Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

California Lutheran University (Cal Lutheran) seeks an experienced, inclusive, and collaborative leader to serve as its next Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Located in Thousand Oaks, California, founded in 1959, and formally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2016, Cal Lutheran is home to 2,297 undergraduate and 1,054 graduate students. Students come from 67 countries and represent a wide spectrum of faiths and spirituality. The University's dedicated, accomplished faculty works with small classes of students who are open-minded – about ideas, about people, and about faith – and are seeking to grow as individuals. Both in and out of the classroom, everyone at Cal Lutheran is committed to helping each student pursue their passions to discover their purpose. By following that purpose, they can transform their communities – and the world. Cal Lutheran is made up of six academic units which serve students across a range of academic departments and deliver personalized classroom experience that the University is known for.

As the largest unit at Cal Lutheran, the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) provides the historical and intellectual foundation of undergraduate, liberal arts education. The College of Arts and Sciences values the diverse experiences, perspectives, and knowledge of the University's academic community. The vision of the College is to cultivate a liberal arts learning environment that is student-centered, welcoming, and inclusive. The College encourages students, faculty, and staff to explore and expand their knowledge and to contribute their talents and abilities to fully engage their communities and the world with integrity.​ The mission of the College is to mentor students and equip them to make meaningful contributions on campus and beyond. The College's strong intellectual training for undergraduates is driven by dedicated faculty who innovate teaching to ignite students' critical thinking and creativity in courses that integrate self-discovery and learning. The College honors the Lutheran tradition in higher education in the liberal arts by educating the whole person in a complex and dynamic world, encouraging students to question the status quo, and engaging with culturally diverse perspectives.

The next Dean of the COAS will have a unique opportunity in leading the College into a new era of innovation and growth. The Dean will bring deep affinity for the liberal arts tradition and be expected to support faculty achievement, raise the profile and resources of the College to the benefit of faculty and students, elevate student success, build collaborations across campus units through relationships, and provide modern, transparent, and effective leadership for the College.

As a senior academic leader, the next Dean will serve as an effective advocate and partner for the College within the University and will act as the College's chief executive and intellectual leader. This leader will have a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. The next Dean must possess superior academic credentials and a record of scholarly achievement that merits the rank of a tenured professor at Cal Lutheran. A demonstrated and progressive track record of administrative leadership is required. The next Dean should also demonstrate an ability to lead, envision, and innovate; to engage and unite constituents; to listen carefully and communicate persuasively; to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively across the University; to understand and support the needs of all disciplines; to secure external funding; to develop partnerships beyond the University; and to operate the College's administrative and budgetary functions with a high level of skill. In addition, a steadfast commitment to the mission of Cal Lutheran and the success of faculty, staff, and students flourishing in a dynamic university is essential.

WittKieffer is assisting California Lutheran University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by November 13, 2025. California Lutheran University expects to pay in the range of $200,000-$225,000. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Melody Rose, Ph.D. and Ashlee Winters Musser at: [email protected] .

Applicants must also create a job profile directly on California Lutheran's website . You are not required to submit your materials through this site.

California Lutheran University is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment for all persons, regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable law. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program, activity or facility of the University on the basis of these factors in a manner consistent with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, ordinances, orders and rules, and University's policies, procedures, and processes. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process can be provided to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Please contact the Human Resources Department for further information or to request an accommodation.