The Search
The University of Connecticut (UConn), one of the nation’s leading public research universities, seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as the Dean of its College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR or the College), and Director of the Connecticut Cooperative Extension System and the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station. UConn seeks candidates who have a comprehensive resume of success in academic leadership roles and who can demonstrate exceptional skills and experience that will enable them to lead a research and educational enterprise across multiple campuses. For the past decade, the University has been on a remarkable journey of expansion and growth. By every measure, from student success to research grants, UConn has enhanced its standing. Today, UConn is ranked among the top public research universities nationwide. As the chief executive officer for CAHNR, the Dean will set the standard of intellectual engagement and accomplishment for the College.
The Dean will provide strategic vision and operational leadership to all aspects of the academic and scholarly program, setting priorities for the College and guiding it toward strategic goals of enhancing scholarship, promoting research and outreach, and providing exceptional undergraduate and graduate education in an academic setting with a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff. In consultation with University officials, the Dean will appoint endowed faculty chairs and professorships and increase faculty awards and fellowships. The Dean is the College’s chief advocate, promoting its goals and achievements, leading its development and fund-raising activities, and speaking for its mission of excellence in scholarship, teaching, and Extension outreach. Supporting the University’s research mission, the Dean will advance the scholarly activities of the faculty, including interdisciplinary opportunities. The Dean will also be the College’s public voice, promoting collegiate initiatives within UConn and across the state, articulating the College’s contributions at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels. In pursuing these responsibilities, the Dean, who reports to the Provost, will work collaboratively with the President and Provost, and with Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, other Deans, and Department Heads.
The successful candidate will be a nationally recognized, self-assured, entrepreneurial leader prepared to extend and expand the sense of pride, of purpose, and of excellence already characteristic of UConn and CAHNR. With experience in a research university, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated success as an educator, a researcher committed to the search for new knowledge, a skilled administrator, and someone able to imagine new possibilities for the College.
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut is one of the top public research universities in the nation, with faculty and students pursuing answers to critical questions in labs, lecture halls, and the community. Knowledge exploration throughout the University’s network of campuses is united by a culture of innovation.
Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. The University is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes seven campuses across the state: Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, and Waterbury, the Law School in Hartford, and UConn Health in Farmington. UConn has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including more than 24,000 undergraduates and nearly 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn faculty are recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarship, teaching, and creativity, advancing discovery across disciplines. UConn’s dedicated staff provide the expertise and support that sustain the University’s mission and advance institutional achievement.
The total budget of UConn and UConn Health for 2024 was approximately $3.2 billion, and the current value of its endowment is more than $634 million. The University receives over $368.1 million in research awards and is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE). The University has approximately 290,000 alumni worldwide. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective. Student demand continues to increase, as does the number of honor students, valedictorians, and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. UConn’s retention rate is among the best for public universities in the nation, with 92 percent of students returning for their sophomore year.
The University of Connecticut is dedicated to excellence demonstrated through national and international recognition. Through freedom of academic inquiry and expression, UConn creates and disseminates knowledge by means of scholarly and creative achievements, graduate and professional education, and outreach. With a focus on teaching and learning, the University helps every student grow intellectually and become a contributing member of the state, national, and world communities. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn promotes the health and well-being of Connecticut’s citizens through enhancing the social, economic, cultural and natural environments of the state and beyond.
In 2024, the University adopted its strategic plan, Envisioning 2034, with three major goals: promoting holistic student success, expanding research impact, and powering a thriving Connecticut. To learn more, visit https://strategicplan.uconn.edu/.
The College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources
The College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR) is located on UConn’s Storrs campus with teaching, research, and extension activities reaching across the state. CAHNR faculty, staff, and students explore the interrelationships among food, natural resources, and human and animal health, seeking to connect them in a manner that is economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
The College evolved from the original Storrs Agricultural School, established in 1881. As Connecticut’s Land Grant University, UConn has federal and state mandates to carry out the tripartite mission of teaching, research, and outreach education. As such, CAHNR is the home of UConn Extension, part of the national Cooperative Extension System. UConn Extension reaches over 175,000 residents through over 500 programs, connecting with communities in all 169 of Connecticut’s cities and towns.
