy; Law & Criminal Justice; Psychology; Visual & Performing Arts; and World Languages & Cultures.

The Dean is also responsible for the Liberal Arts Degree Programs and the Institute for the Humanities and serves as a leader to affirm liberal arts education as a foundation of professional preparation, articulating the value of these disciplines to constituents within and beyond the College. As the leader of this academic unit, the Dean models and promotes collegiality and addresses departmental concerns, interests, and objectives in the context of the needs of the College, students, and community. The Dean works closely with department chairpersons and other key faculty and staff stakeholders and serves as the primary liaison between faculty and administrative offices in an environment that values teamwork and innovative practices. The Dean promotes a focus on effective teaching and student learning, retention, and success within the academic departments and programs.

As a member of the Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Council (ASALC) at MCC, the Dean supports the College's overall mission, strategic plan, and goals. The Dean is an enthusiastic and informed ambassador for initiatives central to the College's commitment to excellence and innovation and embodies the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in fostering a sense of belonging and supporting a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff. The Dean works to sustain and enhance MCC's regional and national reputation as a leader among best practices colleges.

Examples of Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership & Collaboration

• Provides collaborative, team-based leadership by addressing departmental, school, divisional, and institutional concerns through regular meetings with faculty, staff, chairpersons, ASALC members, the Provost/Vice President ASA, and other College stakeholders, fostering a culture of equity, inclusion, and professional growth to support teaching, learning, and student success.
• Leads or supports College-wide projects and grant funded initiatives, including identifying funding needs, collaborating on grant writing, engaging with donors alongside the MCC Foundation, and supervising funded projects to enhance departmental and institutional goals.
• Oversees the academic division's recruitment and hiring and provides guidance on orientation and the professional development of staff and faculty, consistent with College policies and procedures.
• Oversees faculty retention, tenure, promotion, and post tenure review processes within the academic division.
• Ensures all personnel actions comply with collective bargaining agreements, collaborating with union representatives and Human Resources to address concerns while honoring contractual obligations and maintaining a positive working environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Provost/Vice President, ASA.

Academic Program & Curriculum Oversight

• Provides leadership and oversight for departmental plans relating to academic programs, curriculum, master schedule, and learning environments to ensure institutional effectiveness and efficiencies that maximize resources; balance competing demands; respond to students' needs; and meet all state, SUNY, and accreditation requirements and compliance frameworks.
• Guides/leads faculty and staff in assessing courses, programs, and pedagogies using a data-informed approach to improve student outcomes.

Enrollment & Student Success

• Collaborates across divisions to develop and implement strategies that attract prospective students and enhance access to programs, ensuring alignment with institutional enrollment goals.
• Leads initiatives to promote equitable student success outcomes, addressing the needs of diverse and underrepresented populations.
• Utilizes program review and other data to assess student success trends, identify barriers to student success, and promote evidence-based interventions.
• Collaborates with community and industry partners to support post-completion success, including transfer and career pathways.

Resource Management & Budget Oversight

• Develops and implements strategies for resource management and the optimal use of personnel, facilities, and technology to support student success and operational efficiency.
• Provides leadership in the preparation, management, and oversight of departmental budgets, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and fiscal responsibility by analyzing and advocating for the academic division's resource needs and allocations.
• Coordinates, reviews, and approves departments' strategic planning goals and budgets within the context of the College's mission and vision.

Student Support and Advocacy

• Supports initiatives to connect students with appropriate campus resources and support services.
• Collaborates with faculty and staff to address concerns about student behavior, fostering a supportive environment while ensuring processes and practices align with College policies and promote student growth.
• Promotes a student-centered approach to problem resolution, emphasizing equity, respect, a sense of belonging, and a commitment to student success.

MCC Expectations:

• Adheres to the College Code of Conduct.
• Contributes to, supports, and maintains an equitable, inclusive, and collaborative College environment.
• Maintains technological competencies utilized by the College.
• Commits to the philosophy of a comprehensive community college.
• Commits to professional growth. which includes seeking ongoing training in diversity, equity and inclusion to better serve students.

