Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

Saint Anselm College invites qualified applicants to apply for the position of the inaugural Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Alongside the established Jean School of Nursing and the new Robert J. Grappone School of Business and Innovation, the new School of Arts and Sciences will be grounded in the College’s Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts identity.

Through broad engagement with the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, the School of Arts and Sciences will foster a robust research environment that provides an education that is rigorous, personalized, and transformational, with learning opportunities at the local, national and global levels. Its graduates will be prepared to contribute meaningfully to diverse professions and communities, while advancing knowledge across disciplines.

The School of Arts and Sciences will emphasize the distinctive contributions of its departments including Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Forensics, Criminal Justice, Education, English and Communication, Fine Arts, History and Classics, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, and Theology.  The Dean of Arts and Sciences will champion the departments within the school, while overseeing the internal administrative structures and processes that advance the School’s academic mission.

The Dean of Arts and Sciences will provide visionary leadership for the liberal arts, positioning the school as a defining hallmark of the College, advancing academic excellence, innovation, research, scholarship and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Dean will shape and execute the school’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities, advance academic outcomes and student competencies, and build a culture of collaboration and innovation. This position is an exciting opportunity to strengthen and advance a distinctive liberal arts education through strategic partnerships, fundraising, and marketing and enrollment initiatives. 

The successful candidate will be a collaborative and strategic leader with strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated record of advancing academic programs and cultivating meaningful partnerships with a variety of community and educational stakeholders. The Dean will be responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies, including NECHE. Consistent with College policies and procedures, the Dean will report directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. As the Inaugural Dean, the successful candidate will play a vital role in advancing the College’s mission and strengthening its liberal arts, Catholic, and Benedictine identity, while fostering an inclusive environment in which people of all faiths are welcomed.

Inclusivity Statement

In order to realize our mission as a Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college, Saint Anselm College is committed to sustaining an intentionally inclusive environment that will benefit all constituencies. In particular, the college is committed to providing students with the richest opportunities to learn, both in the classroom and within the environment of the college community as a whole. We accomplish this, in part, by fostering understanding, experience, and appreciation of the world's diversity through the academic curriculum, with its spirit of scholarly inquiry and respectful discourse; through a variety of service, co-curricular, religious, and academic activities and support mechanisms; and through the different perspectives and backgrounds of the members of our community. Committed to our Catholic mission, Saint Anselm College aspires to bring together a faculty, staff, and student body that enhances this educational endeavor with diverse scholarly interests, ideas, beliefs, experience, talents, and racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or other terminal degree in an academic discipline within the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, or a related field;
• Significant experience in undergraduate and graduate liberal arts related education;
• Substantial teaching experience, with knowledge surrounding pedagogy and online course delivery, including the delivery of advanced practice programs;
• Academic or administrative leadership experience, including strategic plan development and implementation;
• Demonstrated interest in and appreciation for the liberal arts;
• Commitment to academic freedom; and
• Eligibility for appointment to a tenured position in an academic discipline within the proposed School of Arts and Sciences.

Initial Priorities

•  Engage in strategic plan development and implementation in support of the School of Arts and Sciences and in alignment with the strategic plan of the College. This includes ensuring initiatives are properly staffed and resourced and working collaboratively with various College constituencies in support of new and ongoing programming;
• Foster an inclusive environment which promotes engagement with a diverse student body;
• Act as a primary representative with all internal and external constituencies associated with the School. Focus on relationship building between current and future faculty and administrators to strengthen community ties and work toward partnerships promoting experiential learning for students;
• Collaborate with the college’s Advancement team and execute a targeted fundraising and engagement plan for the School;
• Collaborate with the Office of College Communications and Marketing as well as the Office of Enrollment to recruit and enroll academically qualified, talented students, including students from diverse backgrounds;
• Collaborate with the Office of Partnerships to build strong and sustainable partnerships with a variety of community and educational stakeholders;
• Support faculty and program leaders in the assessment, revision, and development of curriculum;
• Develop staffing and budget plans for the School of Arts and Sciences
• Represent the School on College committees, as well as other groups designated by the President or Vice President for Academic Affairs; and
• Work collaboratively with central academic leadership, Faculty Senate, and Administration to further the goals of the School and the College.

