"Dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics"

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is uniquely positioned to meet this moment in higher education through its mission, programs, affordability, and approach to applied learning, which all emphasize education that leads to meaningful employment, workforce readiness, community engagement, and upward economic mobility.

Fort Hays State University invites applications and nominations for the position of dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics (WCSTM or Werth College). The successful candidate will be an administrative leader, collaborator, visionary, communicator, and successful teacher-scholar who respects the culture and history of this student-centered institution and understands the practice of great teaching and advising, the impact of research on the education of students, and the importance of professional service. The dean will work alongside the provost and Academic Affairs team to facilitate and deploy strategies for success for both the college and university in alignment with the Academic Affairs Priorities and University Strategic Plan.

The successful candidate will be a strong team member who advocates for faculty and staff, demonstrates accountability, and balances quantitative data with human-centered judgment to inform decisions and measure success. The dean is a member of the Academic Council and Strategy Teams, the President’s Cabinet, the Senior Leadership Team, and other university-level administrative and planning groups. The appointment is a 12-month academic administrative position reporting to the provost.

Offers a competitive FHSU Benefits package.

The appointee will ideally take office in July of 2026.

The expected leadership and managerial activities include:

Leadership

• Lead the vision, strategy, and goal setting for the college in alignment with the university’s vision, mission, values, and strategic plan, as well as Academic Affairs priorities.
• Facilitate collegial governance and healthy morale within the college, including the hiring, development, and supervision of direct reports.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships and proactive communication with faculty, staff, students, and external constituents.
• Support activities relevant to research, professional development, community service/involvement, and campus activities for faculty and staff.
• Advocate, represent, and serve both internally and externally as the voice of the college, including both academic programs and public-facing outreach and service programs.
• Lead with accountability and courage and be solution focused.
• Nurture a culture of experimentation in academic programming, curricular and co-curricular pedagogy, scholarship, student success initiatives, and external partnerships.
• Facilitate student relationships and initiatives that advance the goals of the college.
• Display the skills of being an advocational and administrative value-add to ongoing operations and projects and encourage experimentation with new initiatives, pedagogies, and recruitment strategies.
• Serve as a strong leader and public advocate for the college.
• Collaborate with the FHSU Foundation to cultivate and steward donor relationships.

Management

• Manage, empower, and evaluate personnel.
• Coordinate college-level processes including position control; tenure, promotion, and post-tenure reviews; enrollment management; recruitment initiatives; curriculum development; and awards.
• Effectively manage college budgets and financial resources.
• Ensure quality and continuous improvement of college processes and programs.
• Maintain direct, open, and honest two-way communication across the entire university.
• Support the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and students.
• Develop collegial working relationships with administration, members of the college, other Academic Affairs units, and university support units.
• Keep abreast of the developing trends and needs of STEM education, including new media and undergraduate research initiatives.
• Promote faculty, staff, and student academic citizenship and institutional values within the college and university communities.
• Commit to succession planning and develop collaborative relationships with university administration and external organizations.

Applications:

Applicants should submit the following materials to: https://www.academicsearch.org/FortHaysDeanWCSTMApply.

• A cover letter addressing the minimum and preferred qualifications outlined in this profile.
• A resume/curriculum vitae (CV).
• A one-page statement of contemporary trends and needs of STEM education.

Although the search remains open until the position is filled, for full consideration by the Search Committee, candidates should submit all application materials by Monday, March 9, 2026.

Semifinalists for the position will be invited for a confidential interview via Zoom. References may be requested at that time.

About Academic Search

Academic Search is assisting Fort Hays State University in this work. For more than four decades, Academic Search has offered executive search services to higher education institutions, associations, and related organizations...

Nominations

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 an email to FortHaysDeanWCSTM@academicsearch.org...

The Werth College houses the departments of Agriculture, Applied Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics. The dean also oversees the University Farm, the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and the Kansas Wetlands Center...