The College consists of eight academic departments (Agricultural and Resource Economics, Allied Health Sciences, Animal Science, Kinesiology, Natural Resources and the Environment, Nutritional Sciences, Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, and Plant Science and Landscape Architecture), offering 17 undergraduate majors and 23 undergraduate minors, along with many PhD, MS, professional, and graduate certificate programs. It is also the home of innovative interdisciplinary research and clinical centers including:
• Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR)
• Center of Excellence for Vaccine Research (CEVR)
• Connecticut Food Innovation Center
• Connecticut Institute of Water Resources (CT IWR)
• Connecticut State Climate Center
• Institute for Sports Medicine
• Korey Stringer Institute
• Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy
CAHNR has a $35 million annual budget, 194 full-time faculty, and 111 staff. Undergraduate enrollment is approximately 2,400; graduate and professional enrollment is around 520. The Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station administers the College’s research programs, including competitive capacity grants.
CAHNR’s research portfolio is broad in scope, with faculty in each of its departments supported by extensive extramural funding programs. Annual research expenditures for CAHNR are approximately $40 million. The faculty includes internationally renowned scholars across the disciplines in fields ranging from traditional agricultural to natural resources and health sciences. Increasingly, exciting new areas of research are emerging at the intersection of departments, as faculty pursue collaborative work that brings together multiple methods of inquiry. These interdisciplinary interests and opportunities are further catalyzing collaborations between CAHNR faculty and colleagues from other colleges, schools, centers, and institutes throughout the University.
The Leadership Charge
CAHNR is a unique college amongst its peer set, borne out of an important heritage and mission. It is the oldest college at UConn, and the College serves a state known more for its burgeoning local, sustainable agriculture and cutting-edge environmental protection than for traditional, large-scale agribusiness.
As such, CAHNR has grown to become a diversified, modern college that addresses a broad set of pressing issues, from food production to the natural environment to health outcomes in humans and animals. The faculty at UConn CAHNR are deeply committed to research and to their students and, given its breadth and collaborative approach, the College addresses the crucial interconnectivity of these challenges through the adoption and promotion of a One Health approach. Likewise, because of its mission to serve the state of Connecticut, the College is an important, necessary influencer and actor in Connecticut’s agriculture, its environmental protection, and its economy.
Given the changing landscape of the state and national economy, the environment, and higher education, the College must continue to innovate. The Dean will lead the College in that evolution, drawing from all assets of the enterprise, from the College to the extension system to the experiment station. From the development of new programs, to attracting new sources of extramural funding, to encouraging more cross-disciplinary collaboration, the Dean will work with the faculty and staff to continue the College’s evolution to address some of the most pressing issues facing society.
UConn will welcome a Dean who thrives on innovation and the challenges and opportunities of developing, organizing, and managing new initiatives. The Dean will articulate a vision for the College, defining its role in research and teaching within the University community, the state, and the nation. From that vision, the Dean will shape the organization and, with the faculty, configure, create, and grow programs and attract a student body to realize their success.
The Position
Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs for all matters, the Dean is the chief academic and administrative officer of CAHNR, responsible for providing strategic vision and operational leadership to all aspects of the academic and scholarly program. The Dean also serves as the Director of both the Connecticut Cooperative Extension System and the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station.
The Dean oversees faculty appointments, along with the promotion, tenure, and review process in CAHNR. The Dean has administrative responsibility for undergraduate education and, in partnership with the Dean of the Graduate School, for graduate education within the College. The Dean is also responsible for implementation of academic rules and regulations, academic advising, promotion of academic integrity, faculty staffing and development, research activities, management of academic resources, oversight of academic departments, interdisciplinary centers and institutes, and other academic activities within the College.
Reporting to the Dean are the Associate Dean of Academic Programs and Director of the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture, the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, the Associate Dean for Extension, and the College’s nine department heads (eight academic departments and Extension). In addition, the Dean’s office is staffed by the CAHNR Communications Office, CAHNR Business Office, IT Specialist, Director of Alumni Relations and Development, and the Dean’s Executive Assistant.
The Dean will lead the College in promoting an innovative research environment and educational programs. The Dean assists the President and Provost in representing the University on matters related to its core missions of research, education, and outreach. The Dean is also responsible for careful stewardship of the College’s financial and physical resources, ensuring that budgets are managed effectively, resources are aligned with strategic priorities, and opportunities are pursued to strengthen the College’s long-term sustainability in a challenging fiscal environment. The Dean partners with the UConn Foundation to ensure robust fundraising and alumni relations. The successful candidate will be a nationally recognized, strong, self-assured, entrepreneurial leader able to infuse UConn CAHNR with a sense of pride, of purpose, and of excellence.