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Earned master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in a field related to an MCC academic are under the supervision of the Dean.
• Five years' work experience in higher education, including at least three in an academic administrative or other leadership position
• At least 3 years of experience as an effective college instructor in one of the disciplines within the Dean's purview
• Understanding and appreciation of current, major issues and trends in post-secondary education
• Demonstrated experience with operations and project management within the academic environment
• Evidence of effective interpersonal communication, critical thinking, problem solving, team building, public speaking, and mediation skills
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and commitment to continued professional growth
• Demonstrated understanding of curriculum development and assessment
• Commitment to supporting an inclusive campus environment and respect for/understanding of people with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs
• Evidence of commitment to the philosophy of a comprehensive community college

Preferred Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution
• Community college administration or faculty experience desired, with five years of experience as an effective college instructor in one of the disciplines within the Dean's purview
• Experience with the accreditation process and with the standards-driven accredited programs within the academic unit
• Successful involvement in grant writing, administration, and/ or implementation
• Experience working in a collective bargaining environment
• Bilingual and able to read, write, and speak Spanish, or other languages, proficiently.

Additional Information

Salary: Salary is determined based on experience, internal equity and college budget. This position has a range of $110,000 to $117,000 and is based on these mentioned factors.

MCC Benefit Highlights:

• Eligible for annual salary increases pending BOT approval
• NYS Retirement System or Optional SUNY Retirement Program
• Voluntary Retirement Program Options: 100% employee-paid through payroll deduction: 403(b)(1) or 457 plan
• Comprehensive health and dental insurance through Excellus BCBS
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Medical and/or Dependent Care
• MCC Tuition Waiver benefit: Employees and eligible dependents may receive waiver for MCC State aid-able courses
• Tuition reimbursement benefit: Maximum individual award up to $4,000/year
• Paid Vacation Leave: Accrue 2 days/month; paid out upon separation from service
• Vacation Buyback: May request payment for up to 5 accrued days in August each year
• Paid Sick Leave: Accrue 1 day/month; may carry up to 230 days
• Paid Parental or Adoption Leave: In addition to other paid time off, may receive up to 20 days paid parental leave for birth or adoption
• Paid Personal Leave: Granted up to 4 days at start of each fiscal year
• Paid Holidays: 9 paid holidays, plus December 24 when it occurs M - Th and the weekdays through the end of the year

MCC offers a Flexible Work Policy for benefit eligible employees. Types of flexible work arrangements include flextime/staggered shifts, remote work/telecommuting and compressed work schedule. The availability of flexible work arrangements varies by division, department, and position, based upon business and operational needs. Limitations to flexible work arrangements are outlined in the official policy.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions: The physical demands and working conditions described below are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position involves primarily sedentary work, including prolonged periods of computer use and keyboarding. The role requires the ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form. The position may involve occasionally lifting or moving items up to 10 pounds. Work is performed in a typical office environment with no adverse conditions. Occasional travel between campus buildings or to other local or out-of-town locations for meetings or conferences may be required.

Prohibition of Remote Work Outside New York State: Remote work locations outside New York State are not authorized by the College due to out-of-state tax and regulatory implications. In limited circumstances, prompted by business or operational needs, the College may approve requests to work remotely outside of New York State, on a short term, temporary basis.

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Application Instructions

Completed applications are due by April 26th, 2026. To ensure full consideration, you will be required to submit:

1. a current resume or CV;
2. a cover letter addressing the position; and
3. the contact information for three professional references.

Submit your application securely through the RH Perry website here.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Greg Thomas
SENIOR CONSULTANT
(832) 247-8710
mccdeanlaps@rhperry.com

Dr. Kimberly James
SENIOR CONSULTANT
(860) 690-3204
mccdeanlaps@rhperry.com

RH PERRY & ASSOCIATES
206 East Chestnut Street
Asheville, NC 28801
www.rhperry.com