Position Title: Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Employee Classification: Assc Dean,Education

College/Division: College of Hlth, Educ & Soc Trans

Department: 320001-COLLEGE OF HLTH, EDUC & SOC TRANS

Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate:  Commensurate with qualifications.

Appointment Full-time Equivalency:  1.0

Exempt or Non-Exempt:  Exempt

Summary:  New Mexico State University’s College of Health, Education, and Social Transformation (HEST) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Academics (ADA) to help lead one of the region’s most dynamic and impactful academic communities. Serving nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,200 graduate students, and supporting close to 200 faculty and 200 staff across nine academic units, HEST is committed to pursuing social transformation through education, research, and outreach.

The ADA will provide strategic leadership and oversight for HEST’s academic units, instructional programs, and student success initiatives. Joining an engaged and collaborative leadership team, the Associate Dean will play a vital role in advancing HEST’s mission and realizing its vision to foster innovative solutions in health, education, and the social sciences that create meaningful change in New Mexico and beyond.

HEST’s diverse academic portfolio includes six departments and three schools—Borderlands and Ethnic Studies; Counseling & Educational Psychology; Communication Disorders; Kinesiology; Public Health Sciences; Sociology; the School of Nursing; the School of Social Work; and the School of Teacher Preparation, Administration & Leadership—collectively offering more than 80 degree pathways and extensive experiential learning opportunities.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an academic leader passionate about student success, interdisciplinary collaboration, and expanding the impact of higher education.

Classification Summary:
This position reports directly to the Dean and has as primary responsibilities: 1) to help build the research agendas of faculty, professional staff, departments and the college; 2) to assist in securing grant funding and developing grant proposals in a timely manner; 3) to build research collaborations and partnerships within departments and the college and with other colleges, universities, research labs, and other institutions; 4) to coordinate outreach initiatives and partnerships for the college and provide leadership for external activities that involve schools, communities, businesses and agencies.

Classification Standard Duties:
Assist the Dean with the administration, and evaluation of the programs. Promote academic achievement and student satisfaction consistent with established education objectives, quality standards and fiscal responsibility. Supervise and evaluate assigned personnel. Responsible for assisting in the development and/or administration of budgets in areas of supervision. Seeks and pursues/motivates others to pursue potential sources of funding for the college. Serve as liaison between the college and the university community, community agencies, businesses and other groups, advisory committees, state and national groups. Ensure compliance with regulatory, corporate and Department of Education regulations. Seek/maintain degree program approval from licensing agencies, regional and national accreditation councils. Reports directly to the Dean.

Required Education, Experience, Certification/License, Equivalency
Required Education: Earned terminal degree in a directly related discipline and tenured or tenurable at the rank of professor.; Required Experience: None; Equivalency:None; Required Certification/License:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
KNOWLEDGE:Knowledge and understanding of principles, procedures, regulations, and standards applicable to the job. Understanding of the University's mission, vision and goals.; SKILLS:Short- and long-term planning; problem analysis and resolution; report preparation and presentation; interpersonal and organizational communication, both oral and written.; ABILITIES:Develop and maintain effective working relationships; maintain accurate and orderly records; use independent judgment and initiative; organize and direct activities.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
The Associate Dean for Academics (ADA) will have responsibility for oversight and leadership of the academic units, instructional programs, and student success initiatives within the College of Health, Education, and Social Transformation (HEST) at New Mexico State University (NMSU). The Associate Dean for Academics will join HEST’s leadership team in carrying out the college mission to pursue social transformation through education, research, and outreach. Our vision is to be collaborators and leaders in the discovery of innovative solutions in health, education and social sciences that lead to social transformation in New Mexico and beyond. HEST currently serves nearly 3,000 undergraduate students, over 1,200 graduate students, and supports nearly 200 faculty members and 200 staff members across nine academic units and numerous community outreach programs and clinics. HEST’s nine academic units are comprised of six departments and three schools: Borderlands and Ethnic Studies, Counseling & Educational Psychology, Communication Disorders, Kinesiology, Public Health Sciences, Sociology, School of Nursing, School of Social Work, and School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, & Leadership. Collectively, these units offer over 80-degree pathways at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, along with numerous minors, graduate certificates, and experiential learning components.