Key Responsibilities
• Provide visionary leadership for CAHNR’s academic departments, research centers, and extension programs, advancing excellence in teaching, research, and outreach across agriculture, health, and natural resources.
• Steward CAHNR’s financial, human, and physical resources effectively, ensuring alignment with university priorities and supporting long-term growth and impact.
• Recruit, retain, and support an outstanding and diverse faculty, staff, and student body, fostering a climate of respect, collaboration, and inclusivity.
• Strengthen student recruitment, retention, and graduation outcomes by building pathways from K-12 and community colleges and ensuring high-quality, innovative undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Elevate CAHNR’s national and global reputation by highlighting its distinct strengths in food systems, health, environmental sustainability, and community engagement.
• Advance interdisciplinary initiatives with other UConn schools, colleges, and partners that address complex challenges in agriculture, health, and natural resources.
• Cultivate relationships with alumni, donors, industry, community organizations, and government agencies to support CAHNR’s mission and expand fundraising and partnership opportunities.
• Serve as a visible advocate for CAHNR within UConn and beyond, communicating the College’s contributions to the University’s land-grant mission of education, research, and service to the state, nation, and world.
Minimum Qualifications
• Credentials that merit appointment at the rank of tenured Professor or a current appointment at UConn at the rank of Professor in one of CAHNR’s academic departments, including a doctoral degree or other terminal degree in a field relevant to leadership in academic affairs and the College. Equivalent foreign degrees are acceptable.
• Progressively responsible leadership experience at a higher education institution, demonstrating knowledge of core management functions, straightforward experience with managing strategic priorities, and understanding and embracing University policies, guidance, best practices, and procedures.
• Success in building and executing a strategic and fiscally-sound academic budget.
• Solid track record in meeting a university mission with respect to enrollment, graduation, research, innovation, and fundraising.
Preferred Qualifications
• Background and experience pertinent to the wide-ranging programs of CAHNR, including a clear understanding of the academic vision of the University, the land-grant and sea-grant missions, and the College’s opportunities to deliver quality undergraduate, graduate, and extension education.
• Demonstrated capability to support research and extension at the student and faculty levels, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and secure extramural funding from state, federal, or foundation sources.
• Track record of nationally and globally recognized leadership in research and innovation, including membership in national academies.
• Proven ability to recruit, retain, and support highly desirable research and instructional faculty and staff in a competitive environment, and to motivate and manage professional and support staff effectively.
• A demonstrable track record of administrative leadership that includes managing complex budgets, allocating resources strategically, and aligning finances with mission and goals, while navigating the organizational and political realities of a major public research university.
• Experience as an agent of innovation and change, with the ability to imagine new possibilities for CAHNR, develop and articulate a vision, translate strategy into operational goals, and lead implementation across a complex organization.
• Strong business and political acumen, sound judgment, and skills in conflict resolution, consensus building, and effective advocacy for resources and priorities.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, including assessing needs, developing initiatives, and applying best practices to foster a supportive climate for all.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to develop, engage, and maintain constructive relationships with senior administrators, faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and advancement activities, including the ability to form and maintain partnerships with alumni, donors, industry, government, and community organizations to enhance visibility, impact, and revenue.
• Experience with outreach and engagement, and the capacity to represent CAHNR articulately and compellingly to external constituencies, enhancing its visibility and impact locally, nationally, and globally.
Appointment Terms
This is a full-time, 12-month, management-exempt position with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. The successful candidate may be considered for a 9-month, tenure-track academic appointment in one of the University’s schools/colleges.
This is a full-time position that will be performed on-site in Connecticut. Salary commensurate with experience with a generous benefits package.
Application Information
Parker Executive Search is assisting the University of Connecticut in the search for the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. The Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted before January 13, 2026. Please submit applications directly to Parker Executive Search. For additional information, please contact:
Porsha Williams, Vice President
Jacob Anderson, Senior Principal
Julia Butler-Mayes, Ph.D., Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875
Atlanta, GA 30328
(770) 804-1996 ext.: 111
pwilliams@parkersearch.com || janderson@parkersearch.com || jbutler-mayes@parkersearch.com
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics, which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.
All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.
The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.