The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), one of the nation’s preeminent public institutions, seeks a visionary academic leader and experienced administrator with a strong record of effective leadership for the position of Dean of the School of the Arts and Communication. The new dean will assume office in the summer of 2023. The College of New Jersey is a selective institution that is consistently recognized as one of the top comprehensive colleges in the nation. TCNJ offers academically talented students an engaging living-learning undergraduate education and a rewarding residential experience, small classes, and a prestigious faculty. TCNJ also offers a growing number of distinctive graduate programs. A strong liberal learning core forms the foundation for a wealth of degree programs
offered through TCNJ’s seven academic schools: The Arts and Communication; Business; Education; Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; Nursing and Health Sciences; and Science. An additional host of nearly 20 centers and institutes fosters interdisciplinary work, engagement with the local community, and global outreach. The curriculum is enriched by an award-winning First-Year Experience, first-year orientation programs, and extensive opportunities for research and creative work, community engagement, and study abroad. TCNJ enrolls approximately 7,600 students. Its 7,039 undergraduate students are enrolled in majors in more than 50 liberal arts and professional programs. Approximately 620 graduate students are enrolled in more than 40 targeted master’s-level degree and certificate programs.

The college’s 365 full-time faculty members are dedicated teacher-scholars, with 90 percent having earned the highest degree in their respective fields. Students benefit from a 13-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 21 students, which has contributed to TCNJ attaining a first-year to sophomore retention rate of 93 percent, a 4-year graduation rate of 75 percent (9th highest in the U.S. for public institutions), and a 6-year graduation rate of 86 percent (among the highest in the country). Evidencing a diverse and inclusive environment, 27 percent of full-time instructional faculty members are from underrepresented groups, as are 22 percent of TCNJ’s undergraduate and graduate students. TCNJ’S picturesque Georgian colonial campus is located in suburban Ewing, New Jersey. Ewing is approximately five miles from Trenton, the state capital, 10 miles from Princeton, 45 minutes from Philadelphia, and 75 minutes from New York City.

TCNJ’s School of the Arts and Communication provides a challenging, high-quality education to more than 700 students studying across the arts and communication disciplines and in interdisciplinary fields. Students learn with outstanding teacher-scholars in five academic departments: Art and Art History, Communication Studies, Design and Creative Technology, Journalism and Professional Writing, and Music. Within the School of the Arts and Communication, there are 35 full-time faculty members deeply engaged as teacher-scholars. Seventeen dedicated staff members are true partners in the academic enterprise and support the school’s efforts. Small classes are a hallmark of the school’s learning experience; students benefit from personalized attention and frequent
interactions with the faculty and staff. Faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized scholars and artists who constantly advance the frontiers of their fields. Their work is consistently showcased in competitive scholarly outlets and recognized by prestigious organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Fulbright Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Supporting this rich educational experience are excellent facilities, including the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building, home to three departments (Art and Art History, Design and Creative Technology, and Journalism and Professional Writing); Kendall Hall, the home to the Department of Communication Studies as well as two theaters and the college’s radio station; and the Music Building, the site of the Music Department and the Mayo Concert Hall. The school offers all the physical spaces students need — art studios, makerspace, multimedia labs, rehearsal and performance spaces, television and video production studios, a recording studio, and radio and television stations — to learn, create, and communicate in their disciplines. Students benefit from access to the TCNJ Art Gallery and the Sarnoff Collection.

As an advocate for the arts and its power to create community, the school cultivates a growing network of campus-community partnerships and supports an ambitious program of public art, music, and cultural offerings through the TCNJ Center for the Arts. With a calendar of more than 350 events each year, the school is making bold strides toward its vision of becoming a premier resource for arts and culture in the greater Mercer County area and the entire tri-state region. TCNJ’s proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, provides tremendous opportunity to connect our students and campus community to these influential centers of arts, communication, and culture.

The dean of the School of the Arts and Communication reports to the provost and vice president for academic affairs and is a valued member of the Deans’ Council. The dean oversees an annual operating budget of $10.4 million and works closely with the assistant dean, department chairs, and administrative staff members to strengthen teaching and scholarship in every program. The dean also works in partnership with dedicated staff in the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement on fundraising initiatives. The dean oversees a complex portfolio of responsibilities.

The dean will be a distinguished scholar-practitioner and educator with a national perspective, setting high but attainable standards for pedagogy, creative endeavors and scholarship; fostering curricular integration, development, and innovation; and guiding faculty and departments in institutional and program accreditation and assessment. The successful candidate will bring a strong record of effective leadership and significant administrative experience appropriate to the size and complexity of TCNJ. The successful candidate will possess a terminal degree in a discipline appropriate to this school as well as a distinguished record commensurate with the rank of professor status at TCNJ.