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Executive Director, Honors College

The Executive Director provides visionary leadership for the Honors College, establishes expectations for intellectual engagement, oversees curricular and co-curricular activities, collaborates with colleges, and maintains regular contact with its students. The Executive Director represents the Honors College and the university at student recruitment events and is involved in a broad range of university activities, including supporting and leading the work of its living-learning programs. The Executive Director leads a central office and ensures all functional areas are well managed, including admissions and recruiting, education and curriculum policies, budgeting and personnel, scholarships and awards, communications, alumni and external relations, student engagement and events, diversity, equity, inclusion, and outreach activities.

Key tasks

Honors College leadership

  • Forge a compelling vision for Maryland Honors education that (a) incorporates the Honors College living-learning programs and departmental honors and (b) aligns with UMD strategic priorities.
  • Ensure the continued growth, excellence, and evolution of Honors College living-learning programs by guiding strategic planning and assessment processes, improving efficiency and effectiveness of operations, and collaborating with campus partners.
  • Implement the vision by using skills such as: the capacity to influence others without relying on hierarchical authority; an ability to craft solutions to complex problems by balancing competing needs; empathy for diverse students, staff, and faculty.
  • Prioritize DEI in decision-making processes and outcomes, including mission, vision, values, operations, programming, and management.
  • Lead efforts to develop, enhance, and implement alumni engagement and fundraising initiatives.

Communications and relationship management

  • Negotiate with campus partners to garner resources and cooperation, implement changes, resolve problems, and enhance the impact and effectiveness of the Honors College.
  • Develop and deploy effective multi-media communications strategies to ensure exchanges of information with key constituencies.
  • Cultivate strong relationships with current and prospective students, alumni, families, friends, and donors; lead and actively participate in Honors programming and events.
  • Promote the Honors College and University by participating in community, state, and national meetings, and by developing partnerships with external organizations.
  • Prepare and deliver compelling presentations about the mission, goals, and activities of the Honors College to diverse audiences.

Honors College operations

  • Supervise and collaborate effectively with the Honors College central office staff to ensure smooth functioning in admissions and recruiting, education and curriculum policies, budgeting and personnel, scholarships and awards, communications, alumni and external relations, student engagement and events, DEI , and outreach operations.
  • Lead and coordinate with Honors College living-learning programs by enlisting support for shared purposes; facilitating inter-program communications and programming; working to fulfill program needs across campus and within academic units; coordinating the recruitment, review, and reappointment of program directors; and managing the quadrennial program review process.
  • Work with the Admissions, academic colleges, Resident Life, and other campus offices to enroll exceptionally talented and diverse students and to ensure student care, support, and campus acclimation; appropriate provision of residential space, facilities, and technology services; and students’ overall success, retention, and thriving.
  • Represent and advocate successfully for the Honors College in a range of administrative or academic settings.
  • Officiate at major Honors College events, including Convocation and fall and spring citation ceremonies.

Minimum Qualifications

A faculty appointment in an academic unit at the University of Maryland, College Park, is required, ideally at the rank of Professor. The position is open to all faculty groups, including TTK and PTK faculty. The successful candidate will have a record of excellence in undergraduate teaching and scholarship, as well as a record of inclusive leadership and/or administrative experience, with a demonstrated ability to inspire colleagues to work collaboratively toward a common vision and a history of valuing and cultivating diverse individuals and perspectives.

The Executive Director of the Honors College is a 100%, 12-month position on a five-year term, which reports to the Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies.

The best consideration deadline is February 16, 2024.

Candidates interested in the position, or those wishing to make nominations, should contact the chair of the search committee, Dean of University Libraries Adriene Lim, or Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies William Cohen.


Application



The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.