Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and Associate Professor, Full Professor, Clinical Associate

The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville seeks an Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs and Associate Professor, Full Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, or Clinical Full Professor to contribute to educating the next generation of health care professionals. Details on the College of Nursing Programs are available at https://nursing.utk.edu/

About the College of Nursing

With a longstanding tradition of excellence in nursing education, research, and clinical practice, we are proud to be a guiding force in healthcare education. We embrace innovation while honoring the values that have shaped our success. By offering cutting-edge academic programs, supporting impactful research, and forging strong community partnerships, we prepare healthcare professionals who deliver high-quality, culturally responsive care in a diverse and ever-changing world. Come join the Vol Nurse Family! Get to know CON

About the Position

The Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs is responsible for the planning, direction, administration, assessment, strategic growth, academic planning, and student success initiatives for graduate-level degrees at the College of Nursing. This position will maintain personal academic faculty obligations in teaching, service, and research in accordance with area of expertise.

Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership, supervision, mentoring, and performance management for graduate program faculty and staff, as assigned.
• Serves as the primary administrative lead for graduate program accreditation activities, assessment reporting, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Leads strategic planning efforts for graduate education and develops measurable goals and outcomes to support institutional priorities.
• Serves as the primary advocate and representative for Graduate Programs within the institution and with external partners, organizations, and stakeholders.
• Leads the development, administration, monitoring, and long-range planning of Graduate Program budgets and resources.
• Prepares and presents annual program assessment reports, strategic planning updates, and operational metrics to institutional leadership.
• Participates in developing and maintaining policies and procedures that are consistent with the overall mission of the College of Nursing and that comply with accreditation standards and other regulatory agencies.
• Oversees compliance with policies by clinical concentration coordinators and doctoral program chairs.
• Coordinates the graduate program admission process with the Graduate School Admissions Office.
• Chairs monthly Graduate Advisory Committee meetings and oversees the strategic direction of graduate programs curricula in accordance with the CON strategic plan.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships with healthcare organizations, academic institutions, professional organizations, and community partners to support graduate program growth, student success, workforce needs, and new program development.
• Works closely with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs to plan faculty assignments related to teaching in graduate programs.
• Assists the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs with the evaluation of clinical faculty teaching in the graduate programs.
• Ensures all DNP, PhD, and graduate certificate program accreditation standards and requirements mandated by the Tennessee Board of Nursing, CCNE, and other accrediting agencies are met and maintained.
• Works collaboratively with the Student Services Office on student recruitment, including participation in professional organizations and development of bridge and pipeline programs.
• Supports marketing, recruitment, sustainability, and alumni engagement initiatives.
• Counsels and assists students as needed and is available for program guidance, career development, and letters of recommendation.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Dean to support the mission and goals of Graduate Programs and College of Nursing.
• Maintain personal academic faculty obligations in teaching, service, and research in accordance with area of expertise.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate (PhD or DNP) in nursing, education or related field.
• Licensure as a registered nurse in Tennessee prior to employment.
• Five years’ experience in academic nursing education with increasing administrative responsibility.
• Professional experience commensurate with rank
• Demonstrated leadership experience in higher education, curriculum development, assessment, student success initiatives, or program administration.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Course work at the graduate level in curriculum development and management and leadership principles.
• Experience supervising faculty and staff in a higher education environment.
• Experience with Advanced Practice Nursing Programs.

This position is open to those who qualify and can be appointed as one of the following ranks in the College of Nursing. Rank appointments are dependent on education and qualifications relative to the university and college standards and will be determined by academic leadership in accordance with faculty handbook, policies, and procedures.

Tenure/Tenure Track Ranks

Professors are expected to

1. hold the doctorate or other terminal degree of the discipline, or present equivalent training and experience appropriate to the particular appointment
2. be accomplished teachers
3. have achieved and maintain a nationally recognized record in disciplinary research / scholarship / creative activity/ engaged scholarship
4. have achieved and maintain a record of significant institutional, disciplinary, and/or professional service or outreach engagement
5. serve as mentors to junior colleagues
6. have normally served as an associate professor for at least five years
7. have shown beyond doubt that they work well with colleagues and students in performing their university responsibilities

Associate professors are expected to

1. hold the doctorate or other terminal degree of the discipline, or to present equivalent training and experience as appropriate to the particular appointment
2. be good teachers
3. have achieved and maintain a recognized record in disciplinary research / scholarship / creative activity/ engaged scholarship
4. have achieved and maintain a record of institutional, disciplinary, and/or professional service or outreach engagement
5. have normally served as an assistant professor for at least five years
6. have demonstrated that they work well with colleagues and students in performing their university responsibilities

Non-Tenure Track Ranks:

Clinical professor:

This rank is for those who have completed a doctoral degree or terminal degree appropriate to the field and who are licensed or certified to practice the profession where appropriate. Individuals holding this rank have demonstrated a consistent record of excellence in areas of responsibility assigned to them.

Clinical associate professor:

This rank is for those who have completed a doctoral degree or terminal degree appropriate to the field and who are licensed or certified to practice the profession where appropriate. Individuals holding this rank have demonstrated excellence in areas of responsibility assigned to them.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your application and materials through our Interfolio application system. Applications should include: (1) a letter of interest addressing teaching interests and how the applicant’s background and experience make them an ideal candidate, (2) a comprehensive curriculum vitae, and (3) the names and contact information (address, phone number, and e-mail address) for at least three professional references. The review of applicants will begin two weeks after the posting date and will continue until the position is filled. Rank and salary are based on qualifications and experience. For questions about the position, please email conhr@utk.edu. For more information on the College of Nursing, visit our website: http://nursing.utk.edu/

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admission without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, and parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the university.

Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at Equal Opportunity and Accessibility, 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to eoa@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-2498. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, and national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), the ADA (disability), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Investigation and Resolution, 216 Business Incubator Building, E J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, by email to investigations@utk.edu, or by phone at 865-974-0717.