Programmatic Details

The Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences will:

• Supervise School department chairs and program leaders; those who will report directly to the Dean include the department chairs and program directors for all departments in the School; graduate program directors; directors of the core curriculum, the Enduring Questions first-year program, and the College’s Writing Program; and the directors of centers and institutes, including the Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute, the Institute for Saint Anselm Studies, the Center for Ethics in Society, the Center for the Study of Religion and Public Life, and the Chapel Art Center.  The Dean and the leadership of liberal arts and other related programs will work collaboratively on existing and new programs;  
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to hire, evaluate, and retain qualified faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, and staff;
• Ensure program effectiveness through ongoing curriculum evaluation;
• Assess new programs which meet the needs of the community of interest and complement the mission and goals of the School of Arts and Sciences;
• Represent the School, or arrange for representation through a designee, at on- and off-campus events including, but not limited to: New Student and Accepted Student Days, Alumni meetings, Honors Convocation, Commencement, and various community and College events;
• Convene ad hoc committees of faculty, staff, and/or students necessary to the administration of the School of Arts and Sciences;
• Support faculty through participation in the promotion and tenure process; and
• Promote interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration within the School and College.

Accreditation

• Assure compliance with regulatory requirements including NECHE and other accreditation bodies.

Budget

• Work closely with the Finance Office and the Vice President for Academic Affairs on all matters pertaining to the school budget; and
• Maintain accountability for a balanced school budget.

Fundraising

• Work in conjunction with the Office of Advancement to lead efforts for external fundraising from philanthropic organizations/individuals;
• Actively pursue grants and other outside funding for major projects and equipment; and
• Identify sources to support student research, faculty research, and scholarship.

Partnerships

• Expand the community engagement of the School of Arts and Sciences by fostering current and new partnerships.

About Saint Anselm College

Saint Anselm College was founded in 1889 by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey of Newark, New Jersey, in response to the invitation by Bishop Denis M. Bradley, the first bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire. Since the College’s founding, a monastic community has resided on-campus and the Benedictine monks of Saint Anselm are an integral part of the College and its tradition. As a community of 31 monks, composed of priests and brothers, Saint Anselm Abbey is one of the 22 houses of the American Cassinese Congregation of Benedictines, members of the Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B.).

Over the past quarter century, the College has dramatically grown as a residential liberal arts college, with more than 88 percent of students now residing on campus. The entering class in the fall of 2025 was the largest in the College’s history.

Following the launch of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences in 2023, two new schools, the Robert J. Grappone School of Business and Innovation and the School of Arts and Sciences, will launch in 2027, completing an academic reorganization to a school-based structure. To support this growth, the College has worked to update and expand its facilities. Most recently, a new 40,000 square foot facility, Grappone Hall, opened in 2025 to house the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Other recent capital projects at the College include the 2025 conversion of Joseph Hall to a residence hall to accommodate a growing student population, the opening of the new home of the Gregory J. Grappone ’04 Humanities Institute in 2023, the construction of the Savard Welcome Center, which opened in the summer of 2020 and serves as the front porch of the College in the Benedictine expression of hospitality, and the opening of the new Roger and Francine Jean Student Center Complex in 2018.

College Mission

Saint Anselm College is a Catholic, Benedictine institution providing all its students a distinctive liberal arts education that incorporates opportunities for professional and career preparation. It does so in a learning community that encourages the lifelong pursuit of the truth and fosters intellectual, moral and spiritual growth to sustain and enrich its graduates’ personal lives, work, and engagement within local, national, and global communities. For more than 130 years, Saint Anselm College has remained committed to its mission and tradition, constantly building on its strengths and evolving to meet the changing needs of its current and prospective students. What makes an Anselmian education distinctive and exceptional are students’ deep involvement and integrative growth guided by a Benedictine-inspired educational philosophy.

Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester is one hour from Boston, one hour from the New Hampshire seacoast, one hour from New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and White Mountains and is a dynamic and growing city that combines exciting urban opportunities with nearby natural splendor. As the largest city in New Hampshire, Manchester is home to leading cultural attractions including the Currier Museum of Art, the Palace Theatre, and the Historic Millyard. With many restaurants, a minor league baseball team, an airport, and an entertainment arena, there is no shortage of things to occupy one’s time.

Successful candidates will be able to assist the college in advancing its Catholic identity and strategic priorities, which include institution-wide diversity and inclusiveness.