SUBR | Dean of the Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College

SUBR | Dean of the Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College | Position: Full-Time Unclassified | Salary: $110,000 - $120,000 | Application Deadline: March 13, 2026

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Dean of the Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the Honors College. The Dean provides visionary leadership in fostering academic excellence, student achievement, faculty engagement, and innovative programming. The Dean is responsible for shaping the academic, cultural, and professional experiences of Honors Students, building a vibrant intellectual community, and advancing the reputation of the Honors College at the institutional, state, and national levels.

Honors College students are expected to undertake a more rigorous curriculum than other students, as many pursue graduate and professional schools. Students are required to complete a substantive research thesis and successfully defend it. Accordingly, the Dean must demonstrate a strong commitment to research excellence, undergraduate scholarship, and the preparation of Honors Students for advanced study and competitive professional careers. The role requires scholarly credibility and leadership in mentoring students through research design, thesis development, and academic dissemination.

The Dean will play a critical role in advancing Southern University and A&M College’s Carnegie R2 research classification by strengthening undergraduate research pipelines, increasing student participation in high-impact research and creative inquiry, and cultivating a culture of scholarly excellence consistent with national honors education standards. The Dean is expected to align Honors College programming with best practices of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and comparable high-impact honors programs nationwide.

The Dean is expected to advance measurable research and scholarly outcomes, including increasing student-authored publications, conference presentations, faculty-student co-authorships, external fellowship and scholarship awards, and participation in grant-funded research. These outcomes should contribute directly to Southern University and A&M College’s institutional research productivity, graduate and professional school placement rates, and long-term R2 trajectory goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership & Administration

• Provide strategic vision and overall management of the Honors College, including academic programming, operations, personnel, budget, and assessment.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate policies, procedures, and initiatives that strengthen the Honors College.
• Advocate for honors education within the university and externally.
• Ensure alignment of Honors College goals with institutional strategic priorities, including student success, research productivity, and workforce readiness.

Academic Programs & Student Success

• Oversee curriculum design, program development, and delivery of honors courses, seminars, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Support recruitment, retention, progression, and completion of high-achieving students.
• Foster a student-centered environment that encourages critical thinking, leadership, service, and undergraduate research.
• Develop and oversee structured undergraduate research and thesis mentorship pathways that prepare students for competitive graduate and professional programs and nationally competitive fellowships and scholarships (e.g., NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Goldwater, Fulbright, Truman, and Rhodes).
• Ensure that Honors Students receive rigorous academic preparation and individualized mentoring for research, graduate and professional school admission, and professional career placement.

Faculty & Staff Engagement

• Recruit, support, and collaborate with faculty in designing and teaching honors courses.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and professional development opportunities for Honors College faculty and staff.
• Promote faculty-student collaborative research, creative inquiry, and scholarly dissemination.
• Encourage faculty engagement in mentoring honors theses, research projects, and fellowship preparation.

Partnerships & Outreach

• Cultivate partnerships and collaborations across colleges, departments, and external organizations to expand opportunities for Honors Students.
• Build relationships with alumni, donors, and community stakeholders to enhance support and funding.
• Represent the Honors College at university, state, national, and international levels.
• Align Honors College programming with Louisiana Board of Regents priorities related to workforce development, graduate and professional school readiness, STEM talent pipelines, and high-impact educational practices.

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Lead efforts to secure external funding through grants, corporate partnerships, philanthropy, and alumni engagement.
• Manage and expand scholarships, fellowships, and enrichment funds for Honors Students.
• Support development of funding pipelines for undergraduate research, thesis support, and fellowship preparation initiatives.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• An earned doctorate from an accredited institution.
• A record of distinguished teaching, scholarship, and service.
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible academic administrative experience.
• Demonstrated experience in academic program development, student success initiatives, and faculty engagement.
• Strong skills in communication, collaboration, strategic planning, and fiscal management.
• Demonstrated record of research, scholarly productivity, and experience mentoring undergraduate research or honors theses, or related experience.
• Experience preparing high-achieving students for graduate, professional, or research-intensive career pathways.
• Evidence of leading programs that produced measurable student research outcomes, graduate or professional school placement, or nationally competitive fellowship success.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in honors education, gifted/talented programming, or high-achieving student populations.
• Proven success in fundraising, external partnerships, or grant development.
• Familiarity with accreditation standards, assessment practices, and continuous improvement processes.
• Demonstrated success in building or leading undergraduate research initiatives that contribute to institutional research productivity, student scholarly output, and R2/R1 trajectory goals.
• Experience aligning academic programs with national honors education standards and best practices (e.g., NCHC).

This is a 12-month administrative appointment.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants must complete a Southern University employment application.

External applicants can apply here.

Current Southern University employees should apply here.

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE:

• A cover letter detailing experience and alignment with the role.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume highlighting expertise and accomplishments.
• Transcripts (official or unofficial).
• Three (3) professional letters of recommendation.

Point of Contact:

Ms. Kim Butler

Office of Academic Affairs

Kim_butler@sus.edu 

A criminal background check and reference verification are required.

AAP/EEO Statement

In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other federal, state, and local laws, Southern University and A&M College forbids discriminating or harassing conduct that is based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in Uniformed Services, and all other categories protected by applicable state and federal laws. This commitment applies to but is not limited to decisions made concerning hiring and promotion, the administration of educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other college-administered programs. Discriminatory acts of any kind are strictly forbidden.