Dean, College of Education

Fayetteville State University located in Fayetteville NC and a constituent institution of the prestigious University of North Carolina system is seeking a strategic visionary thoughtful and community building leader to serve as the Dean of the College of Education.

About Fayetteville State University

Founded in 1867 Fayetteville State University (FSU; University) is a public comprehensive historically Black university and is the second oldest state assisted institution in North Carolina. Since 1972 FSU has been one of 17 institutions within the broader UNC System.

Situated on a scenic campus of more 156 acres FSU serves a diverse student population and is known for its strong commitment to academic excellence community engagement and social mobility. FSU offers robust and innovative degree programs rooted in the liberal arts tradition. The university advances knowledge through the integration of teaching learning research and public service. FSU strives to meet the educational career and personal aspirations of its students from rural military and other diverse backgrounds so that they are equipped with academic and practical knowledge to serve local state national and global communities as enlightened citizens globally astute leaders and engaged solution creators.

The University offers a wide range of undergraduate graduate and certificate programs through its colleges and schools including programs in business education social work nursing psychology criminal justice intelligence studies and the sciences. FSU has many nationally ranked academic programs including the school of nursing and online addition to exceptional pre-professional programs FSU has a proud tradition in the arts humanities and social sciences. FSU also touts phenomenal Army and Air Force ROTC programs that annually develop students into nationally ranked cadets prepared to lead successfully in the US military.

FSU emphasizes small class sizes personalized instruction and faculty mentorship. Students benefit from research opportunities internships leadership development and community service initiatives that prepare them for professional success and civic responsibility. The University also provides flexible learning options including online and hybrid programs designed to meet the needs of working adults and non-traditional students.

Campus life at FSU is vibrant and student-centered featuring numerous student organizations Greek life cultural events and NCAA Division II athletics. The Broncos compete in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). With a strong legacy rooted in access and empowerment Fayetteville State University continues to advance its mission of transforming lives through education innovation and service.

Mission

Fayetteville State University a Historically Black College and University and the second oldest public university in North Carolina offers robust and innovative bachelors and masters degree programs rooted in the liberal arts tradition as well as the Doctor of Education. The university advances knowledge through the integration of teaching learning research and public service. FSU strives to meet the educational career and personal aspirations of its traditional and non-traditional students from rural military and other diverse backgrounds so that they are equipped with academic and practical knowledge to serve local state national and global communities as enlightened citizens globally astute leaders and engaged solution creators.

We accomplish our mission through:

A rigorous academic environment

A student-centered education

Dedicated staff and scholarly faculty

Specialized offerings and services to meet the needs of traditional online non-traditional and military affiliated students

Faculty and student engagement and partnerships with industry employers alumni and the community

Vision

Fayetteville State University the second oldest public university in North Carolina and a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System will be the regional university of choice for students from rural military and other diverse backgrounds who are poised to become visionary leaders who transform communities states and nations.

Core Values

Integrity: Commitment to transparency

Flexibility and Adaptability: Producing career and life-ready global citizens

Shared Governance: Engaging all members of the university community in decision making

Collaborations and Partnerships: Strengthening relationships among alumni community and other stakeholders

Innovation: Creatively pursuing excellence in organizational endeavors

Cultural Connectivity: Preserving the Universitys HBCU legacy and pride

Fast Facts About FSU

Academics

Colleges:

o Broadwell College of Business and Economics (BCBE)

o College of Education (COE)

o Lloyd College of Health Science and Technology (CHST)

o College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS)

Student to faculty ratio is 21:1

40 bachelors degrees; 9 masters degrees; 1 doctoral degree

19 undergraduate and 7 graduate online degree programs; 16 online degree completion programs

2 ROTC Programs (Air Force and Army)

Most popular majors: business pre-health and psychology.

Students

7700 students

67% are female

77% are commuter students

33% are military-affiliated

46% are older than 24

86% are in-state residents

Faculty

271 full-time teaching faculty

115 part-time faculty

52% female

80% of full-time faculty hold doctoral or first professional degrees

Campus & Facilities

Founded in 1867

Mid-size university in Fayetteville NC

Main campus is 156 acres

For more information about FSU please visit

Points of Pride

Institutional and College Accreditations

SASCOC: Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

AACSB: Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business - Broadwell College of Business and Economics

CAEP: Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation-College of Education

Programmatic Accreditations

ABET: Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology - Computer Science

CCNE: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education - Nursing

CSWE: Council of Social Work Education - Social Work

FEPAC: Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission - Forensic Science. FSUs Forensic Science program is the only program in NC with FEPAC accreditation.

