California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) seeks a highly collaborative and visionary leader with the ability to build connections across disciplines and with industry to serve as the next dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED). For over 75 years, the CAED has had an outstanding national reputation due to its distinguished community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni that have positively influenced the forces that shape the planning, design, and construction worlds. The dean will build on the successful reputation of Cal Poly and CAED to reach new levels of distinction and national prominence while promoting their renowned “Learn by Doing” philosophy. The dean will support Cal Poly’s clear vision of being the nation’s premier comprehensive polytechnic university that develops and inspires whole system thinkers to serve California and help solve global challenges.

Founded in 1901 as one of 23 universities in the California State University (CSU) system, Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo, a coastal city halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and 15 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. Cal Poly has consistently been named the best public masters-level university in the West by both U.S. News & World Report and Forbes Top Colleges, and Money magazine gave Cal Poly a 5-star ranking, an honor that places Cal Poly among the top 34 universities in the nation.

The CAED has the unique distinction of housing eight degree programs in five departments contributing to the built environment: Architecture, Architectural Engineering, Construction Management, Landscape Architecture, and City and Regional Planning. All CAED programs are highly ranked, and offer students the opportunity to undertake sophisticated projects, collaborate with industry partners, and work across disciplines. As a result of Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy, all CAED students gain impactful practical and scholarly experiences and are prepared to work globally within innovative teams creating sustainable, compelling surroundings within the built environment.

The dean will be joining Cal Poly at an opportune time for impact as the CAED is ready to rally behind a cohesive and forward-thinking vision that bridges disciplines, unites the CAED community, promotes innovation and inclusive excellence, ensures they remain competitive in their fields and the national higher education landscape, and increases their national and international prominence. As the University pursues enrollment growth in the coming years, the dean will also play an important role in attracting and retaining diverse and talented students, faculty, and staff; securing the facilities, support structures, and other financial and operational resources necessary to support growth; and working with faculty to ensure academic programming is attractive to students and is responsive to industry needs.

To achieve these ambitions, the dean will address the following key opportunities and challenges, which are enumerated in detail later in this document:

• Inspire the CAED around a new, unified vision that builds on the college’s distinct identity, fosters interdisciplinary collaborations, and supports Cal Poly’s mission, values, and goals
• Thoughtfully steward and enhance the CAED’s revenue, resources, and infrastructure
• Lead a committed and talented faculty and staff ready to leverage their expertise in support of students and interdisciplinary goals and objectives
• Be a highly collaborative and strategic university partner at Cal Poly and in the CSU System
• Serve as a visible spokesperson locally, nationally and internationally

A list of the desired qualifications and characteristics of the dean, prepared by CAED stakeholders with assistance of Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, can be found at the conclusion of this document. Background information and key opportunities and challenges related to the position are also included below.

ABOUT CAL POLY

Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes, and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California, and the world. At the heart of all that Cal Poly values is a core commitment to student success. Cal Poly students graduating with undergraduate or graduate degrees are expected to have met the following learning objectives:

• Think critically and creatively
• Communicate effectively
• Demonstrate expertise in a scholarly discipline and understand that discipline in relation to the larger world of the arts, sciences, and technology
• Work productively as individuals and in groups
• Use their knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution to society
• Make reasoned decisions based on an understanding of ethics, a respect for diversity, and an awareness of issues related to sustainability 

ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

Recently celebrating its 75th anniversary, the CAED has established itself as a premier institution in the nation, preparing students for leadership roles in the professions that plan, design, construct, and steward the built environment. The CAED is one of the largest colleges of its kind in the country, with 2,000 students enrolled in the programs mentioned in the introduction. The college also offers interdisciplinary programs including dual degree and minor programs in partnership with the College of Engineering and the Orfalea College of Business, allowing students to make connections beyond their degree of study.

With a unique blend of professional majors not found in the same college anywhere else in the United States, the college encompasses all the professions that come together in designing and implementing the built environment. All CAED degree programs are highly ranked and built around educational experiences heavily focused on using rigorous, time-intensive design studios and project labs as a central arena for developing and integrating multiple skills. Each major emphasizes Cal Poly’s rich Learn By Doing tradition within a comprehensive university complex. As such, CAED students receive a contemporary polytechnic education that provides the creative, technical, and leadership abilities to plan, design, construct, and steward the built and natural environment.

