Currier House Faculty Dean - Military veterans preferred

Harvard University


Title: Currier House Faculty Dean

School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department_Area: Harvard College Dean's Office

Position Description: Harvard College's Faculty Deans-drawn from across the university - oversee all aspects of House Life. They live in the House and work closely with an Allston Burr Resident Dean who supports the academic and personal well-being of its students. Houses are staffed by approximately 20 resident tutors (graduate students or working professionals) who advise and support undergraduate students. Tutors generally provide academic or career advice to 18-40 students in their entryway and may also contribute specialized expertise to build community in the House or support students planning for post-graduate life. A House Administrator provides administrative, financial, operational, and programmatic support to the Faculty Deans; a Building Manager and a team of custodians and security officers maintain and secure the physical facilities; a Dining Manager oversees dining operations and the team assigned to each House by Dining Services; and the Resident Dean is supported by an Academic Coordinator. In many Houses, House Aides and Resident Scholars provide additional administrative and programming support to Faculty Deans.

Faculty Deans are responsible for setting a tone for the House that is consistent with the College's mission and, through personal example and the appointment and supervision of tutors, staff, and faculty affiliates, for promoting active engagement and respect for all members of the community. To be effective, Faculty Deans must be visibly present in the House and ensure that the Houses function as intellectual, as well as social, centers of the undergraduate experience. Faculty Deans are first and foremost teachers, adept at listening to students' concerns and often engaging in discussion about University policies. They serve as an important advisory group for the Dean of the College, the Dean of the Faculty, and - in some instances - the President of the University.

Specific roles include the following: Faculty Deans preside over ceremonial occasions including awarding diplomas at Commencement and welcoming incoming sophomores and returning upperclassmen each year; host special dinners for students; hire and oversee House staff including the Resident Dean, House Administrator, Academic Coordinator, and resident tutors; support the work of the Resident Dean on all matters pertaining to student safety and individual student well-being; manage the House budget; set and maintain House policies on community standards and student conduct in keeping with the Harvard College Handbook for Students; supervise resident tutors; advise and support students; and act as conscientious stewards of the House's physical plant and cultural assets. In addition, the Faculty Deans are expected to attend monthly Faculty Deans' meetings led by the Dean of the College to ensure a consistent Harvard experience among undergraduates and to share "best practices," and they serve on College and University committees to represent the undergraduate experience. Faculty Deans generally agree that the ability to develop an esprit de corps among tutors and staff toward a common goal of developing House community is more effective than a top-down management style. Enthusiasm for spending time with young people and sharing the journey with some of the most interesting and talented College students in the world is described as the most important perquisite of the position.

Faculty Deans report to the Dean of the College and work closely with the Dean of Students and other senior College leadership. Appointments are made by the Dean of the College, in consultation with the House search committees and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Faculty Deans must be tenured Harvard University professors (including Professors in Residence), and the position assumes a Faculty Dean appointment for the Harvard professor's partner but single faculty members are eligible to serve. Faculty Dean appointments are coterminous with the primary Harvard affiliation, and the partner's appointment is dependent on the Harvard professor's appointment as Faculty Dean.

Faculty Deans are appointed for a term of 5 years, beginning July 1 of the year they are appointed. A moderate stipend, housing, and a meal plan for the Faculty Deans and members of their immediate family are provided. There is no reduction in course load or other academic responsibilities for the faculty member. Faculty Deans can request renewal for a second (and final) 5-year term in the penultimate year of their first term, following an extensive, successful House review. Each year, information about the success of their tenure is also collected via a student House survey, a report of House activities by the Faculty Deans, and a review of the Faculty Deans' participation in college affairs generally in order to lay the groundwork for an annual performance conversation with the Dean of the College, who is responsible for assessing the Faculty Deans' effectiveness in managing the House. When warranted, in the case of significant problems, Houses may be subject to a climate review, consistent with the FAS policy regarding academic departments.

Basic Qualifications: Faculty Deans must be tenured Harvard University professors (including Professors in Residence), and the position assumes a Faculty Dean appointment for the Harvard professor's partner.


Special Instructions: Each applicant must include a CV and cover letter/statement of interest with their application.

Contact Information: Any questions can be directed to Katie Fortunato, Director of Faculty Dean Operations, in the Harvard College Dean's Office.

Contact Email: kfortunato@fas.harvard.edu





Supplemental Questions: Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * What is the name of your co-applicant/partner (if applicable)?
   (Open Ended Question)

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