Dean, Widener Law Commonwealth (WLC) Harrisburg, PA
Company: Widener University
Location: Harrisburg
Posted on: January 16, 2023
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Job Description:
Application Procedure
Nominations and applications (letters of interest, resume/CV and
contact information of at least five references), or expressions of
interest should be submitted to Parker Executive Search, at the
e-mail addresses below. Review of materials will continue until the
appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations
and applications be submitted by November 21, 2022.
Porsha Williams, Vice President
Erin Raines, Senior Principal
Parker Executive Search
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770-804-1996 ext. 109 - 770-804-1996 ext. 117
About Widener Law Commonwealth (WLC)
WLC is a small, close-knit, collegial law school committed, above
all, to our students' success. WLC's supportive community of
teachers, staff, and alumni is dedicated to providing our students
with a personal, practical, and professional legal education. We
work together to provide an education that values each individual
student and emphasizes individual attention. Our goal is to
transform promising students into skilled lawyers-whether in
government or in the private sector-who know the law and use the
law to solve problems, and who are engaged as leaders in their
communities. We view as crucial to this mission a dedication to
excellent and innovative teaching, engagement in scholarship that
enriches our teaching and the development of the law, and
participation in public service. These activities-teaching,
scholarship, and service-enrich the institution and provide models
for students in their personal, practical, and professional
development.
WLC is the only law school in Pennsylvania's capital, and takes
pride in its connections with Pennsylvania state government. WLC's
Law and Government Institute brings policymakers to students and
prepares students for careers in public service. The Environmental
Law and Sustainability Center and the Business Advising Program
similarly take advantage of WLC's connection to state government in
ensuring that our students are not only prepared to counsel clients
but to lead in reforming the law and advancing justice.
WLC's students reflect diverse experiences and backgrounds; 36% of
students in the 2022 entering class are from historically
underrepresented backgrounds (including 10% Black, 17%
Hispanic/Latino, 8% Asian, and 1% Indigenous), and 16% are LGBTQ+.
One-third of our students are the first in their families to attend
college and 86% are the first in their families to attend law
school. WLC is proud of its extended division, which, since the
school's opening in 1989, has provided an opportunity for dedicated
students to pursue a law degree while balancing other work and
family responsibilities; many extended-division students come to
WLC several years after college, bringing experiences gained from
time in other careers.
WLC is located in a serene suburban community a short drive from
the State Capitol in downtown Harrisburg. Harrisburg's low cost of
living and ample recreational opportunities, including the
Appalachian Trail and the Susquehanna River, make it an ideal
location for work-life balance. Central Pennsylvania-situated less
than two hours from Philadelphia and Baltimore and three and
one-half hours from Pittsburgh and New York City-brings together a
dynamic mix of communities and industry, including charming
Lancaster County and the birthplace of the world-famous Hershey
chocolate factory. The successful candidate will strengthen
relationships between WLC and its neighboring communities.
Because Widener Law Commonwealth is located on a standalone campus,
the Dean will exercise extraordinary responsibility in areas not
typically in a dean's portfolio, including facilities, campus
safety, information technology, and other operational areas.
Although the Dean has daily engagement with these matters, they are
formally managed by subject-matter experts at the Chester
Campus.
Desired Qualities and Characteristics
The Dean will be the chief administrative officer of WLC. The Dean
will advocate for WLC's interests and promote its mission in
interactions with multiple constituencies, including students,
faculty, university administration, alumni, ABA, AALS, and the
public. Accordingly, it is essential that the Dean be dedicated to,
and adept at, communicating with a variety of audiences, in both
formal and informal ways. Personal interaction with students,
faculty, and staff on a nearly daily basis is essential, and the
Dean must be approachable by-and value the contributions of-all the
diverse voices at WLC. Applicants should have a leadership style
that emphasizes consensus-building and transparency, as well as
demonstrated appreciation and support for shared governance.
