The Position

The Position

Position Function

Applications and nominations are invited for the position of dean and professor, College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. A land-grant, research extensive institution, Mississippi State University is in Starkville, Mississippi. For more information about the university and community visit www.msstate.edu.

The college is fully accredited by the AVMA Council on Education, the AAALAC's animal care and use program, the teaching hospital and clinics by AAHA, and the four-laboratory diagnostic system by AAVLD, and the B.S. in veterinary technology program by AVMA CVTEA. The college is comprised of three academic departments supporting 118 full-time tenure and clinical track faculty, 421 veterinary students, 65 veterinary medical technology students, 70 graduate students (MS, PhD, and DVM-PhD), and 300 staff. In addition to faculty and staff located on the main MSU campus, the CVM has full-time faculty located at diagnostic laboratories in Pearl, the Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Flowood, an aquatic research and diagnostic laboratory in Stoneville in the Mississippi Delta, and at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport. Students participate at all locations. The college has a progressive professional curriculum. The first two years consist of core didactic lectures and laboratories. The final two years consist of mentored instruction in mandatory clinical rotations and elective rotations and courses. The client-owned animal caseload in our CVM campus hospital and Flowood emergency/referral clinic (last year 28,536 cases; not counting the large animal ambulatory practice) is complemented by a nationally recognized shelter medicine program. Students graduating in 2022, completed on-average 73 spays and neuters. The college has a large aquatic animal program that covers the health and production spectrums of U.S. farm-raised food fish, fish for food production in developing countries, and rescue and conservation of critically endangered ' 'Kemp's ridley sea turtles and bottle-nosed dolphins in the Mississippi Sound.

MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine is recognized as one of the world's four UN FAO Reference Centers for Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity. The college is the lead academic institution for the USAID-funded Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish with currently 20 active projects in Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, the Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Peru, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. For more information about the college visit www.vetmed.msstate.edu.

Candidates for the position must have an earned Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or equivalent and must qualify for the rank of professor in one of the college's academic departments. Graduate degrees, specialty-board certification, and/or administrative experience with major responsibility in a university veterinary program are preferred. The dean is the chief executive officer with administrative responsibility for the college's faculty and staff, college budgets (total revenue received for FY 22 was $75.1 M), and overall management of space and facilities. In the academic mission of the college, the dean reports to the Provost and Executive Vice President. Through the campus-wide Dean's Council, the dean contributes to decisions that affect the university at large as well as the College of Veterinary Medicine. As part of the

Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, the dean also reports to the Vice President of the Division and serves as a member of the Division Council, along with the Directors of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University Extension Service, and the Deans of the College of Forest Resources and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Serves as the chief administrative officer responsible for the accomplishment of teaching, research, and service missions of the college.
  • Oversees all academic programs of the college and encourages the faculty to continuously improve the college's undergraduate, professional and graduate academic programs.
  • Fosters an environment conducive to scholarly research appropriate for degree programs in the college.
  • Encourages service activities that are consistent with the mission of the college.
  • Oversees the recruiting, hiring, supervising, and evaluation of personnel within the college, with a commitment to diversity and fairness.
  • Manages the college's budget and resources effectively, transparently, and collaboratively.
  • Works with the faculty and staff in establishing and implementing the mission and strategic plan that will productively guide the teaching, research, and service activities and decision-making of the college.
  • Values and actively encourages faculty and staff involvement in periodic reviews and reassessments of the strategic plan.
  • Develops, fosters, and maintains positive relationships with college stakeholders within the University and with those external to the college.
  • Identifies, develops, and strengthens synergistic relationships with other MSU colleges and serves as an advocate for the college.
  • Develops and strengthens relationships with alumni of the college.
  • Serves as the primary spokesperson for the college in interactions with local, state, and federal officials and other leaders to promote the missions of the college and enhance its stature.
  • Oversees and participates in major fundraising initiatives and activities of the college to acquire the resources necessary for effective performance of the teaching, research, and service mission of the college.
  • Advocates to the state Legislature for the college’s separately funded appropriation.
  • Ensures compliance with all requirements of the college and university accrediting bodies.
  • Performs related duties as assigned.

The above essential duties are representative of major duties of positions in this position. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary based upon needs as they arise. Other duties may be assigned to the above consistent with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the job.

Minimum Qualifications

  • An earned doctorate in Veterinary Medicine degree (or equivalent) and a distinguished record of teaching and scholarly activity commensurate with a tenured professor in one of the college's academic departments.
  • Demonstrated experience in leading and supervising faculty and staff.
  • Experience in administering a broad range of programs in settings including higher education.
  • Experience in budgetary and academic affairs.
  • Experience in securing external funding for research and educational purposes from private, public, and/or non-profit sources.

Preferred Qualifications

Administrative experience equivalent to a department head or above.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The dean should have a distinguished record of teaching and scholarly or research accomplishments; a strong commitment to the college's missions of teaching, research, service, and educational outreach; a demonstrated capacity for effectiveness in academic management; the ability to foster and sustain an environment that attracts and retains quality faculty; the vision to encourage superior teaching, scholarship, research and creativity; an ability to manage a complex budget; and the qualities needed to lead and advance the college in the pursuit of academic and research excellence. The dean must be an effective spokesperson for the college to state and university officials, to veterinary practitioners, to the animal agricultural industry, to financial supporters, and to the animal-owning public. In addition, the dean must develop and present budget documents to the state legislature which provides direct funding to the college.

  • Proven visionary leader with a record of effective interpersonal, motivational, and innovative skills.
  • Knowledge of accrediting standards pertinent to the college and ability to interpret and implement applicable standards of accrediting bodies.
  • Effective leadership skills and a commitment to fostering a supportive environment of faculty development, high levels of scholarly achievement, and impactful outreach into the public sector.
  • An advocate for the college with excellent interpersonal and communication skills in working with all constituent groups.
  • A strong commitment to excellence in undergraduate, professional and graduate education, in both teaching and non-teacher preparatory academic programs.
  • Commitment to fostering global partnerships and research initiatives, in addition to the advancement of international education among undergraduate, professional and graduate students.
  • Commitment to and experience with faculty governance practices.
  • Commitment to transparency and integrity in decision-making.
  • Ability to represent the college's diverse education interests and research strengths to the university, local, regional, national, and global communities.
  • Ability to guide the college to become a diverse, inclusive, and equitable leading force for its faculty, staff, and students and to advocate for professionals and constituencies throughout the state, region, and nation.
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity and to continuing programs to achieve inclusion among faculty, staff, and students, and to provide services that meet the needs of a diverse population of students and scholars.
  • Ability to formulate and implement strategic planning consistent with the mission and goals of individual academic and research units.
  • Ability to foster and maintain productive relationships with the college’s external stakeholders.
  • Ability to create and maintain a collegial environment that fosters excellence of scholarship and learning.
  • Ability to raise funds from various sources, including private donors, foundations, and government agencies.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

  • No unusual physical requirement. Requires limited lifting of files and records. Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
  • Frequent – External imposed deadlines set and revised beyond one's control; interruptions that influence priorities; difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a few days; meeting of deadlines and coordination of unrelated activities are key to the position; involves conflict-resolution or similar interactions involving emotional issues or stress regularly.
  • Job frequently requires walking, sitting, reaching, talking, hearing, and handling objects with hands.
  • Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.
  • Hearing requirements: Ability to hear over the telephone and during a presentation.
  • Involves some night and weekend work and travel