Address
Form of workClosing Date: 1st July, 2024
Description:
Brief Description of Duties:Reporting to the UDC Chief Academic Officer, the Dean will provide leadership to a Law School recognized nationally as a premier public interest Law School. A successful Dean candidate will be committed to pursuing the objectives of our unique, bold statutory mission: to recruit and enroll students from racial, ethnic and other backgrounds traditionally underrepresented at the bar; to represent the legal needs of low-income District of Columbia residents through the school's legal clinics.
The Dean will also provide leadership to UDC Law's diverse student body of approximately 280, whose average age is 30, consists of more than 70% persons of color. Our students are, on average, older, have more professional experience, and are more diverse racially and ethnically than other Law School student bodies. The experiences and the sense of purpose that bring them to UDC Law create an uncommon bond among these students. Current students have come to the Law School from a wide variety of careers, including teaching, community activism, business, arts administration, the ministry, medicine, law enforcement, social work, the military, government, and engineering.
The Dean shall work in collaboration with the faculty recognizing the important role of faculty governance. With the eighth-ranked clinical program, and the most robust clinical requirement, in the country–every student provides at least 640 hours of legal service to residents of the District of Columbia–UDC Law trains students to understand the role of lawyers in society, and their responsibility to use their legal training to seek justice and help address society's most pressing issues. As an HBCU committed to opening up the legal profession to groups underrepresented at the bar, UDC Law trains students to value diversity and interact effectively with clients, colleagues and others from a range of racial, social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. UDC Law has been ranked seventh in the nation for most diverse faculty (Princeton Review, 2018). Forty-five percent of our collegial and accomplished faculty are persons of color, and Princeton Review named UDC Law the third best environment for minority students and second most chosen by older students in the nation.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
The Dean reports to the Office of the Chief Academic Officer, the University of the District of Columbia, and has responsibility for performing or ensuring performance of the following specific duties: In collaboration with the faculty of the school, the Dean will articulate a vision that will advance the school's missions of access to the legal profession, service through experiential legal education, and as an HBCU.
The Dean is the chief academic and executive officer of the School of Law. S/he reports to the UDC Chief Academic Officer and serves as a member of the President's Administrative Council. The Dean is responsible for leading strategy and for managing staff, fiscal resources, physical facilities, and fundraising activities for UDC Law. The Dean oversees the quality of the school's academic programs in collaboration with the faculty. S/he also ensures the hiring of high quality faculty, and thereafter s/he supports the wellbeing of the faculty by establishing an inspiring environment for teaching, scholarship, and service to the University, the District of Columbia, and beyond. The Dean also promotes the reputation of the School of Law both internally and in the broader D.C., national, and international community and represents the school externally through fundraising, career development, and alumni relations.
The President and the School of Law community expect the new Dean to:
(a) Advance UDC Law's values and missions
A Dean must be deeply inspired by and committed to UDC Law's values and missions. The school's diverse faculty, staff, and administrators work every day to fulfill the promises to our equally diverse students, the District of Columbia, and the broader legal community. The new Dean must believe in educating the next generation of public interest lawyers to eliminate racial injustice and eradicate legal inequality. The new Dean will develop and enhance a vision for UDC Law and its strategic plan and work creatively to continue to improve its impact and reputation.
(b) Support and encourage scholarship
The Dean will lead the effort to encourage faculty scholarship. As such, s/he must have a deep commitment to encouraging scholarship and personally exhibit a track record in scholarly endeavors Law (or the equivalent professional accomplishments) that will advance UDC's Law School. The Dean will encourage and support scholarly activity in areas that further the school's missions and contribute to systemic changes, as well as traditional areas of inquiry. The Dean will continue to develop and implement efforts to enhance its reputation and influence through the establishment of innovative and cutting-edge programs. Together with the law faculty and other key constituencies, the Dean will focus on the development of new curricular offerings, building on the rich experiential and classroom opportunities in support of preparing students for their individual pathway to the profession and the creation of new types of training for the lawyers of the future committed to pursuing careers in public interest, public service, public policy, and in law firm or related practice.
(c) Foster the core values of diversity and inclusion
At UDC Law, a commitment to diversity is not only a slogan but also in the very enabling statute that establishes that one of our core missions is to “recruit and enroll students from groups underrepresented at the bar.” It is our diversity, within every pocket of our community and across multiple communities, which gives us strength and vitality. More than simply being committed to diversity, a diverse community is who we are as an HBCU.
(d) Provide strategic vision to inspire and lead
The Dean will assume crucial leadership in enhancing a vision for UDC Law and developing strategic goals and benchmarks in consultation with the faculty. The Dean will join an administrative team that supports all academic and administrative functions of UDC Law, with Associate Deans and members of the senior staff in supervisory roles reporting to the Dean. The Dean will be responsible for managing and stewarding the school's budget, campus, and staff. S/he will share a clear vision for the advancement of UDC Law, lay out goals and priorities, build consensus, resolve problems creatively, and lead through collaboration.
(e) Develop opportunities to enhance revenues and relationships
The Dean will play a critical role in raising the profile of UDC Law and leading its institutional advancement and fundraising initiatives. The Dean will be expected to develop and maintain an effective liaison between UDC Law and the bench and bar, select public and private institutions, the media, and general public. S/he will build alliances with numerous external partners, find external revenue sources, and match them with institutional priorities. The Dean will continue to engage alumni, foundations, the legal community, and other donors in the school's missions and activities, while promoting the school's reputation in the community at large, the legal community, and relevant academic, legal, and business associations.
