National Search: Dean, Ancell School of Business Western Connecticut State University, a comprehensive public institution in Danbury, Connecticut, seeks an accomplished teacher/scholar to serve as the Dean of the Ancell School of Business. The new dean will have the opportunity to provide leadership to the School and to work collegially with a supportive and talented faculty and administration on an agenda that includes bringing the AACSB initial accreditation process to successful conclusion; working with business leaders in the region to develop more effective partnerships; and working within the School and across the University to help create exciting and innovative partnerships and interdisciplinary programs both in the region and abroad. www.wcsu.edu
2 THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY Western Connecticut State University was founded in 1903 as Danbury Normal School. Its mission was to provide teachers for western Connecticut by offering a two-year degree in elementary education. It was the fourth state-sponsored normal school, taking its place along similar institutions in New Britain, Willimantic, and New Haven. In 1937, it was authorized to grant four-year degrees to prepare both elementary and secondary educators, and accordingly was renamed Danbury State Teachers College. While the College grew in both enrollment and physical facilities after World War II, its essential mission remained unchanged. In 1959, by action of the state legislature, the College and its three sister institutions were authorized to broaden their curricular offerings and to grant four-year degrees in subjects other than education. Through the 1960s and 70s, Western Connecticut State College, as it was then known, grew considerably in size and complexity. In 1977, it was organized into three schools: arts and sciences, business, and professional studies. Graduate degrees and a second campus in Danbury were added in the 1980s, and the College became a full-fledged comprehensive university and an integral part of the Connecticut system of higher education. THE CONNECTICUT HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM On January 1, 2012, Connecticut reorganized its governance of higher education and created the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System (ConnSCU), governed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education. In creating the new structure, the state brought its comprehensive universities and community colleges under a single governing board. ConnSCU includes: the Connecticut State Universities (four institutions); Connecticut Community Colleges (12 institutions) and Charter Oak State College, an online adult education, degree completion institution. As one of four comprehensive universities of the 17 institutions in the Connecticut State University System, Western maintains strong relations with its in-state peers. Its sister institutions are Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, and Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. Dr. Gregory W. Gray was recently selected as the new President of the Board of Regents. An experienced administrator with a distinguished career in public education, Dr. Gray was most recently Chancellor of the Riverside Community College District (California). He began his duties at ConnSCU on July 1, 2013. As a new and enlarged system of higher education, ConnSCU is undergoing an evolution with respect to the relationship between the central office and the universities and colleges. However, the president of each university serves as the institution s chief executive officer and is accountable to ConnSCU for management of the university within Board policy. The president of each institution also works in concert with other senior leaders on campus to develop campus policy in support of system objectives, directs the activities of administrative staff and evaluates their performance, provides stewardship over university resources, enhances instructional and development programs, facilitates research and scholarship, fosters university relations with alumni and the public, and serves as the face of the institution to external constituencies.
MISSION 3 Over its history Western has sought to serve the western Connecticut region. It has combined the ethos and closer student-faculty relations of a smaller private institution with the curricular offerings of a comprehensive public university. Consistent with its history, Western s mission is to serve the people of the state by offering a strong liberal arts education and professional preparation, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Its intent is to prepare students for lives that are satisfying both personally and professionally and for productive participation and service in the global community. It also seeks to develop a strong and mutually beneficial partnership with the people and institutions of the state. Its core values are a commitment to quality and continuous improvement, a respect for the dignity and rights of each member of the University community, a commitment to maintain and protect the integrity of teaching and learning, a commitment to empowering all students to meet high academic standards, and a belief in the value of a culturally rich and diverse learning environment. The vision statement from the current strategic plan commits the University to capitalize on its outstanding faculty and its location in the greater New York metropolitan area to cultivate a diverse university community that in its range of quality academic programs and in its enriching and supportive student-focused environment is characteristic of New England s best small private universities, but with much more affordable costs. THE UNIVERSITY The University has two campuses in Danbury. The Westside campus is home to the Ancell School of Business, the new Visual and Performing Arts Center, a student center, the athletic facilities, and the Westside Nature Preserve. The Midtown campus is home to the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Professional Studies, and most of the administrative offices. Western also has a satellite campus in Waterbury on the campus of Naugatuck Community College. Western in Waterbury offers undergraduate degrees in business and nursing, and graduate degrees in nursing and education. The University currently enrolls 4,600 full-time and 1,600 part-time students. Of those, 4,500 are full-time undergraduates and 77 are full-time graduate students. It has 234 full-time and 389 part-time faculty, and a 14:1 student/faculty ratio. Ninety-three percent of the student body is from Connecticut and 5 percent are from New York State. Some 1,500 students live on campus. The University consists of four schools and a division of graduate studies. The largest is the School of Arts and Sciences. It enrolls some 2,400 FTE undergraduates and offers baccalaureate degrees in most of the basic arts and sciences disciplines. It also offers master s degrees in biological and environmental sciences, earth and planetary science, English, history, mathematics, and creative and professional writing.
