What a campus dean does

Roles and responsibilities

The review process for deans can be viewed by faculty on Academic HR’s Campus Deans Roles, Responsibilities & Review Process sharepoint page.

Deans are responsible for all aspects of undergraduate and graduate education, academic planning, assessment and accreditation of instructional programs, educational policy, academic resource management, development and revenue goals, oversight of the operational budget, and faculty and staff personnel actions. Reporting to the vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, deans oversee the faculty and staff within their school while advancing the school’s mission, values, and diversity and equity plan.

School leadership

Deans are responsible for all matters relating to the educational, budgetary, and administrative affairs of their schools. In these matters the dean is responsible for faithful observance by the school of the general policies of the University. Deans should approach leadership of all matters with an equity lens.

Mission alignment

Deans ensure that their school’s mission and strategic plan are aligned with the UW Bothell mission, vision, and strategic plan that guide the campus towards providing a leading-edge educational experience. This leading-edge educational experience is founded on three distinctive practices: cross-disciplinarity, connected learning, and community engagement.

Campus collaboration and coordination

Deans serve on the VCAA Leadership Council. This body provides significant advice and recommendations to the vice chancellor of Academic Affairs on core academic matters that cut across schools and other units on campus. Core academic matters include academic policy and initiatives, curricular and co-curricular activities across the entirety of the undergraduate and graduate experience, and faculty and academic staff development. Deans also collaborate and partner with campus units external to Academic Affairs to support the success of the school.

Shared governance

Shared governance at the school level is an important value. Deans collaborate with an elected Faculty Council for their school and ensure that the school has relevant bylaws for shared governance. Shared governance of the institution is another important value at UW Bothell. Deans collaborate with the General Faculty Organization (GFO) that serves as the forum for campus-wide faculty deliberation and decision-making, as well as the formulation and conveyance of advice to the chancellor.

External relations

Deans are responsible for creating and nurturing school advisory boards composed of community and industry leaders and partners. Advisory board members act as strategic advisors to the dean and help foster increased public awareness of the value of the school – its students, staff, and faculty – for the sustainable development and well-being of the region. Deans help advisory boards to be key partners in securing external resources to advance the school.

Scholarly and professional engagement

Deans advance scholarly effort in relevant regional or national communities of practice related to their leadership and/or existing and emerging fields of study and professional engagement.

Specific 5-year term expectations

In addition to the responsibilities laid out above, all deans have specific expectations during each five-year appointment term that are formally articulated at the beginning of that term.