Student success is of paramount importance to the CAED. The college’s interdisciplinary focus and low student-to-professor ratio ensure that all students are prepared for professional practice and are able to develop impactful relationships within the community. CAED’s educational benefits include small class sizes, accreditation in each program of study, the opportunity to study abroad, and access to hands-on learning in studios, shops, laboratories, and support facilities. The college also offers students a broad range of extra-curricular activities that provide a social network between students, a career network with industry and alumni, and volunteer opportunities to become better acquainted with the greater community. CAED clubs and organizations range from college-wide to departmental and major-specific, allowing students to connect across the college as well as dive deeper into their program of study.

To ensure that the curriculum and experience effectively prepare students for the work force, the college maintains close relationships with industry partners and maintains trust with major employers. The CAED Dean’s Leadership Council, a group of dedicated professional leaders from various built-environment fields, lend their resources, brainpower, and diversity of thought to support the college in fulfilling its mission and goals. The nearly 40 council members assist the dean and the college in providing advice, advocacy, and access.

The CAED continues to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in its communities and foster a socially just, respectful, and welcoming environment for its students, staff, and faculty. The college developed the CAED Diversity Plan to outline its achievements, efforts, and goals in this area. With DEI as a high priority to the entire community, the CAED Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee leads listening sessions and workshops about DEI at the intersection of all CAED disciplines. As such, the college provides opportunities for connection, discourse, knowledge sharing, and support within each department.

ROLE OF THE DEAN

Reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the dean will act as the lead academic and administrative officer for the college. The dean devises and executes strategic planning and visioning for the college and fosters an organizational culture that enables the recruitment and retention of diverse and talented faculty, staff, and students, including faculty support in their teaching, scholarship, professional engagement, and service to the university, college, and industry. The dean is responsible for the quality of academic programs and for managing the fiscal, human, and physical resources and facilities of the CAED. As the main spokesperson for the college, the dean will build deeper connections internally with leaders across campus and alumni, and externally with industry and government officials. This will include ensuring close alignment around academic and industry needs and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships across the university in support of CAED, Academic Affairs, and university-wide goals and objectives.

The dean oversees an administrative team composed of an associate dean, an assistant dean, a senior director of development, and five department heads, and manages a complex budget of more than $18.2 million. The CAED includes approximately 59 tenure-track faculty, 54 lecturers, and 21 staff.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The next dean will have a distinguished record of achievement in at least one of the five disciplines represented in the CAED and credentials appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of professor, including the terminal degree. The dean will also have a proven record of engaging with industry leaders to build meaningful partnerships and support; a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success; and the ability to work effectively with the various stakeholders associated with CAED, including academic leaders across Cal Poly.

The ideal candidate will also possess many, if not all, of the following qualifications and characteristics:

• A leadership style that inspires and fosters community building and mutually beneficial partnerships
• Experience in crafting, leading, and implementing a vision and strategy
• Demonstrated experience and/or commitment to supporting the teacher-scholar model and faculty research and scholarship, particularly within the built environment
• Demonstrated commitment to the importance of hands-on experiences for students and an enthusiasm for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy and the CSU’s mission
• The ability to work effectively with a diverse campus community and to support inclusive excellence for faculty, staff, and students
• Demonstrated commitment to and/or a record of being a good university citizen and working towards shared goals with a variety of university partners
• Demonstrated ability to manage resources effectively in a complex environment, an aptitude for fundraising, and the ability to develop partnerships and secure external support for programs, facilities, and personnel
• Understanding of the value of industry relations and a clear commitment to maintaining and enhancing relationships with a diversity of industry partners
• Experience working closely with most, if not all, of the disciplines within the CAED; a deep appreciation for all disciplines
• Experience resolving personnel issues in a complex and/or unionized environment
• Excellent communication skills in a wide range of settings

Compensation and Location

The anticipated salary range for the position is $252-262K. Cal Poly is located in San Luis Obispo, California, which has a population of over 46,000, and is an area with an extraordinary quality of life and a temperate, Mediterranean climate that is comfortable year-round. The economy is based largely on agriculture and tourism and the region is known for producing world-class wine.

Applications, Inquiries, and Nominations

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process.  Inquiries, nominations, and referrals, should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search at https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-college-architecture-and. All applications (including CV, cover letter, and diversity statement) should be submitted through the Cal Poly portal for the search at https://jobs.calpoly.edu.

Diversity Statement