Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Classification Title:

DEAN & PROF

Classification Minimum Requirements:

An earned doctorate, a distinguished record of academic, teaching, and research achievements worthy of appointment as professor with tenure in an academic department in the College, and an excellent record of academic leadership and administrative experience.

Job Description:

Applications will only be considered if submitted directly to Parker Executive Search Website:

About the Opportunity

The Dean reports to the Provost and serves as the chief academic officer of the College, providing leadership, support, and advocacy for all academic departments and multi-disciplinary programs, their faculty and staff, and budgets. The Dean serves as the principal administrator for planning and leading CLAS, encouraging curricular and pedagogical innovation.

The Dean of the College is assisted by a team of Associate Deans whose multifaceted portfolios include Undergraduate Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Research, and Facilities and Infrastructure. CLAS is also supported by the offices of Advancement, Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Research.

About the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the foundational college for undergraduate education at the University of Florida, offering a broad education that prepares young people to be problem solvers, informed citizens, and lifelong learners. CLAS is UF’s largest college, with 12,800 students, more than 750 teaching faculty, a budget exceeding $200 million, and a sponsored research portfolio of around $40 million a year. It is also the most heterogeneous: the College’s twenty-two disciplinary departments and over forty centers, labs, and institutes catalyze research across disciplinary intersections both within the College and across the UF campus. The undergraduate population is home to the largest number of first-generation and Pell-eligible students.

CLAS has an advancement team of 16 full-time professionals, including eight frontline fundraisers. In addition to fundraising and donor relations responsibilities, the Advancement team manages the College’s 11 advisory boards, including the Dean’s Leadership Council and 10 department/center boards. More than 125 volunteers are engaged with these boards and support the College in various ways.

About the Opportunity

The Dean reports to the Provost and serves as the chief academic officer of the College, providing leadership, support, and advocacy for all academic departments and multi-disciplinary programs, their faculty and staff, and budgets. The Dean serves as the principal administrator for planning and leading CLAS, encouraging curricular and pedagogical innovation.

The Dean of the College is assisted by a team of Associate Deans whose multifaceted portfolios include Undergraduate Curriculum and Instruction, Graduate Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Research, and Facilities and Infrastructure. CLAS is also supported by the offices of Advancement, Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Research.

About the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the foundational college for undergraduate education at the University of Florida, offering a broad education that prepares young people to be problem solvers, informed citizens, and lifelong learners. CLAS is UF’s largest college, with 12,800 students, more than 750 teaching faculty, a budget exceeding $200 million, and a sponsored research portfolio of around $40 million a year. It is also the most heterogeneous: the College’s twenty-two disciplinary departments and over forty centers, labs, and institutes catalyze research across disciplinary intersections both within the College and across the UF campus. The undergraduate population is home to the largest number of first-generation and Pell-eligible students.

CLAS has an advancement team of 16 full-time professionals, including eight frontline fundraisers. In addition to fundraising and donor relations responsibilities, the Advancement team manages the College’s 11 advisory boards, including the Dean’s Leadership Council and 10 department/center boards. More than 125 volunteers are engaged with these boards and support the College in various ways.

About the University of Florida

The University of Florida (UF) is the flagship university for the state of Florida, the nation’s third most populous state. Located in Gainesville, UF has 16 colleges, a major academic health center, championship-winning athletics, and, in keeping with its land-grant mission, one of the nation’s most comprehensive agriculture and natural resources programs. The University’s 2,000-acre campus joins a historic core with advanced research and classroom facilities and preserved natural areas, all connecting to adjacent innovation, commercial, and residential districts. UF is ranked 7th among the nation’s top public universities in the 2025 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings.

Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences · University of Florida 13 UF has over 60,000 students, 32,000 employees, a $10 billion annual budget, and more than 140 mission-focused units across Florida, including statewide healthcare and agricultural enterprises. It is one of only two public universities in Florida belonging to the Association of American Universities (comprising 71 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. and Canada). UF has more than 6,600 faculty members with distinguished records in teaching, research, and service, including 22 Eminent Scholar Chairs, 38 elected members of the National Academies, 20 elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 91 elected members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2024–25, UF research expenditures topped $1.33 billion.

Total Rewards

Salary is competitive and commensurate with education and experience. The University of Florida offers a generous benefits package that includes insurance such as health, life, and dental as well as vacation, sick leave and personal days.

Expected Salary:

Commensurate based on experience and education.

Required Qualifications:

An earned doctorate, a distinguished record of academic, teaching, and research achievements worthy of appointment as professor with tenure in an academic department in the College, and an excellent record of academic leadership and administrative experience.

Preferred:

The successful candidate must be an outstanding leader and fierce advocate of the College who possesses a clear commitment to both undergraduate and graduate education and research. The ideal candidate will possess a visionary approach to fundraising, a commitment to advancing research while maintaining teaching excellence, and a dedication to investing in the development and well-being of faculty, staff, and students.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

The Search Advisory Committee invites letters of nomination and applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references) to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications are submitted before January 8, 2027. Please submit electronic applications directly to Parker Executive Search. For additional information, please contact:

Laurie Wilder, President

Porsha Williams, Vice President and Managing Director, Higher Education

Jacob Anderson, Senior Principal

Hamilton Mason, Executive Recruiting Coordinator

Parker Executive Search

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