(f) Focus on student recruitment, enrollment management and financial aid
Law school enrollment has dropped nationally, the transfer rate has soared, and competition for high-achieving students is fierce. The Dean will focus on the recruitment and retention efforts as high priorities and develop plans of action, including micro-targeted strategies focused on enrolling increased numbers of talented District residents and others, including graduates of UDC and other HBCUs, local and federal government employees, student and community activists and organizers, and veterans. S/he will enhance the school's profile in the community by highlighting UDC Law's Pathways to Practice program, its engaged faculty scholarship and service, its legacy, and its alumni achievement. As financial aid is a valuable recruitment and retention tool, the new Dean will seek to increase scholarship funding and implement scholarship strategies focused on improving enrollment and retention of mission-driven students. This emphasis on academic support, student retention, employment, and bar passage must be a top priority of the Dean.
The successful candidate will bring many of the following skills and qualities:
A Dean must be deeply inspired by and committed to UDC Law's values and missions. The school's diverse faculty, staff, and administrators work every day to fulfill the promises to our equally diverse students, the District of Columbia, and the broader legal community. The new Dean must believe in educating the next generation of public interest lawyers to eliminate racial injustice and eradicate legal inequality. The new Dean will develop and enhance a vision for UDC Law and its strategic plan and work creatively to continue to improve its impact and reputation.
(b) Support and encourage scholarship
The Dean will lead the effort to encourage faculty scholarship. As such, s/he must have a deep commitment to encouraging scholarship and personally exhibit a track record in scholarly endeavors Law (or the equivalent professional accomplishments) that will advance UDC's Law School. The Dean will encourage and support scholarly activity in areas that further the school's missions and contribute to systemic changes, as well as traditional areas of inquiry. The Dean will continue to develop and implement efforts to enhance its reputation and influence through the establishment of innovative and cutting-edge programs. Together with the law faculty and other key constituencies, the Dean will focus on the development of new curricular offerings, building on the rich experiential and classroom opportunities in support of preparing students for their individual pathway to the profession and the creation of new types of training for the lawyers of the future committed to pursuing careers in public interest, public service, public policy, and in law firm or related practice.
(c) Foster the core values of diversity and inclusion
At UDC Law, a commitment to diversity is not only a slogan but also in the very enabling statute that establishes that one of our core missions is to “recruit and enroll students from groups underrepresented at the bar.” It is our diversity, within every pocket of our community and across multiple communities, which gives us strength and vitality. More than simply being committed to diversity, a diverse community is who we are as an HBCU.
(d) Provide strategic vision to inspire and lead
The Dean will assume crucial leadership in enhancing a vision for UDC Law and developing strategic goals and benchmarks in consultation with the faculty. The Dean will join an administrative team that supports all academic and administrative functions of UDC Law, with Associate Deans and members of the senior staff in supervisory roles reporting to the Dean. The Dean will be responsible for managing and stewarding the school's budget, campus, and staff. S/he will share a clear vision for the advancement of UDC Law, lay out goals and priorities, build consensus, resolve problems creatively, and lead through collaboration.
(e) Develop opportunities to enhance revenues and relationships
The Dean will play a critical role in raising the profile of UDC Law and leading its institutional advancement and fundraising initiatives. The Dean will be expected to develop and maintain an effective liaison between UDC Law and the bench and bar, select public and private institutions, the media, and general public. S/he will build alliances with numerous external partners, find external revenue sources, and match them with institutional priorities. The Dean will continue to engage alumni, foundations, the legal community, and other donors in the school's missions and activities, while promoting the school's reputation in the community at large, the legal community, and relevant academic, legal, and business associations.
(f) Focus on student recruitment, enrollment management and financial aid
Law school enrollment has dropped nationally, the transfer rate has soared, and competition for high-achieving students is fierce. The Dean will focus on the recruitment and retention efforts as high priorities and develop plans of action, including micro-targeted strategies focused on enrolling increased numbers of talented District residents and others, including graduates of UDC and other HBCUs, local and federal government employees, student and community activists and organizers, and veterans. S/he will enhance the school's profile in the community by highlighting UDC Law's Pathways to Practice program, its engaged faculty scholarship and service, its legacy, and its alumni achievement. As financial aid is a valuable recruitment and retention tool, the new Dean will seek to increase scholarship funding and implement scholarship strategies focused on improving enrollment and retention of mission-driven students. This emphasis on academic support, student retention, employment, and bar passage must be a top priority of the Dean.
The successful candidate will bring many of the following skills and qualities:
- Legal scholarship: The Dean will have a J.D. from an accredited institution and academic or equivalent professional achievements that fulfill UDC Law's requirements for tenure at the rank of Professor of Law.
- Leadership: The Dean will have a strong record of effective, collaborative leadership at a Law School, the judiciary, government or legal practice, as well as a broad experience as a highly visible institutional advocate in the community. The ability to establish relationships with the D.C. Council and government in the District of Columbia must be strong. The Dean will have an entrepreneurial nature, energy, integrity, and judgment and possess the ability to build consensus and to lead through collaboration and consultation.
- Commitment to missions: The Dean will have enthusiasm for UDC Law's missions, appreciation for its his
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