Director, School of Computer Science and Data Analytics

Responsibilities

The Director will serve as a visionary leader who sets and drives the strategic direction of the School, working to elevate its stature as a first-choice destination for students. This individual will be responsible for articulating and implementing a vision for growth, academic excellence, and innovation—grounded in data, sound judgment, and a deep commitment to student and faculty success. The Director will supervise and mentor all faculty within the School, and lead strategic initiatives in program development, recruitment, academic advising, retention, and assessment. They will teach courses aligned with their expertise and are expected to sustain an active, independent research agenda that contributes meaningfully to their field, with dissemination of scholarly work and pursuit of external funding as appropriate. As the chief academic and administrative officer of the School, the Director is charged with advancing the missions of the School, College, and University. They will champion excellence in teaching, learning, scholarship, and service, while also representing and advocating for the interests of faculty and students. Through strong leadership, collaboration, and a focus on continuous improvement, the Director will guide efforts to enhance student success, foster an inclusive and innovative academic environment, and graduate students who are poised for professional and personal success. I. Leadership Promoting excellence in learning and teaching Mentoring faculty colleagues in their professional development, including progression towards reappointment, tenure (if applicable) and promotion Assisting faculty colleagues in identifying resources to support research and scholarship Facilitating the review, assessment, and revision of existing academic programs/curricula, and the creation of new academic programs/curricula Coordinating programmatic and core/general education planning, including course offerings, staffing, and operational budgeting Programming appropriate events for the school, college, and university community, and represent the School at University events Actively monitoring and analyzing enrollment and retention trends in all majors of the School, as well as the performance of students in courses in the curriculum Assessing and ensuring optimal enrollment in majors and minors offered by the School Growing new majors to meet market demand, and revising or teaching-out existing majors/minors that are not performing Participating in college and university meetings, and sharing with faculty relevant information regarding the University and higher education landscape II. Management Leading unit meetings Representing the faculty, professional staff, and students of the School to ensure their perspectives are considered in decision-making Overseeing the implementation of school, college and university published policies Managing the School budget Reviewing and editing school catalog page(s), propose course schedules, and revising/affirming course attributes (i.e., course descriptions, pre-requisites, restrictions) annually, following deadlines set by the Registrar’s Office Ensuring the accuracy of degree audits/evaluations Ensuring faculty adoption/utilization of institutional software tools and platforms Assigning and overseeing the workload and staffing of course sections Completing reports as requested by the dean or provost (e.g., assessment) Reviewing and signing appropriate forms Tracking facilities, space and equipment needs and requests Completing in a timely manner annual performance appraisals of all unit faculty and professional staff In coordination with the dean and Human Resources, overseeing faculty and professional staff position searches and hiring In coordination with Human Resources, completing thorough onboarding of new faculty and professional staff Regularly reviewing and updating the School webpage III . Student Support Facilitating the assignment of faculty mentors and advisors Demonstrating an awareness of the needs of all students, including consideration of the diversity of student backgrounds Supporting faculty mentors in conducting degree audits Guiding students through policies and procedures (e.g., grade appeals and academic petitions) Coordinating change/declaration of majors and minors Serving as the point person for student concerns (if not resolved with the Instructor) Facilitating school participation in strategic student intervention working in partnership with the Office of Student Success Reviewing cases of academic integrity, per CAS policy ( ) IV. Communication Informing Dean of matters of interest/concern Sharing information from the Dean, Provost, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, and President with faculty and professional staff colleagues Coordinating the review and updating of school webpages, brochures, and other related communications Collaborating with the Dean’s Office, the Provost’s Office and Admissions on student recruitment efforts Serving as the liaison between the school and other offices on campus V. Personnel Performing the supervisor’s role in annual review and RPT per the UNE Faculty Handbook Supervising the School’s professional staff, including annual reviews per the UNE Personnel Handbook Coordinating faculty and professional staff recruitment efforts Overseeing the process of peer evaluations of teaching Working with the Dean and Human Resources to address emergent personnel situations (e.g., medical, disability, & non-disability leaves) Serving as a role model for faculty and professional staff by modeling a constructive, collaborative, and engaged approach to addressing challenges within the School, College, and University

Qualifications

Ph.D. in Computer Science or related discipline, along with a minimum of six years of experience in higher education or the equivalent. Applications from candidates undertaking interdisciplinary research with broad potential for collaborative impact across the School, College, and University are especially welcomed. Curriculum development experience in computer science or closely related field is expected, as is the ability to mentor undergraduate students in independent projects. The successful applicant will demonstrate capacity for excellence in teaching and a record of scholarly productivity with promise for continued research success.