A critical component of this student-centered role will be supporting the Dean’s vision of championing accredited, licensure-leading academic programs that foster innovation, excellence, and workforce development in healthcare sciences, allied health, education, and social sciences. In this capacity, the Associate Dean for Academics (ADA) will help advance HEST’s four strategic priorities, which include: 1) Embody NMSU’s Land-Grant Mission, 2) Champion Student Success and Social Mobility, 3) Amplify Experiential Learning and Cooperative Education, and 4) Unify and Operationalize as a college. This is a 12-month full-time administrative position requiring on-campus, in-person leadership. The Associate Dean for Academics will hold a faculty appointment and tenure in one of the departments or schools in HEST that aligns with the candidate’s field of study as indicated by their terminal degree. The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2026. The anticipated salary range is $175,000-$200,000. Salary is determined according to institutional guidelines and is dependent on experience and academic credentials.

Academic Leadership & Oversight

• Provide leadership for and oversee administration of the academic mission of the college in accordance with established guidelines, university policies, and/or regulatory bodies
• Provide leadership for the development of new standard practices and procedures related to the college’s academic mission
• Coordinate updates of the university catalog, scheduling of courses, course offerings, establishment of new degrees and programs, program changes, and academic policies
• Facilitate program sustainability, growth, and development by assisting departments in marketing, benchmarking, and establishing new degrees, concentrations, minors, etc.
• Monitor compliance of college programs with accreditation standards and support programs through the accreditation process
• Serve as the HEST Higher Learning Commission (HLC) liaison and coordinate the college’s contributions to the HLC accreditation process

Student Success & Support

• Oversee student recruitment, success, and retention efforts in alignment with NMSU’s land-grant mission
• Inform and strategize with departments about student success outcomes including enrollment trends, retention rates, graduation rates, and other academic outcomes
• Develop and support initiatives that promote access, persistence, and success for first-generation and other underserved student populations through culturally responsive programming, mentoring, and academic support strategies
• Coordinate the process for student grievances and appeals at the college level
• Provide direction to the college scholarship committee and oversee the college scholarship award processes
• Supervise professional/technical/support staff and student workers
• Oversee HEST student organizations

Collaboration & Strategic Initiatives

• Collaborate with NMSU Global Campus to expand and enhance program offerings
• Collaborate with the Graduate School, Student Success, Honors College, the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, and HEST Diversity Council on college and university-wide projects and initiatives
• Assist the Dean with strategic and long-range planning, recruitment of faculty, fundraising, and other college-wide initiatives
• Serve on the NMSU Associate Deans Academic Council and other university bodies
• Perform duties as assigned by the Dean

Compliance & External Relations

• Ensure compliance with Higher Learning Commission (HLC) rules and federal regulations, including FERPA, American with Disabilities Act, and Title IX
• Serve as liaison between the college and the university administration, community partners, state legislature, and other stakeholders
• Serve as the college’s liaison to university’s Office of Government Relations and coordinate the college’s responses during the state legislative session
• Coordinate college academic reports to university administration, as well as state and federal agencies

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in an area related to the degree programs in the College of HEST
• Tenured faculty appointment at the rank of full professor in an area related to the academic units in the College of HEST. Candidates in the process of promotion to full professor or who are eligible to pursue promotion to full professor rank by the time of appointment are encouraged to apply.
• Experience coordinating or administering academic programs that require utilizing data-driven decision making
• Background in leading academic programs that prepare students for entry into the professional workforce
• Proven record of developing new academic programs and guiding them through accreditation review processes
• Demonstrated success in fostering collaboration across departments, programs, and university units
• Skilled in using academic analytics and decision-support systems (e.g., Ad Astra, Gray Decision Intelligence, Steppingblocks) to inform strategic enrollment management, curriculum planning, and academic program optimization
• Knowledge of the relationships between land grant universities and state legislative bodies and experience in helping those relationships flourish
• Demonstrated teaching excellence and evidence of student success, curricular innovation, and academic program leadership.

Special Requirements of the Position

Department Contact:  Alexa Doig, 575-646-3812, adoig@nmsu.edu

Contingent Upon Funding: Not Applicable

Bargaining Unit Eligibility: This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard Work Schedule: 

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.

Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.