Loyola Marymount University seeks a dynamic and visionary leader for the position of Dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts.  This college stands at the center of a comprehensive Catholic university whose mission is inspired by its Jesuit and Marymount founders. Loyola Marymount University includes the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Communication and Fine Arts, Science and Engineering, and the Schools of Education, Film and Television, and Law.  

Established in 1911 in the Catholic intellectual tradition, and shaped by the commitments of the University’s founding religious orders, the Society of Jesus and the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, LMU offers a diverse student body an education that springs from the core of the University’s mission: The encouragement of learning, the education of the whole person, the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Located on the west side of Los Angeles overlooking the Pacific Ocean, LMU is the most ethnically diverse of the nation’s 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and the five Marymount institutions. It serves 1899 graduate and 5746 undergraduate students. The University engages, and is shaped by, the most ethnically and religiously diverse city in the nation, Los Angeles.

As the largest college in the University, the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts has 14 departments, 22 majors and five graduate programs in Bioethics, English, Pastoral Theology, Philosophy and Theology.  The 151 tenured and tenure-track faculty members of the Bellarmine College teach the majority of the core curriculum and lead the University faculty in producing scholarly and creative works. The next Dean will build upon the recent achievements of the College which include, among others, the establishment of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles, the Huffington Ecumenical Institute, the Doshi Professorship in Indic Religions, and the Jewish Studies program.  Committed to a strategic plan entitled “Education that Transforms,” the Bellarmine College is in its second year of a five-year strategic plan that focuses on creating a vibrant and diverse intellectual climate marked by integrative and interdisciplinary learning.  In embracing the plan, the faculty aims to empower and prepare students to live and work in a global society. These aims and recent achievements of the Bellarmine College reflect the values and commitments of the University’s mission.

The Dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, as senior academic administrator, is a member of the Dean’s Council and reports directly to the Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Dean is responsible for donor development and fund raising for College endowed chairs, student scholarships, programs and new initiatives. Already underway is a capital campaign that has raised $15 million for these purposes. The Dean works closely with Chairs and Program Directors in hiring and assessing the teaching, research, scholarship, and service of faculty members. The Dean works closely with the Associate Deans in curriculum development, student advisement, and faculty development and support. The Dean oversees the annual budget of the College and reviews the annual budgets of the departments and programs. Providing overall leadership for the College, the Dean is collegial and welcoming to students, faculty, staff, fellow deans and administrators, alumni, donors, and community leaders.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a doctorate in a liberal arts discipline, a distinguished record of teaching and scholarship, and be eligible for hire at the rank of full professor.  The ideal candidate will be a visionary, goal-oriented and collaborative leader and have extensive administrative experience, specifically, at least four years experience as a chair, a dean, or a comparable administrative position with managerial and fiscal responsibility and the ability to engage in fund raising.  The ideal candidate will also have excellent interpersonal skills, will embrace the core commitments of the University’s mission, will actively promote academic excellence and enhance diversity in a learning community, and will build upon the strategic plan of the Bellarmine College. We welcome and encourage applications from members of traditionally underrepresented groups.

Applications: Nominations and applications are being accepted immediately and review will occur on a continuing basis beginning November 15, 2008. Applicants should submit a cover letter, a statement of interest that addresses the identified qualifications, a curriculum vitae and five references with contact information. Electronic submissions are very strongly encouraged. For additional information about Loyola Marymount University and the Bellarmine College visit: http://bellarmine.lmu.edu

Applications and nominations should be sent to:


Richard Plumb,
Dean, Seaver College of Science and Engineering,
Chair, Bellarmine College Dean's Search Committee
October 1, 2008