Dean for the School of Health

The Dean of the School of Health serves as the chief academic, strategic, and formational leader of the School of Health at Calvin University. Reporting to the Provost, the Dean provides vision, leadership, and stewardship for the school’s academic programs, people, culture, and resources in alignment with Calvin University’s Reformed Christian mission and institutional priorities.

The Dean leads the School of Health as an integrated whole—advancing academic excellence, fostering a healthy and collaborative culture, strengthening student learning and formation, and elevating the school’s regional and external profile through partnerships, innovation, and strategic engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Vision, Strategy, and Institutional Alignment

• Lead the development and execution of a compelling vision and strategic direction for the School of Health in alignment with university and Academic Division priorities.
• Translate strategy into clear priorities, investments, and measurable outcomes.
• Foster a culture of trust, collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose among faculty and staff.
• Champion interdisciplinary collaboration within the School of Health and across the university.

Academic Leadership and Program Quality

• Provide oversight of academic programs, curriculum quality, assessment, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and support specialized accreditation processes across health-related programs.
• Promote pedagogical innovation, high-impact practices, and experiential learning, including clinical placements, internships, undergraduate research, and interprofessional education.
• Ensure academic programs integrate liberal arts practices, professional preparation, and faith-informed inquiry.

Faculty and Staff Leadership

• Lead faculty and staff hiring in collaboration with the Provost and Human Resources.
• Appoint, support, and evaluate department chairs and program directors.
• Foster faculty development, wellbeing, belonging, and professional growth across the career lifecycle.
• Build and sustain a positive, unified school culture marked by clarity, accountability, and care.

Shared Governance and Institutional Leadership

• Exercise leadership within Calvin’s shared governance framework.
• Collaborate effectively with faculty governance bodies on curriculum, personnel, and academic policy.
• Serve as a trusted institutional leader and partner to the Provost and fellow deans.

Student Success, Formation, and Pathways

• Ensure programs contribute meaningfully to student success, retention, and graduation.
• Promote student formation, vocational discernment, and whole-person development.
• Support integration of career readiness, emerging technologies, and experiential learning across programs.

Enrollment, Resources, and Financial Stewardship

• Collaborate with Enrollment, Marketing, Advancement, and Budget teams to support enrollment goals and financial sustainability.
• Steward budgets, personnel, and resources responsibly and strategically.
• Align investments with priorities that enhance student experience and program quality.

External Engagement and Advancement

• Serve as the chief ambassador for the School of Health.
• Build and sustain partnerships with healthcare systems, community organizations, professional associations, and employers.
• Strengthen the school’s regional reputation and visibility.
• Partner with Advancement to cultivate donor relationships and philanthropic support.
• Engage alumni and advisory councils in advancing the mission and future of the school.

School of Health Distinctives

The Dean ensures clarity and coherence around the School of Health’s:

• Primary and secondary areas of thought leadership
• Trademark student experience
• Distinctive model of faith formation and integration of faith and learning grounded in the Reformed Christian tradition
• Strong collaboration with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Required Qualifications

• Terminal degree in a health-related discipline from an accredited institution (or a master’s degree with significant, exceptional executive-level leadership experience).
• Demonstrated leadership experience in higher education, healthcare, or a related complex organizational environment.
• Proven ability to lead people, strategy, and resources effectively.
• Strong record of collaboration, relationship-building, and external engagement.
• Ability to articulate and advance a compelling vision aligned with institutional mission and values.

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

1. Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts University affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.

2. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.