Dean, College of Engineering

San Luis, CO - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 300 - 350

Posted on: 3 days ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

The College of Engineering (CENG) is known as a national leader in engineering education with itsLearn by Doing hands-on approach and focus on undergraduate and masters degree education. TheCollege includes approximately 6200 undergraduate students and 300 graduate students who areenrolled in 14 bachelors and 11 masters degree programs most of which are ABET accredited. Withan emphasis on applied learning and problem-solving the Colleges in-demand graduates are heavilyrecruited by some of the best-known companies in the world including Apple Boeing Cisco GoogleTesla Motors in addition to state and federal agencies.

The College offers a robust array of highly-ranked engineering and computer science programs including Aerospace Engineering Biomedical Engineering Civil & Environmental Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Science & Software Engineering Electrical Engineering General Engineering Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering and Mechanical Engineering as well as additional graduate programs in Engineering Management Fire Protection Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. At Cal Maritime the College offers programs in Mechanical Engineering Facilities Engineering Technology and Marine Engineering Technology. Undergraduate students can opt to pursue a blended program in several CENG disciplines providing an accelerated route to a graduate degree. CENG recently unveiled the Noyce School of Applied Computing (Noyce School) a new interdisciplinary school combining three academic departments under one umbrella: Electrical Engineering Computer Science & Software Engineering and Computer Engineering further developing the concept of applied computing and strengthening collaborations across the College and the University. Interdisciplinary engineering programs can also be found outside of CENG including Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Architectural Engineering and Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering.

Student success is paramount to the College of Engineering and the College aims to provide anexcellent education that empowers all students to innovate design and create sustainablesolutions to real-world challenges. As part of this mission CENG is committed to universal studentsuccess and offers a robust advising model that provides comprehensive services to guide andempower students to achieve their goals.

Current Context

In November 2024 the California State University Board of Trustees voted to integrate Cal Poly andthe California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) and effective July 1 2025 thetwo institutions now operate as a single university Cal Poly.

Announced in June 2024 the Noyce endowment is a transformational gift to the University enablingCal Poly to build upon its nationally recognized Learn by Doing approach to undergraduateeducation. It brings together three highly ranked engineering programsElectrical EngineeringComputer Science and Software Engineering and Computer Engineeringto create the Noyce School ofApplied Computing.

In October 2021 the University began the process of converting from a quarter calendar to asemester calendar system and the University will implement semester terms at the start of the2026-2027 academic year. After Cal Poly converts to a semester calendar the entire California State University system willbe operating on semesters.

Looking ahead enrollment is expected to grow in the coming years to support CSU system goals meetCalifornias demand for more Learn by Doing graduates better reflect the state of Californiasdemographics and align with system-wide financial incentives. The most recent campus master plan calls forgrowing the maximum student headcount on campus to approximately 25000 by 2035. This growth willbe supported by the introduction of Year-Round Operations (YRO) which will be implemented in the2027-2028 academic year.

Role of the Dean

Reporting directly to the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs the dean willact as the lead academic and administrative officer for the College. The dean devises and executesstrategic planning and visioning for the College and fosters an organizational culture that enablesthe recruitment retention and professional development of talented faculty staff and includes reaffirming Cal Polys teacher-scholar model by supporting faculty in theirintegration of teaching scholarship professional engagement and service commitments to theUniversity College and industry. The dean is responsible for the vision and direction ofhigh-quality academic programs and managing the fiscal human and physical resources andfacilities of CENG. As the main spokesperson for the College the dean will build deeperconnections internally with leaders across the University and alumni and externally with industryand government officials. This will ensure close alignment around academic and industry needs andfoster mutually beneficial partnerships across the University and externally in support of CENGAcademic Affairs and university-wide goals and objectives.

The dean oversees an administrative team composed of three directors three associate deans anassistant dean nine department heads and approximately 187 tenure-track faculty 216 lecturersand 46 staff. The dean manages a complex budget of $56 million and extensive engineeringfacilities.

Key Opportunities and Challenges

The new dean will be joining a highly reputable College that has a very solid and successfulfoundation values collaboration and communication and prides itself on a talented and ambitiousfaculty staff and students who are all committed to making an even greater impact. The dean willbe expected to leverage the strong academic offerings within the College; the deep talents andenthusiasm of faculty staff administrators and students; their impressive reputation withindustry partners; and the outstanding potential for increased fundraising support from industryand alumni to accelerate the College on its impressive doing so the dean willaddress the following opportunities and challenges:

Provide strategic visioning and planning to continue to elevate the Colleges excellenceprominence and national reputation
Build and deepen partnerships that support and enhance the success of the College and its students
Thoughtfully manage CENGs complex infrastructure while creatively augmenting resources throughfundraising
Support a high-performing College of dedicated and ambitious faculty and staff
Serve as a strategic university partner at Cal Poly and in the CSU system to supportuniversity-wide goals and initiatives

The dean will be a highly collaborative leader who will support Academic Affairs anduniversity-wide goals as well as CENG and CSU addition to the upcoming transitionto a semester system and year-round operations the dean of CENG will also be involved withassisting with the successful integration of Cal Maritime university-wide and CSU fundraisinggoals and university commitment to representing the state of Californias population in itsstudent enrollment. The dean will empower and support the CENG community while leveraging itstalents in promoting opportunities to work across colleges in support of Cal Polys dean will model transformative collaborative leadership and execute a shared vision andpurpose in line with Cal Poly and CSU initiatives.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The next dean will have a distinguished record of achievement in at least one of the engineeringdisciplines represented in the College of Engineering and credentials appropriate for a tenuredappointment at the rank of full professor including a terminal degree. The dean will also have aneagerness to engage with industry leaders to build meaningful partnerships and support; ademonstrated commitment to student success and applied research; and the ability to workcollaboratively and effectively across Cal Poly.

Compensation and Location

The anticipated salary range for the position is $300-350k plus supplemental compensation. Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo California.

To learn more about the role please review the attached position profile. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of thesearch process.Inquiries nominations and referrals should be sent via the Isaacson Miller website.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

This position is open and available to all regardless of race sex color ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race sex color ethnicity or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act the California Equity in Higher Education Act Californias Proposition 209 (Art. I Section 31 of the California Constitution) other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws and CSUs Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment segregation based on race or any other protected status and all forms of discrimination harassment and retaliation in all university programs policies and practices.

Cal Poly is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives beliefs and identities committed to fostering an inclusive respectful and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue mutual respect and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs student organizations and activities faculty initiatives and community partnerships we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development faculty and staff training student mentorship and comprehensive support programs. At Cal Poly excellence is built on merit talent diversity accessibility and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. Cal Poly will make a conditional offer of employment which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSUemployee who was conditionally offered the position.

The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions. Applicants for staff and management positions must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

This position may be Designated under California State Universitys Conflict of Interest Code. This would require the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest on an annual basis and the completion of training within 6 months of assuming office and every 2 years thereafter.