4 The Ancell School of Business enrolls some 1,300 FTE undergraduates and offers baccalaureate degrees in accounting, justice and law administration, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing. It also offers the MBA, a master s in judicial administration, and a master s in health administration. The School of Professional Studies enrolls some 900 FTE students and offers baccalaureate degrees in elementary and secondary education, health education, health promotion studies, nursing, and social work. It also offers master s degrees in education, counselor education, nursing, and teaching, and doctoral degrees in instructional leadership and nursing education. The School of Visual and Performing Arts enrolls some 400 FTE undergraduates and offers baccalaureate degrees in art, music, and theatre arts. It offers the MFA in visual arts and a master s in music education. The University also hosts several centers on campus, many of them grant-funded. These include: the Center for Business Research, the Center for Financial Forensics and Information Science, the Center for Galactic Astronomy, the Center for Graphics Research, the Institute for Holistic Health Studies, the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies, the Center for Compassion, Creativity and Innovation and the Meteorological Studies and Weather Center. All provide excellent opportunities for both faculty and students as well as service to the wider community. CAMPUS LIFE Western offers its students a broad range of academic support services the Academic Advisement Center as well as faculty advising, the Student Technology Training Center, the Tutoring Center, and the Writing Lab. Beginning this fall, all of these services will be available on the Westside Campus in the new Learning Commons. Western also offers the Bridge program, which better prepares area students for a successful transition to the higher expectations of college-level work. A strong Career Development Center works collaboratively with the School of Business, and the Honors Program is designed to provide talented and motivated students with a deeper understanding of the modes of inquiry. The University sponsors lectures and performances throughout the year that bring to campus speakers, writers, and performers of national and international repute. Western students enjoy a full range of student clubs and activities, currently some 80 in total. There is also an active intramural program and five clubs sports men s and women s rugby, cheerleading, dance team and ice hockey. In addition, Western sponsors an NCAA Division III athletic program that offers six men s sports (baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer and tennis) and eight women s sports (basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball). The football team competes in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, whereas the other 13 sports compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Almost all of the teams have a history of post-season tournament play both at the regional and national levels.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP 5 Western has strong, stable, and effective senior leadership. Dr. James Schmotter has served as president since 2004. During his tenure, he has led the university through a strategic planning process and shepherded some $150 million in capital projects in addition to the $97 million Visual and Performing Arts Center currently under construction. The chief academic officer and the chief student affairs officer are both recent appointments, and have brought new energy, strong leadership, and extensive experience to their respective areas. Two of the school deans and some members of the president s cabinet have also been recently hired or placed in new roles. The university is currently completing its decennial reaccreditation and will embark on a new branding and marketing effort. Once reaccreditation has been completed, this very able and experienced senior leadership team is ready to begin a new strategic planning effort and a capital campaign under President Schmotter s leadership. DANBURY AREA Though located in Danbury, Connecticut, Western is close to everything. It has easy access to western Connecticut, eastern New York State, and the New York City metropolitan area. By car, it is 57 miles from Hartford, 40 miles from New Haven, 28 miles from Bridgeport, 40 miles from White Plains, and 70 miles from New York City. It is within easy commuting distance of a variety of towns in western Connecticut and eastern New York and the hills and forests of Fairfield and Litchfield counties. It borders on Lake Candlewood, the largest lake in Connecticut. The many options for living in the area are accompanied by a significant number of excellent public and private schools. The Danbury area is home to a large number of industries and corporations. ATMI, Ethan Allen Interiors, Praxair Inc. and Scholastic Library Publishing all have their corporate headquarters in Danbury. Some of the other major employers are Boehringer Ingelheim, Danbury Hospital (which is the regional medical center for Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Putnam County, New York), Cartus, Goodrich, Barden, and GE Capital. The four national accounting firms all have offices in the area. President James W. Schmotter
6 ANCELL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Although during the late 1930s Western prepared its students to teach business subjects in the public schools, it did not develop a baccalaureate program in business until 1969 with the founding of its first department of business. In 1977, the department became the School of Business Administration. In 1980, Nathan Ancell, founder and chairman of the board of the Ethan Allen Company, which had its headquarters in Danbury, gave a $600,000 gift to Western, and the School of Business was named in his honor. Currently, the Ancell School enrolls some 1,300 students. Its 39 full-time faculty are divided into five departments accounting, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing and the division of justice and law administration. In addition to majors in each of the departments and the MBA, it offers a master s in justice administration and health administration. The School affords many opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinary work, both among the departments within the School and with other departments and schools