There is a significant opportunity for donors to have a positive
impact on WLC by providing assistance with student success in law
school and on the bar exam, as well as for faculty scholarship and
public service. The Dean should have a strong entrepreneurial
spirit and should be a strong and effective advocate for the law
school in communicating these needs and in explaining why the law
school and its students are worthy of investment.
Additionally, the Dean must strive to raise WLC's profile among
potential students and the legal community, so as to recruit
talented students; to provide them exceptional opportunities like
meaningful internships, externships, and student activities while
at WLC; and to assist them in obtaining permanent employment upon
graduation.
The successful candidate must possess a J.D. or a comparable
degree; an established record as an exceptional teacher and scholar
or comparable professional achievement meriting appointment as a
tenured professor; significant administrative experience;
significant fundraising experience or comparable experience
indicating the ability to be a successful fundraiser; outstanding
communication and leadership skills; and the ability to relate
effectively to a variety of internal and external
constituencies.
About Widener University
As the university celebrates more than 200 years of excellence,
we're making history-reflecting on our storied past and looking
toward an even-brighter future. We respond with agility and resolve
to the challenges of our time, ensuring our students' success with
timely guidance and innovative solutions.
Our Mission
Empowering our community of learners to discover and create better
futures.
Our Values
Widener University is committed to the core values of respect,
integrity, and excellence, to which we hold ourselves
accountable.
Our Guiding Principles
We're all Widener. In the core of our culture lies a powerful
commitment to respect, mutual understanding, and unity. We take
great pride in being a welcoming and inclusive community-one that
celebrates the value and dignity of each individual, and weaves
together a rich diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and
perspectives.
The Widener experience is distinguished by dynamic teaching, active
scholarship, personal attention, experiential learning, and
industry-specific leadership development. We are dedicated to
engaging our students in transformational opportunities that
broaden their worldview and prepare them for the world and the
workforce.
These values are reflected in rigorous academic expectations and
high-impact educational practices that promote student engagement
and learning. Whether seeking a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral
degree, Widener students elevate their learning through intensive,
collaborative, community-based experiences-at home and abroad.
Strategy and Building for the Future
Building on a bold vision and significant institutional momentum,
the university launched a transformative process in 2019-to think
about the future of everything we do and to reimagine student
support services to meet the demands of a radically shifting world.
A clear strategy emerged from this work: a focus on institutional
nimbleness and the enhancement of the student experience we call
"Agility Experienced." Like its development, the implementation of
our strategy is dynamic and bold, with a focus on leveraging the
tenets of design thinking and user experience. A metaphor that has
become fundamental to our work is that the people of Widener build
with "LEGO blocks" rather than "poured concrete."
In short, through clear-eyed assessment and flexible thinking, we
will maximize agility and continuous improvement.
This Agility Experienced strategy is constantly enlarged and
reinforced as we enact it everywhere and invite ideas and examples
from across the university. As the people and departments of
Widener achieve the potential of Agility Experienced, we'll
increase our capacity to adapt to rapid change and to position the
university for continued success.
Academics
The university's seven schools and colleges offer associate's,
bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as professional
certificate programs.
* Widener Law Commonwealth
* Delaware Law School
* The College of Arts and Sciences
* The College of Health and Human Services
* The School of Nursing
* The School of Business Administration
* The School of Engineering
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Advancing a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion is a major
priority at Widener University. Under the ethos We're All Widener,
the university community unites to engage in difficult
conversations, rethink curriculum and policy, and take action to
deepen understanding and respect within our community. In the wake
of recent nationwide discussions centered on diversity, equity, and
inclusion, Widener has:
We have made significant and measurable progress through changes in
leadership, processes and procedures, professional development,
curriculum, faculty diversity, and student outcomes. While we are
proud of this momentum, our work continues.
Campuses
Widener has three campuses. The Chester, Pennsylvania campus houses
the majority of all undergraduate and graduate programs. The
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania campus houses the Commonwealth Law School
as well as a satellite program for the School of Nursing. The
Wilmington, Delaware campus houses the Delaware Law School.
Keywords: Widener University, Harrisburg , Dean, Widener Law Commonwealth (WLC) Harrisburg, PA, Other , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
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