Fordham University invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Dean of the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GRE). Founded in 1841 and located in the heart of New York City, Fordham’s nine colleges and schools enroll over 15,200 students, including over 6,400 graduate and professional students. As the Jesuit University of New York, Fordham fosters the intellectual, moral and spiritual development of the whole student and prepares him or her for leadership in a global society. Both reflecting and contributing to the vibrancy of New York City, the University is actively engaged in a strategic planning process that aims to make Fordham the model urban Jesuit university for the 21st century.
The Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education serves the mission of Fordham University by charting future directions in religious education, pastoral care and counseling, pastoral studies, and the study and practice of Christian spirituality.
Drawing on the expertise of 8 full-time faculty, GRE currently serves over 230 students in its various programs. Degree candidates and non-matriculated students originate from across North America, as well as from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe.
Students may choose to pursue a Ph.D. in religious education; a D.Min. with concentrations in Christian spirituality, pastoral ministry, practical theology, and Latino ministry; an M.A. with concentrations in pastoral studies, pastoral counseling, pastoral care, religious education, and Christian spirituality; and advanced certificate programs in Christian spirituality, faith formation, and Latino ministry. Though GRE is housed on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, coursework can be pursued on-campus, online, and in a hybrid format.
GRE seeks a Dean who is an accomplished academic leader and is firmly committed to cultivating the Catholic, Jesuit, and ecumenical dimensions of Fordham University’s mission. S/he will have an earned doctorate, along with a strong record of teaching and scholarship commensurate with an appointment to the tenured faculty within one of the academic areas of the School. The Dean will also possess the appropriate management, fundraising, and grant-writing skills, as well as the creative imagination to respond programmatically to the evolving shape of religious education, pastoral care and counseling, Christian spirituality, and pastoral studies and practice-based theology. Familiarity with trends in the integration of technology and education, with a focus on distance learning and the globalization of education, will be necessary for future programmatic development. A commitment to mentoring faculty, helping them to identify appropriate professional goals and fostering their ongoing development as scholars and teachers, will also be necessary.
The successful candidate will demonstrate a capacity to articulate and advance a vision for the GRE that draws upon its programmatic strengths and affirms the mission of Fordham University. S/he will possess an understanding and appreciation of contemporary society and culture, including the capacity to engage with international members of the student body and the concerns of diverse faith communities. S/he will be dedicated to a collaborative style of leadership and collegial governance and will build strong relationships with faculty; with the Provost; with other University administrators; with colleges, schools, and departments across the University; as well as with the local leadership of the Catholic community and other local faith communities. S/he will embrace Fordham University’s commitment to diversity, that is to being a community that welcomes and honors all who come to us—whether as students, faculty members, or members of our staff. Successful candidates will also have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit education.
Applicants should provide a letter describing their interest in and qualifications for the position, a current CV, and the names and contact information for five references. More information about GRE, as well as about Fordham University and its mission, may be found at: www.fordham.edu
All inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be sent electronically to: jmccartin1 [at] fordham [dot] edu. Application deadline is February 10, 2017. Review of candidates will begin immediately thereafter. The search will be conducted with full confidentiality, and candidates will be notified before references are contacted. The Dean will be appointed in Spring 2017, with a preferred starting date of July 1, 2017.
Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College in the United Kingdom.