at the university. A new program in arts entrepreneurship is under development with the School of Visual and Performing Arts and will be greatly facilitated by the completion of the new Visual and Performing Arts Center adjacent to the School of Business. Many similar opportunities exist, especially with the emphasis in the School of Arts & Sciences on interdisciplinary minors. In addition to its curricular programs, the School supports two centers. The Center for Business Research provides research to area businesses. The research is done by faculty and student teams, though the reports are developed by the students. Students case studies produced through the Center have been presented at the meetings of Society for Case Studies and published in the Journal of Case Studies. The Center for Financial Forensics and Information Science is an interdisciplinary undertaking, combining accounting, finance, and computer science. It serves as a resource to the community as well as to faculty and students at the University. Each center is directed by an executive board, chaired by the dean; each is also supported by an advisory board. The many corporations, businesses, financial institutions, and non-profits in the area afford a variety of possibilities for the school. Many of these institutions have continuing education needs that the School of Business can meet; many provide excellent internship opportunities for students; and some provide research and consulting opportunities for faculty. With the continuing decline of state funding, the University must rely more on private philanthropy. The School s position in the region as well as the large number of alumni provide excellent opportunities to garner greater financial support from the business community. While the work of external relations has begun, it needs to be expanded significantly if the Ancell School is to reach its full potential. While the Danbury region has a diverse population, the School is just at the beginning stages of developing international partnerships. Such partnerships would serve to bring more international students to Western; they would also provide more opportunities to Western students to study abroad and to have first-hand experience of international business.
7 Students at Western s Ancell School of Business are afforded opportunity to research with faculty, present case studies to corporations and non-profits alike, and interact with local leaders and high profile visitors to campus. The project that is critical to realizing the School s potential is to obtain AACSB accreditation. The process is well along. The faculty approved both the Strategic Management Plan and the Assurance of Learning Plan in the fall of 2012. The site visit is scheduled for 2017. This initiative represents a long-standing institutional aspiration and has strong faculty and administrative support. Its successful conclusion under the leadership of the new dean is critical to the School s competitive position in the region and to expanding its partnerships with the business community. Indeed, with AACSB accreditation, the School has significant potential for growth in enrollment. The faculty of the School have very impressive scholarly and professional credentials and experience. Many of them have strong records of research and publication. Many also have had extensive careers outside of academe in business, finance, accounting, law, and criminal justice. Many continue significant work with business and non-profits in the area. In addition, they are very collegial and very strongly student-focused. There have been a significant number of recent additions to the faculty; there are more planned for the future. The faculty is eager to move forward under the new dean s leadership. THE DEAN S OFFICE The Dean of the Ancell School of Business reports to the provost and serves on the Deans Council, which consists of the deans of the four schools and the dean of students. The Dean is assisted by an assistant dean, who has responsibility for a broad range of student issues, and by an administrative assistant. The MBA Coordinator, the Learning Commons Coordinator, and the MBA Academic Adviser report to the Dean. The Dean is also assisted by the chairs of the five departments and the chair of the division of Justice and Law Administration.
LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES The new Dean of the Ancell School of Business will be expected to: 1. Complete successfully the process of achieving AACSB accreditation. 2. Develop a successful fund-raising and external relations program that engages the many businesses and corporations in western Connecticut and New York and makes the most of the opportunities provided by the region. 3. Develop the possibilities for interdisciplinary programs and connections within the Ancell School of Business and with other schools and departments within the University. 4. Lead the effort to recruit and retain more students in the School of Business. 5. Help develop more international connections for the School of Business and more opportunities for international study for its students. QUALIFICATIONS To achieve these goals the successful candidate will need to have: 1. A solid academic record as a teacher/scholar. 2. The level of knowledge and experience of AACSB accreditation (initial accreditation experience preferred) necessary to bring the School of Business s AACSB application to full and successful completion. 3. Successful administrative experience beyond the level of department chair, preferably at the dean or associate dean level. 4. A leadership style that is both collegial and decisive, and a record of leadership success. 5. Strong external relations skills and a record of significant fund-raising. In addition, experience in a public institution operating in a collective bargaining environment would be desirable. APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS To apply, candidates must send a letter of application in which they address the leadership priorities and qualifications outlined in this prospectus, a curriculum vitae, and contact information (names, phone numbers and email addresses) for five references in MS Word or PDF to: WesternDOB@agbsearch.com For full consideration, applications should be received by November 8, 2013. Nominations and inquiries should be directed to: Robert Holyer, Ph.D.,Senior Consultant, AGB Search, rkh@agbsearch.com or by calling (804) 359-9370.