NAEYC: National Accreditation for the Education of Young Children - Birth to Kindergarten

NASAD: National Association of Art and Design - Art

NASM: National Association of Schools of Music - Music

NCSBN: National Council of State Boards of Nursing

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report 2025-2026

#1 HBCU Nursing Program in North Carolina (Best Colleges 2025)

#14 Top Performers on Social Mobility National (Best Colleges 2026 Edition)

#17 Top Performers on Social Mobility South Region (Best Colleges 2025)

#25 Best HBCU in the Nation (Best Colleges 2025)

#26 Best Colleges for Veterans Regional South (Best Colleges 2025)

Forbes Advisor 2025

#9 Best Online HBCU in the Nation

Online MBA Today

#5 Best Online MBA Programs at HBCUs

The Princeton Review 2027

#20 Top Online MBA Program in the Nation

Affordability Rankings

#1 Most Affordable Online Psychology Program in the Country ()

#1 Most Affordable Online Criminal Justice Program in the Country ()

#1 Best Colleges in North Carolina Overall (Best Value Schools)

#4 Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina in 2026 ()

#6 Most Affordable Public University for In-State Students in the Country ()

#7 Best Value Colleges in 2026 in America ()

Other Rankings

#1 Top HBCU Nursing Programs for 2026

About Fayetteville NC

The City of Fayetteville is the seat of Cumberland County NC. With a population of approximately 208000 Fayetteville is the sixth largest city in the state. Fayetteville is adjacent to Fort Bragg the largest military installation by population in the world with over 50000 active-duty personnel and another 15000 civilian employees and home to the U.S. Armys 82nd Airborne and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Approximately 7000 soldiers transition annually many choosing to stay in the area. Ft Bragg also infuses about $4.5 billion a year into the regions economy.

Lockheed Martin Boeing Northrop Grumman General Dynamics and L-3 Communications are all recognized as top ten American defense contractors located in Fayetteville. Other notable employers include the Cape Fear Valley Health System the Cumberland County Public School System and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

Located 50 miles away from Raleigh and less than 100 miles away from Wilmington and the Atlantic Ocean Fayetteville is within driving distance of many of the beaches mountains and cities in the coastal South. Fayetteville also has a regional airport that connects residents and visitors to the world through Charlotte and Atlanta.

Fayetteville has been recognized four times as an All-American City by the National Civic League and is known as a community of History Heroes and a Hometown Feeling. Fayetteville has a variety of tourist attractions and museums such as the Airborne & Special Operations Museum the Fayetteville Transportation Museum and the Cape Fear Historical Museum. Residents and tourists can also enjoy hiking through Cape Fear River trails strolling through Veterans Park and the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens stepping back in time in the revitalized downtown historic district or visiting Segra Stadium to cheer on the Fayetteville Woodpeckers a minor league baseball team. Fayettevilles Marksmen hockey Mustangs football Fury soccer and Stingers basketball also provide options for sports and entertainment.

For more information about Fayetteville please visit:

The College of Education

The College of Education (COE) at FSU is committed to preparing highly qualified educators and leaders who are competent committed and caring. The College supports academic excellence through innovation in teaching research and service and addresses the educational needs of diverse and underrepresented populations especially in rural and underserved communities.

The commitment of the College is to prepare facilitators of learning and other school personnel who:

demonstrate caring dispositions

practice ethical responsibility

are knowledgeable and reflective

use research to expand their knowledge base and make evidence-based decisions

rely on research-informed and science-based pedagogy

communicate effectively and proficiently with all students parents peers and administrators

respect all types of diversity and practice responsive pedagogy

incorporate technologies appropriately to enhance instruction learning research and data management

identify the characteristics of diverse families and communities and use that knowledge to help students learn achieve and succeed in life.

The College enjoys a proud heritage of preparing professionals who pursue rigorous outcomes-focused pedagogy while being sensitive and responsive to the diverse needs of students parents and the community. Graduates from our programs are employed throughout the state and nation. Our education alumni demonstrate that they have the knowledge skills and disposition to be effective P-16 practitioners and can teach diverse populations in a variety of educational settings. The College is successful in and guided by a strategic goal to effectively serve the children of Southeastern North Carolina and beyond.

Vision

We will build upon our College of Educations proud legacy of strong undergraduate and graduate academic programs designed to prepare effective high-quality teachers principals and other educational leaders. Our vision is to produce professionals who will positively impact the lives all students and their schools; local regional and state educational agencies; communities and families; and educational support organizations.

