February 28, 2023

Dean of UAMS Graduate School

Position Profile

Prepared by:
UAMS Executive Search Group
Search Committee Chair:
Daniel E. Voth, Ph.D.

The Opportunity:

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is seeking an experienced and innovative leader for the position of Dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate School Dean will report to the Provost and is responsible for ensuring the highest quality academic, administrative, research, and fiscal leadership for the Graduate School. Responsibilities include strategic planning, continuous quality assessment, student recruitment/retention, resource development and allocation, and representation to external entities.

The Dean of the Graduate School will be responsible for program development, fundraising, curriculum, hiring/firing of staff and disciplining of students, serving on appropriate UAMS committees, representing the Graduate School in the Chancellor’s Cabinet and other state and national associations, and all budgetary matters for the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School will contribute to the effort to further the mission of UAMS: To improve the health, health care, and well-being of Arkansans and of others in the region, nation, and world.

About the Graduate School:

The UAMS Graduate School is home to several graduate programs leading to Graduate Certificates, MS, and PhD degrees. The Graduate School serves approximately 250 students and over 300 graduate faculty from all five UAMS Colleges.

The UAMS Graduate School has very strong affiliations with the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Health Professions, and Public Health, as well as interdisciplinary institutes that include the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute, Translational Research Institute, and multiple clinical centers at UAMS. These collaborations add strength to our graduate programs in the basic and clinical sciences and create a remarkable network of opportunities for our graduate students. The Graduate School is one of the most exciting academic environments in Arkansas and a nexus for some of the most innovative biomedical research in the nation.

UAMS Graduate School at-a-Glance:

The Graduate School is the administrative home to 16 programs offering Graduate Certificates and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees:

  • Biomedical Informatics
  • Clinical Nutrition
  • Clinical and Translational Sciences
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Epidemiology
  • Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Promotion and Prevention Research
  • Health Systems and Services Research
  • Implementation Science
  • Nursing Science
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy
  • Regulatory Sciences
  • Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program
  • MD/PhD (in conjunction with the College of Medicine)
  • Bioinformatics (consortium program with the University of Arkansas Little Rock)

Current enrollment is approximately 250 students with over 300 graduate faculty from all five UAMS colleges.

About UAMS:

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is the state’s only academic health sciences center, comprised of five health professions colleges (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions, and Public Health), a graduate school, six institutes, eight Regional Centers (six of which include family medicine practices and residency programs), and a comprehensive Medical Center. Its College of Medicine has held a unique and vital role in Arkansas for over 130 years. UAMS is the largest public employer in Arkansas, with more than 11,000 employees. UAMS and its clinical affiliates, Arkansas Children’s and the VA Medical Center, are an economic engine for the state, with an annual economic impact of $3.92 billion. Located centrally within the state, UAMS’s Little Rock campus is a tertiary referral center and the only Level 1 adult Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center for Arkansas.

UAMS has several prominent research centers, including the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Translational Research Institute, the Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute, and the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The UAMS strategic plan Vision 2029 outlines the institution’s commitment to growth in research. The UAMS Core Concepts of Patient and Family Centered Care consists of Dignity & Respect, Information Sharing, Participation, and Collaboration. These core concepts allow for an approach to health care that shapes policies, programs, facility design, and day-to-day staff interactions. It leads to better health outcomes and wiser allocation of resources, and more excellent patient and family satisfaction. 

UAMS is in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Little Rock – North Little Rock communities, consisting of approximately 750,000 people, offer a high quality of life with a modest cost of living, excellent schools, and recreational opportunities.

UAMS has a unique combination of education, research, and clinical programs that encourages and supports teamwork and diversity.  We champion being a collaborative healthcare organization, focused on improving the health, healthcare, and well-being of Arkansans.

UAMS Northwest: The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus was established in 2007 to support the rapidly expanding communities in the Northwest Arkansas region. Academic programs include the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Professions (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Genetic Counseling, Radiologic Imaging Sciences, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography).

UAMS Regional Campuses: Founded in 1973 through combined efforts of the Governor, the State Legislature, and UAMS. UAMS Regional Campuses serves as an educational outreach network for UAMS, and the principal means to decentralize medical and other health professions education throughout the state, encourage graduates to remain in Arkansas, and strengthen healthcare in underserved communities.

Role & Responsibilities:

  • Recruit and develop outstanding academic and administrative leadership teams to develop the vision for the Graduate School and agenda related to research and education in alignment with the UAMS mission.
  • Work collaboratively with UAMS academic leadership, the Provost, and the executive leadership team to design a budget that aligns with the strategic plan of the Graduate School and institution. Oversee annual capital and operating budget of the Graduate School.
  • Represent the Graduate School in the Chancellor’s Cabinet, UAMS search committees, various internal and external planning groups, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, relevant state, national, and international organizations, and other institutions in the state both within and outside of the University of Arkansas System.
  • Demonstrate innovation in advancing the national prominence of the Graduate School in its various disciplines and exhibit a central role in building academic collaborations and partnerships across the University and with external partners.
  • Develop, review, and maintain curriculum through interpretation of rules, regulations, and laws that apply to individual College programs. Ensure curriculum accreditation standards and guidelines, certification, and registry requirements.
  • Foster the Graduate School’s continued innovation and leadership in the use of learning technologies.
  • Provide resources and support to enable new and support existing training grants.
  • Serve as the model for demonstrating integrity and the highest ethical standards across the Graduate School.

Candidate Qualifications:

  • Doctoral degree with academic credentials and experience that merit a tenured appointment at or above the rank of Associate Professor at a university.
  • Excellent facilitation, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  • Collaborative and strategic thinker.
  • Demonstrated success in leadership, management, supervision, and mentoring.
  • A team player and leader who is transparent and accountable.
  • Knowledge of key issues, emerging technologies, and best practices in health sciences education.
  • Significant experience in graduate student education, including recent, direct student mentoring.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • A strong record of senior leadership and administrative experience in an academic health sciences center or equivalent setting (such as a Dean, Department Chair, Program Director, or Division Chief), and strong financial and budgetary oversight experience.
  • Proven success and experience in recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse student body, mentoring, strategic planning, philanthropic efforts, and academic scholarship, including research and publications. Important qualifications also include proven experience in presenting on a national level and obtaining extramural grant funding.
  • Successful experience in accreditation, exceptional written and oral communication skills, and an understanding and vision for the changing landscape of education and research.
  • A strong track record of building interdisciplinary teams and programs.
  • Have a current, actively engaged, and externally funded research program

Procedure for Candidacy:

The UAMS Executive Search Group is facilitating this search. For full consideration, applications should include the following documents:

  • A curriculum vitae
  • A letter of interest providing a concise summary of qualifications for the position

Applications can be submitted utilizing the following link: https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS/job/Little-Rock/Dean-of-the-Graduate-School_R0033396

All inquiries and nominations should be submitted to Duchess Roberson Johnson at ejohnson2@uams.edu.

UAMS is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by telephone at (501) 686-6432 and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The safety of our team members at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is our top priority.  For this reason, successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have filed a request for medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment.  UAMS will adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations and will obtain necessary proof of vaccination prior to employment to ensure compliance.