University of Portland (UP), a thriving and diverse community of more than 3,000 undergraduate students and approximately 300 graduate students from around the nation and the world, is seeking a visionary, strategic, and mission-driven leader to serve as the next Dean of the Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering and join a leadership team that is reimagining the University for a new age of Hope, Renewal, and Transformation.
Since shortly after its inception in 1901, University of Portland has been guided by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, a Catholic order of priests and brothers. The founder of the order, Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC, wrote, “The mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” This commitment to educating the hands, heart, and mind are hallmarks of the UP’s belief in educating the whole person. The University is Oregon’s only comprehensive, liberal arts-grounded university with schools of business, education, engineering, and nursing; a College of Arts & Sciences; and a graduate school. It is also the state’s only Catholic university and largest private undergraduate institution. It offers more than 50 undergraduate programs and 40 minors, as well as 18 graduate programs and more than 1,300 courses. The University features small-class settings and an award-winning faculty committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. UP is proud to boast the highest six-year graduation rate among all institutions of higher education in Oregon – public and private. UP also achieves high marks across key outcomes, including positive post-graduation career outcomes and median income after graduation.
This premier Catholic and Holy Cross University is located on a bluff in a residential neighborhood overlooking the Willamette River and the city of Portland. The University’s scenic location is the inspiration for its nickname, “The Bluff.” The beautiful campus is situated near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, home to some of the most skilled mariners in the world. UP’s athletic teams are known as the “Pilots,” as an homage to the expert riverboat pilots who guide ships around Portland’s waterways and into the Pacific Ocean.
Since July 2022, University of Portland has been led by President Robert D. Kelly, Ph.D. President Kelly is the first layperson and first person of color to lead UP. His tenure on The Bluff has featured the launch of the visionary Strategic Plan 2022-2027: Hope, Renewal, Transformation; the dedication of the state-of-the-art Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation; the formation of an exceptional leadership team; the unveiling of several new academic programs; some of the best fundraising years in institutional history; a renewed commitment to UP’s Catholic, Holy Cross identity; and strengthened relationships locally, nationally, and globally.
The Shiley School of Engineering prepares engineers and computer scientists to solve technical problems that affect society. The Shiley School offers undergraduate degrees in civil and environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering, as well as computer science. Coursework and projects emphasize experiential learning, teamwork, experimentation, and innovation integrated with theory, analysis, and design to prepare students to become technological leaders in the 21st century. The LEED® Platinum certified Shiley Hall is home to the Shiley School of Engineering. Within the School, the new Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation is an incubator for new ideas and a hub for collaborative, multidisciplinary learning.
Building upon current institutional momentum, the Dean will work in collaboration with faculty, staff, students, University leadership, alumni, the external community, and others to imagine, develop, and execute a dynamic vision for the Shiley School’s next era. Reporting to Provost David Mengel, Ph.D., the Dean will drive innovation to advance a forward-looking curriculum and promote undergraduate research in alignment with UP’s teaching mission. Equally important, the Dean will prioritize enrollment and resource generation by amplifying and extending the Shiley School’s brand, reputation, and reach as a mission-driven engineering school that is poised to address modern challenges.
The Shiley School of Engineering is seeking a new Dean who is collegial, relationship oriented, student centered, and knowledgeable of leading-edge engineering education. The Dean will bring demonstrated leadership capacity, excellent communication skills, and a proactive approach in supporting esprit de corps and community building. The new Dean should value people and their contributions, manage decision making inclusively, and support faculty and staff in achieving their goals. As a highly visible leader on campus, the Dean will embrace the representational expectations incumbent upon senior leaders. The new leader should be able to bring the Catholic identity to bear on STEM education in a welcoming manner, make tough decisions in a reflective and mission-centric manner, and be willing to roll up their sleeves. Strong financial and business acumen are valued as is the ability to build internal and external partnerships. The ideal candidate will value the teacher-scholar model and emphasize the importance of undergraduate education.
WittKieffer is assisting University of Portland in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received no later than March 21, 2025. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resumé, and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile available at www.wittkieffer.com. Professional references are not requested at this time.
Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Amy Crutchfield, Cathryn Davis, and Tyler Workman
[email protected]
The University of Portland does not discriminate in its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs, or employment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The University expressly reserves its rights and obligations to maintain its commitment to its Catholic identity and the doctrines of the Catholic Church.
At the University of Portland, a Catholic University guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross, all dimensions of our communal life—teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership—are informed and transformed by prayer, scripture, and the Christian tradition. Our belief in the inherent dignity of each person is founded upon the social teaching of the Catholic Church. At the center of that teaching is the fundamental mandate that every person, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social or economic class, age, or disability shall be treated with respect and dignity.
Moreover, we seek to create and sustain an inclusive environment where all people are welcomed as children of God and valued as full members of our community. We condemn harassment of every kind and assert that no one in our community should be subject to physical or verbal harassment or abuse. Further, no one shall be denied access to programs, services, and activities for any unlawful reason. We provide all who live, learn, and work at the University the opportunity to actively participate in a vibrant, diverse, intellectual community that offers a broad range of ideas and perspectives, so that we may all learn from one another.
