Dean-School of Business

The University of Kansas seeks an accomplished, collaborative, entrepreneurial, and inclusive leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Business. Applications, inquiries, and nominations are invited.

Established in July of 1924, the KU School of Business commemorates its centennial during the 2024-25 academic year. The School, an AACSB-accredited public business school, is located on the beautiful and historic Lawrence campus of the University of Kansas (KU), the state's flagship university, an R1 institution, and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). The KU School of Business is booming. A record 1,053 freshmen enrolled in the School of Business in fall 2024, and since 2017 overall enrollment has grown more than 60 percent. At least 90 percent of undergraduate students are employed six months after graduation. The School was ranked 41st among public business schools (2025) and the online MBA program was ranked 7th among public online MBA programs by U.S. News & World Report (2024). With an enrollment of 3,699 undergraduate and 705 graduate students, the School of Business is the second largest unit on the Lawrence campus, representing over 15% of the student credit hours generated. A $50 million private gift to the School in 2023, the largest in KU School of Business history, will fuel School efforts to transform business education and research. The gift will also provide funds to advance key initiatives supporting undergraduate student success. Following on the heels of a successful strategic plan that targeted efforts on growing faculty, increasing enrollment, and raising the School's research profile, the School is now prepared to welcome a new Dean to craft and implement a vision for the future.

The Dean reports to and will work closely with the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost to promote excellence in research and education. At KU Lawrence our vision is to build an exceptional learning community that values access, belonging, respect, and success and through which members demonstrate a spirit of teamwork and collaboration within the School, its areas and centers, and across the University. The Dean's primary objectives will be to engage faculty and staff in continuing progress and achieving results in alignment with Jayhawks Rising, KU's strategic plan, and to lead the School's fundraising efforts as part of KU's $2.5 billion capital campaign, Ever Onward. The Dean will model a lifelong commitment to personal learning and professional growth as exemplified by a sustained record of engaged teaching, scholarship, disciplinary and community service, and ongoing leadership development, and will actively support and encourage others in this pursuit.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution in a discipline represented in the school or a closely related field, and have a record of scholarly research, teaching, or professional attainment that merits appointment as full professor with tenure. Additional industry experience is strongly preferred.

The Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the School of Business and is responsible for providing imaginative, effective, dynamic, and transformational leadership to ensure the School's long-term success. The Dean reports to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost along with the eleven other deans representing the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, professional Schools, and KU Libraries. KU's dynamic team of academic Deans and leaders embrace innovation and are charged with generating excellence and strong measures of performance. An organizational chart can be found here.

This role requires a data-informed, strategic thinker and innovator who can ensure the School's research enterprise, educational programs, and administrative services will engage and energize faculty, staff, and current and future generations of students, donors, alumni, and community and corporate partners. This position will have the responsibility to develop graduates who have knowledge and the skills of creative inquiry and discovery, effective communication, analytical reasoning, social awareness and cultural understanding, ethical and professional responsibility, and leadership and collaboration that society needs. The Dean will be expected to work in alignment with the campus strategic plan and campus priorities across and outside the University to secure partnerships and collaborations that advance the University and School's mission, increase its impact, and elevate its reputation.

The Dean ensures that the School can attract, retain, develop, and promote talented academic and administrative staff in alignment with KU's goals and objectives and mission as an R-1, AAU institution. Additionally, it is the Dean's responsibility to ensure that the School and its members comply with all relevant laws, regulations, policies, and accreditor standards.

Working with campus leaders, the Dean is responsible for administering the School's annual budget, roughly $41 million. To ensure that the School can provide top-notch research and academic programs, as well as support its faculty, staff, facilities and operations, the Dean collaborates closely with KU Endowment and KU Alumni Association to secure gifts and other financial resources and to ensure the success of the capital campaign. The School's five-year average annual fundraising revenue is $10 million and it also has a dedicated endowment of $105 million. The Dean works closely with the School's 59-member Advisory Board, who provide industry insights and input that strengthen programs, student services, curriculum, and operations.

The Dean leads a team of eleven direct reports consisting of five academic area directors (Accounting; Analytics, Information, Operations; Finance; Management and Entrepreneurship; Marketing and Business Law), three Associate Deans and 16 administrative staff supporting a number of key areas. Total faculty and staff:191.

KU Lawrence and Edwards' strategic plan, Jayhawks Rising, and vision for the future offer numerous possibilities for collaboration and cooperation across the University. The strategic plan provides the foundation for the capital campaign and a framework for resource allocation, investment, and new initiatives, all designed to advance KU's mission, solidify its reputation and standing, and increase its value to the state of Kansas, the nation, and the world. KU leaders recognize that the School of Business is a critical asset and player in this effort and over the past several years has increased its investment in and support for the School's goal to advance teaching excellence, student success, financial performance, and overall research stature and impact. It is an exciting time to welcome a new Dean who will join colleagues in raising KU to a new level of performance, recognition, and service. Among the Dean's priorities are to:

• Forge partnerships and collaborations.
• Foster a welcoming culture that sparks innovation.
• Establish a shared vision and strategy fueled by its most recent Strategic Plan
• Recruit, support and retain talented students, faculty and staff.
• Strengthen the School's stature and impact.
• Lead fundraising and resource development.

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution in a discipline represented in the school or a closely related field, and have a record of scholarly research, teaching, or professional attainment in the field that merits appointment as full professor with tenure. Additional industry experience is strongly preferred. In addition, ideal qualifications and qualities for the next Dean of the School of Business include:

• Leadership experience and abilities:
  • Demonstrated record of collaborative and visionary leadership skills to drive innovation and growth within a research university environment.
  • A record of building successful programs to recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding faculty, staff, and student body and to ensure all members of the School's community feel welcomed and supported.
  • Experience organizing, directing, and delegating to a talented team and ensuring operational excellence and efficiency.
• Vision and academic excellence:
  • Knowledge of national and international trends in business teaching, research, and the profession, leading to a vision of opportunity, innovation, and growth.
  • Vision for and evidence of improving and recognizing research excellence, attracting and retaining talented researchers, and elevating reputation consistent with and complementary to KU's institutional goals.
  • Commitment to the development and support of interdisciplinary and international activities and programs.
  • Experience developing and implementing strategies to recruit, retain, graduate, and support career progression for students.
• Resource management and development:
  • Ability to administer an annual budget efficiently, effectively, and strategically.
  • Exceptional skill in securing and allocating resources to advance a vision and strategy to accomplish institutional goals and objectives.
  • Success identifying and cultivating philanthropic, foundation, and corporate support
• Communication and relationships:
  • Exceptional communication and team-building skills to facilitate effective and collegial relationships within the School and with leadership and the broader university community.
  • Ability to articulate clear goals and maintain open lines of communication with faculty, staff, and students.
  • Ability to promote public awareness of the mission and accomplishments of the School.
  • Evidence of developing sustainable relationships and partnerships with external organizations, industry leaders, corporations, government leaders and agencies, and other strategic partners.
• Personal characteristics:
  • Ability to inspire people and engage them in a vision for the future.
  • Deep commitment to student success, faculty, and staff achievement.
  • Interest in and ability to connect with a wide range of people of varying backgrounds and experiences.
  • Integrity, respect, innovation, stewardship, excellence, empathy, and compassion.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.

WittKieffer is assisting the University of Kansas in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by February 7, 2025.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Lucy Leske, Jeff Compher, Natalie Song
KUDeanBusiness@wittkieffer.com

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Lucy Leske, Jeff Compher, Natalie Song
KUDeanBusiness@wittkieffer.com

Friday February 7, 2025

Monday August 18, 2025