Dean of the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences

Job Description:

Berry College invites applications and nominations for Dean of the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences. The dean will lead a distinctive multidisciplinary school at an important moment of growth, strengthening established undergraduate and graduate programs, prioritizing engaged student learning, supporting faculty excellence, and helping advance Berry's new strategic plan. As a member of the college's academic leadership team, the dean will shape both the future of the Charter School and contribute to the broader academic direction of the college.

The Charter School brings together disciplines devoted to education, health, and behavioral sciences, including the departments of Kinesiology, Psychological Science, Teacher Education, the Division of Nursing (BSN), and the Physician Associate program. The school will launch a master's degree in Athletic Training in 2028. Majors in psychology, exercise science, nursing, and combined education majors have some of the highest enrollments on campus, with growing programs in sport leadership and strategy and minors in applied behavior analysis, family studies, psychology, strength and conditioning, and teaching English as a foreign language. The M.Ed. and Ed.S. programs in teacher education have grown in recent years in partnership with local and regional school systems. The PA program is on track to reach maximum enrollment of the incoming cohort in Fall 2027. The Charter School includes Berry College Elementary and Middle School, a K-8 laboratory school on campus, and two early learning centers, the Child Development Center and the South Rome Early Learning Center.

The Charter School boasts a well-established record of community engagement, including internships, certifications, Academic Community Engagement (ACE) courses, and flourishing partnerships with the medical community and other community-based institutions. Students are involved on campus in research and work opportunities that support their academic interests.

The dean serves as the chief academic, administrative, and budgetary officer of the Charter School and reports directly to the provost. The dean serves on the Council of School Deans and collaborates with academic affairs leaders.

Leadership Priorities

• Advance the college's strategic plan and mission of educating the head, heart, and hands.
• Develop a compelling shared vision for the Charter School.
• Support faculty excellence in teaching, scholarship, professional practice, and mentorship.
• Nurture clinical, educational, community, and philanthropic partnerships.
• Discern how to collaboratively and transparently make decisions.
• Successfully recruit, develop, and retain faculty and staff.

Core Responsibilities

• Supervise all Charter faculty, department chairs, directors, coordinators, and administrative staff.
• Recommend hiring, reappointment, promotion and tenure, and other personnel actions.
• Participate in Charter School accreditations, in support of department chairs and directors (ARC-PA, CCNE, Georgia Board of Nursing, Georgia Professional Standards Commission, and CAATE, for the upcoming program in Athletic Training).
• Assist students and faculty with requests, exceptions, complaints, and the resolution of grievances.
• Recommend a budget to the provost and oversee the allocation of school funds.
• Teach one to two courses per academic year, to be worked out in consultation with the provost.

Requirements:

• Earned a doctorate from an accredited institution in one of the Charter School disciplines.
• A record of teaching, scholarship, and professional accomplishment sufficient for appointment as a tenured full professor in a Charter School department.
• Significant and progressively responsible academic administrative experience, such as dean, associate dean, director, or department chair, for example.
• Significant experience with program-level or institutional accreditation.
• Experience leading in a multidisciplinary academic environment.

Additional Information:

ABOUT BERRY COLLEGE

Berry is a selective independent college of 2,200 students located adjacent to Rome, GA, midway between Atlanta, GA, and Chattanooga, TN. Berry's educational approach deliberately unites challenging academic programs with practical work experience in a residential campus community that encourages faith and emphasizes caring for the needs of others above self. Our mission and values are grounded in the ethic that our founder instilled more than a century ago:

"We educate the head, heart, and hands - to inspire leaders of integrity who cultivate thriving communities. By combining academic exploration with meaningful work responsibilities in a residential setting, our approach emphasizes firsthand experience and mentoring. We invest in the personal growth and professional preparation of talented students from varied backgrounds, with an enduring commitment to help those hindered by financial need. Guided by Christian principles, we value the dignity of individuals, the search for truth tempered with grace, and the well-being of our neighbors."

Nationally recognized for quality of learning and quality of life, Berry offers first-rate undergraduate degree programs in the sciences, humanities, arts, and human sciences, as well as undergraduate and master's opportunities in business and teacher education. The College's stunning 27,000-acre campus affords opportunities that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Berry's ongoing commitment is to provide exceptional educational experiences to talented students from a wide range of social, racial, and economic backgrounds.

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

Berry College is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse faculty and staff. As an equal opportunity institution, Berry complies with all applicable laws and provisions prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment policies. Berry respects the essential dignity of all individuals and, accordingly, hires and promotes employees without regard to personal identity characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. Berry College is committed to ensuring that facilities, programs, services, and activities are accessible to everyone, including those seeking employment at Berry College. Inquiries about interviews or workplace accommodation are welcome. You can reach out to us at employment@berry.edu or (706) 233-4062.

Application Instructions:

Applicants should submit

1. A letter of application describing the candidate's interest in this position and commitment to the Berry mission and values.
2. A curriculum vitae.
3. A statement about the candidate's view of leadership.
4. Unofficial graduate transcripts.
5. Names and contact information of three references.

References will not be contacted without prior notice to the candidate. Review of applications will begin October 9, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, candidates should submit materials by that date. The search will be confidential until the finalist stage when on-campus candidate names are shared with Charter School faculty. The anticipated starting date is Summer 2027. Specific questions about the position or nominations may be sent directly to the chair of the search committee, Alice Suroviec, dean of the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, at asuroviec@berry.edu.

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