Our Mission

Our College of Education prepares knowledgeable reflective and caring professionals in the fields of education research and service. Our highly qualified faculty ensure that our candidates participate in prescribed activities cutting edge instructional practices offered through multiple modes of delivery on-going assessments and field-based internships. As a result our completers have the knowledge skills and dispositions to support student learning within a framework of family and community and are able to participate in a diverse technological and global society. The COE proudly prepares transformational educators and leaders through licensure only options and degrees at the bachelors masters and doctoral levels for the southeastern region of the state nation and the global community.

For more information about the FSU College of Education please visit: the Dean

As the chief academic officer of the College of Education the dean serves as the academic leader of the College and therefore must have credentials appropriate to be awarded tenure at the rank of professor in a department within the University. The dean represents the College to the University and other constituents and must be able to effectively communicate the vision and goals of the College to the University and the outside community and in turn must be able to accurately communicate the Universitys concerns to the College. The dean manages the Colleges resources and must be able to do so in a fair and equitable consultation with department chairs the dean has the primary responsibility and authority for:

Developing and articulating a vision and strategic plan that support the particular goals of the College and the broader goals of the University.

Articulating the budgetary needs of the College managing the budget allotted prioritizing allocations maintaining accurate records of expenditures and ensuring adherence to university fiscal policies and procedures.

Overseeing all personnel matters involving academic and non-academic employees including formulating performance criteria and monitoring their applicability to unit personnel during hiring tenure promotion retention and performance evaluation processes; recommending special assignments to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and ensuring that faculty in the College are fully engaged in departmental and general faculty duties.

Providing a key communication link between the University administration and both faculty and students for purposes of information sharing as well as mediation when necessary.

Promoting excellence in teaching research and service to include coordinating the assessment and development of academic programs and research scholarship and service agendas within the College.

Facilitating collaborative relationships and partnerships between external stakeholders in the education profession and the College of Education faculty staff and students to support continuous improvement for the education research and service needs of the region state nation and global connections.

Acting as a mentor and facilitator for the department chairs as they carry out their duties.

Evaluating department chairs associate dean and other direct reports according to university policy.

Serving on university committees as requested by the Provost/ Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Chancellor; coordinating development advancement and fundraising activities at the College level and promoting and participating in University-level fundraising; and promoting the visibility of the College in the region state and nation.

Completing other duties as assigned by the Provost/Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chancellor.

Qualifications

An earned Ph.D. or Ed.D.

Prior Pre-K-12 and/or higher education teaching experience.

Prior higher education administrative experience.

A record of scholarship/research and service at the higher education level.

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Strong technology skills.

Experience in directed research of undergraduate and graduate students.

Tenured at the Full Professor level.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Comprehensive knowledge of pre-K-to-12 education including instruction operations organizational structures budgeting accreditation public relations and other related areas.

Thorough knowledge of the processes requirements and standards of agencies that accredit postsecondary educator preparation programs.

Extensive knowledge of postsecondary education to include budgeting assessment organizational structures faculty recruitment and retention instruction and academic support.

Comprehensive knowledge of assessment in higher education.

Practical knowledge of technology tools that are used in the functioning of higher education institutions.

Excellent communication skills that enable the Dean to articulate the visions mission and needs of the College of Education and the University to multiple internal and external constituencies.

Strong organizational and interpersonal skills needed to manage a multi-unit multi-disciplinary academic unit.

Effective budget management skills to include allocation of funds based on strategic priorities promotion of operational efficiencies and development of thorough and accurate budget reporting.

Ability to build consensus and collegiality among faculty and staff with disparate interests and sometimes competing demands.

Ability to evaluate staff to promote ongoing professional development.

Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.

Applications Nominations and Expressions of Interest

To make a nomination provide a referral or for additional information please use the contact information below. While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed interested individuals are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible for full consideration as review of submitted materials will begin immediately. The ideal start date is early February 2027.

To apply please submit a resume and/or vita and cover letter to:

Martin Baker Partner & Practice Leader Buffkin / Baker

Ken Carrick Partner Buffkin / Baker

Janny DeLoache Associate Partner Buffkin / Baker

Fayetteville State University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and employment and does not discriminate against applicants students or employees based on race color national origin religion sex gender identity sexual orientation age disability genetic information National Guard or veteran status. Moreover Fayetteville State University values diversity and actively seeks to recruit talented students faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds.