Dean of the School of Business Administration

Dean of the School of Business Administration

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY

When it chartered the University of Mississippi (UM) on February 24, 1844, the Mississippi Legislature laid the foundation for public higher education in the state. UM welcomed its first students in 1848 and for more than 175 years has served as Mississippi's flagship university, producing leaders in business, public service, academics and the professions. For 23 years, UM was Mississippi's only public institution of higher learning, and for 110 years, we were the state's only comprehensive university.

From our first class of 80 students, UM has grown to a doctoral degree-granting university with 15 academic divisions and more than 25,000 students, including more than 2,400 graduate students.Our main campus is acclaimed as one of the nation's most beautiful, and our location, the City of Oxford, is widely recognized as one of the nation's best college towns.

As an institution holding the Carnegie R1 designation for a university with very high research activity, UM is at the forefront of groundbreaking research. UM has also earned the Carnegie Classification for community engagement, collaborating and engaging with a range of community partners. Our success in research and innovation also makes us a driver of economic development in the state and region. Products developed right here on campus are making their way into the market.

Our Oxford campus includes the College of Liberal Arts; the Schools of Accountancy, Applied Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Journalism and New Media, Pharmacy, Law; and the Graduate School. Our Medical Center, in Jackson, is the state's only academic health science center and trains professionals in seven health science schools : medicine, nursing, dentistry, health related professions, graduate studies, population health and pharmacy. UM continues to expand academic courses and degree offerings on our regional campuses in Desoto, Tupelo, Grenada, Booneville, and Rankin.

Academic excellence is the cornerstone of our educational mission, and we are home to exceptionally strong programs, including nationally recognized Schools of Accountancy, Law and Pharmacy. Our Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action, is a vibrant and expansive program with enrollment exceeding 1,600 students.

The University of Mississippi has a strong history of supporting student success, as evidenced by the national scholarships they receive. UM and Vanderbilt each have 27 Rhodes Scholar recipients – tied for second in the SEC just behind the University of Texas with 30.

At UM, we are making significant investments in research facilities and infrastructure to support faculty research. These investments pay dividends in supporting enhanced offerings for students who will have a competitive edge in the marketplace. Our major recent initiatives to support academic excellence include the Institute for the Arts, the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom, the Center for Practical Ethics, Chinese and Arabic Flagship Programs, and a new home for the Patterson School of Accountancy. The Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation opened in the fall of 2024. The 202,000 square foot, $175 million state of the art facility is the largest construction project in the history of the university. It will be one of the nation's premier environments for STEM education, and it will enable our university to produce graduates who are more effective problem-solvers, team players, and innovators with technical skills that are essential for our future. It will also help address significant unmet needs in Mississippi and across the country for STEM professionals.

In fall 2022, the University of Mississippi launched its current strategic plan, Empower Now : Accelerating Discovery, Growth & Success. Empower Now represents our key institutional priorities and provides a unifying framework that emphasizes graduate education, innovative research, and economic development. We are a preeminent public international research university. We aspire to be drivers of innovation and opportunity in Mississippi, the United States and the world.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Mission : The mission of the School of Business is to improve business and society by inspiring students, business, and community leaders through advancing business knowledge and capabilities.

Vision : Our vision is to cultivate innovative and effective leaders through transformational educational opportunities that foster business knowledge acquisition, a strong work ethic, and collaboration skills to improve Mississippi, the region, and the world.

Core Values : Our core values include sustaining excellence in teaching, research and service, fostering intellectual growth, continuous support of students, and serving as responsible stewards of the school's resources.

The School has more than 6,200 students with 10 Bachelor of Business Administration Degrees in : Banking and Finance, Business Analytics and Information Systems, Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Business, Management, Marketing, Professional Sales, Real Estate, and Risk Management and Insurance. There are emphasis areas in Digital Marketing Strategy, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, International Business Management, Marketing Analytics, and Global Supply Chain Management. The School also offers an MBA program both online and in-person, and a Ph.D. in Finance, Management, or Marketing. The School has an engaged staff to support students' career exploration through the Sporich Family Career Services Center.

The School of Business consists of approximately 42 tenured and tenure track faculty members, 32 instructional faculty members, and several more Adjunct faculty members (note that Economics and Accountancy are not housed in the School of Business). Our faculty are active researchers consistent with an R1 research institution. Faculty serve on international editorial boards and includes the home office for the Academy of Marketing Science (AMS), a leading professional association for marketing research.

Community engagement activities include the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), and the Center for Insurance Transformation. The CIE holds several student competitions with monetary awards, and holds the Family Business Symposium each year. Both the Banking Symposium and Insurance Symposiums routinely have more than 200 industry professional attendees each year.

The School of Business endowment totals $42 million and has over 40 named faculty positions, including eight endowed chairs. The university and school have just completed a successful campaign with the university endowment now totaling over $1 billion. The dean is supported in fundraising efforts with four development personnel in addition to other Foundation staff who support the School. Total staff headcount number about 60 and includes the Small Business Development Center statewide office.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY

The University of Mississippi is situated in Oxford, MS, an extraordinarily livable city (www.oxfordms.com / ) and a quintessential southern college town. Ole Miss is consistently named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a "Great College to Work For," and Oxford is ranked one of the "Top 10 Best College Towns." UM is the state's largest university and is ranked among the nation's fastest-growing institutions. The University of Mississippi, which has aggressively implemented many health and wellness initiatives, has consistently been named one of Mississippi's Healthiest Workplaces.

Oxford, named after Oxford, England, is a one-hour drive south of Memphis, TN, the distribution hub for the nation and home to FedEx and other logistics companies. Logistics industries and both heavy and light manufacturing abound in the region. Oxford is known as home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner. Oxford was founded as a University town and remains one today. Oxford has also been featured as a literary and arts destination in such publications as The New York Times, Southern Living, Condé Nast Traveler, and GQ. ESPN rated Oxford as the best college town in the country in 2021. Along with quality of life and cultural activities, annual events include the Oxford Film Festival, the Double Decker Arts Festival, a thriving local music scene, world-class restaurants, and the Ford Center for Performing Arts. As the home of the University of Mississippi and the Ole Miss Rebels, Ole Miss campus and the establishments on "the Oxford Square" create a destination for a multitude of events, nightlife, literature, cuisine, arts, shopping, and culture. All of these have contributed to Oxford's nickname, the "Little Easy." Salary for the position is competitive with peer institutions. In addition, the cost of living in Oxford remains relatively low in comparison to the rest of the U.S.A.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean of the School of Business Administration serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the school. The Dean is responsible for providing leadership in key areas, including fundraising and external relations, strategic planning and visioning, academic advancement at the undergraduate and graduate level, faculty and staff recruitment and development, student engagement and support, and maintaining AACSB accreditation.

The successful candidate will possess a Ph.D. or equivalent degree - in a discipline area offered by the UM School of Business Administration - and academic qualifications and scholarly accomplishments meriting appointment to the rank of professor with tenure.

Other preferred qualifications include :

• A record of and commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service;
• A record of success as a visionary academic leader;
• Demonstrated expertise in managing successful fundraising activities and the ability to identify entrepreneurial opportunities;
• Evidence / experience of contributing to and supporting a thriving, diverse, research-forward culture;
• An effective and approachable communicator, listener, collaborator and consensus builder;
• Experience overseeing large, complex budgets, strategic planning and personnel management;

Experience with AACSB peer review resulting in successful extension of AACSB accreditation.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate working relationships with students, university personnel, alumni, donors, and business leaders; and

Commitment to students, faculty, and staff and to advancing a climate that stimulates innovation and excellence.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The Search Committee invites nominations and applications for this appointment. Application materials should include a letter of interest, a full resume / CV, a one-page leadership statement, and contact information of at least five references. References will not be contacted without permission. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to October 29, 2025. Please send materials, in confidence, to :

Mr. Martin M. Baker, Managing Partner

Ms. Chelsie Whitelock, Associate Partner

Buffkin / Baker

umbusinessdean@buffkinbaker.com

The University of Mississippi is an EOE / AA / Minorities / Females / Vet / Disability / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity / Title VI / Title VII / Title IX / 504 / ADA / ADEA employer.

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