WittKieffer is proud to partner with Ithaca College (IC), a private institution renowned for its undergraduate liberal arts curriculum and pre-professional programs, in the search for an accomplished and visionary leader to serve as Dean of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance.
Ithaca College has trained and educated some of the country’s finest musicians, dancers, thespians, technicians, theatrical designers, directors, playwrights, scholars, arts administrators, and music educators. Its students benefit from close relationships with committed and nationally recognized professors. A low student-faculty ratio and a community-engaged faculty foster strong student engagement. Students gain expertise through private instruction, focused mentoring, active pedagogical practices, and a wide range of performance experiences, on and off campus.
To best meet the cross-disciplinary needs of music and theatre arts students, IC announced the merger of the highly ranked School of Music and the Department of Theatre Arts in July 2022 to create the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. This nationally recognized professional training program attracts students from across the globe. The establishment of this School has been one of the many successes of the Ithaca Forever strategic plan.
Reporting directly to the Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Melanie Stein, the dean will be an inspiring, collaborative, strategic, and creative leader with an unwavering commitment to Ithaca College and its legacy. The dean will be a champion for the strength, rigor, vibrancy, and scope of the performing arts experience at IC, which is deeply rooted in learning through theory, practice, and performance. Additionally, the dean will seed and cultivate an environment in which cross-divisional collaborations can thrive, allowing the school to contribute to the overall excellence and innovation of Ithaca College.
The next dean will embrace a community rich in opportunity and committed to innovation and exploration. They will be a visible and compelling advocate for the arts, both internally and externally, with a strong capacity for cultivating existing and new alumni relations and fundraising. The dean will demonstrate significant intellectual curiosity and possess the ability to effectively represent the work of the students, faculty, and academic programs.
The dean will actively listen to the needs of faculty and staff to create and collaboratively execute a strategic vision. In addition to working well in a collaborative decision-making environment, they must be passionately interested in students and their development and demonstrate strong organizational and personnel management skills. Candidates will possess the requisite academic credentials and a distinguished record of scholarly accomplishments, or comparable achievements, sufficient to qualify for a tenured appointment at the rank of professor. Candidates with extensive performing arts administration experience will be considered.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile. Professional references are not requested at this time. WittKieffer is assisting Ithaca College in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by December 3rd, 2024.
Application materials, nominations and inquires can be directed to:
Sandra Chu, Jenna Brumleve, and Melissa Fincher
IthacaDeanMTD@wittkieffer.com
Ithaca College is committed to building a diverse academic community and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply. Experience that contributes to the diversity of the College is appreciated.
The salary range for this position is $210,000 to $230,000.
