The New School Dean of The New School for Social Research

The New School

Dean of The New School for Social Research

New York, New York

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Dean of The New School for Social Research

The New School

New York, New York

The New School, located in the heart of New York City, invites nominations and applications for

the position of Dean of The New School for Social Research (NSSR), a graduate institution well

known for progressive scholarship and historically grounded education in the social sciences and

philosophy. NSSR sits within the larger nexus of The New School, where it is one of 6 schools,

each led by an executive dean.

The New School

The New School has a storied history. Founded in 1919 as a progressive institution of higher

education, the New School began as a center for social and cultural thought, serving the adult

population of New York City. In the 1930’s, The New School welcomed a wave of scholars fleeing

Nazi Germany and fascist Europe, forming the “University in Exile,” which eventually became a

graduate school of social sciences, philosophy, and history. Parsons School of Design became

part of The New School in 1970 and Eugene Lang College was created as a seminar-style liberal

arts college in 1985. There are now 6 schools: The New School for Social Research; Parsons

School of Design; the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts; the College of Performing Arts; the

Schools of Public Engagement; and Parsons Paris. The New School has become increasingly

integrated over the years, offering students unique learning

opportunities across the colleges.

The New School for Social Research

With more than 75 full-time faculty members, NSSR’s ten departments and programs offer

masters and doctoral degrees to 800 graduate students from 70 countries. Interdisciplinary

centers and institutes housed at NSSR provide further opportunities for deep inquiry and

innovative collaborations, particularly at the intersection of social theory, policy, and design. For

example, at the Robert L. Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies, faculty and students enjoy

interdisciplinary discussions about theoretical approaches to the study of capitalism. At the

Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility, scholars, artists, activists, and others come together

to address matters of global mobility and migration and the economic, political, and individual

consequences.

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NSSR has a distinctive intellectual profile that manifests in its research methodology (qualitative,

heterodox, critical, radical, political), its interdisciplinarity, and its global reach of scholarly

networks. NSSR believes that research and pedagogy should advance economic justice, promote

an understanding of change, and train the next generation to influence public debate. Its

commitment to progressive values, academic freedom, rigorous scholarship, and critical theory

in the tradition of the Frankfurt School lies at the heart of The New School's history and draws

upon the vital legacy of the University in Exile. While maintaining long-standing strengths in

philosophy, psychology, political economy, ethnography, historical studies, and the analysis of

social movements, NSSR continues to innovate in fields such as migration and mobility, capitalism

studies, gender and sexuality studies, creative publishing and critical journalism, and design and

social thought, demonstrating its engagement with the most important issues and debates

of our time.

NSSR’s faculty are mostly jointly appointed at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, where they

provide all of Lang’s courses in philosophy and the social sciences. A small number of NSSR’s

faculty are jointly appointed at the Schools of Public Engagement. For both Lang and Parsons

undergraduates, NSSR offers undergraduate minors in all its disciplines, plus interdisciplinary

minors in Capitalism Studies and Law & Social Change. NSSR faculty are not only an integral part

of Lang College, but also an important partner in building curriculum and programs across the

university, in design and in interdisciplinary programs that rely on the social sciences and new

ways of studying the humanities.

Commitment to Social Justice

The New School is committed to ensuring an equitable, inclusive, and socially just environment

for students, staff, and faculty. That commitment requires bringing together students, staff, and

faculty who reflect the diversity of thought, experiences, and identities of the global society. It

also requires pedagogy, policies, and practices that institutionalize the values of equity, inclusion,

and social justice.

The New School’s Office of Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice (EISJ) serves as a fulcrum for

strategy, policy, and practice across the university. The office collaborates with partners aross

the university to strengthen the community so that their values are evident in the ways they

learn, teach, create, gather, research, hire, engage, and operate. From policy to programming,

the Office of EISJ serves as a catalyst for the changes wanted in the community. It engages in a

shared leadership model in which all leaders, including the new Dean, advance the individual and

institutional commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice in pedagogy, policy, and praxis.

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The Opportunity

The new Dean of the NSSR will be a transformational and inclusive leader with a record of

achievement in leadership, management, and scholarship characterized by equity and social

justice. As a steward of NSSR’s great critical legacy, the new Dean will ensure that the institution

remains at the forefront of progressive and diverse research and pedagogy in the social sciences

and philosophy and will develop and maintain a thriving and preeminent intellectual community

among faculty, students, and staff inside and out of the classroom. Together with the President,

the Provost, fellow Deans and other leadership, the Dean of the NSSR will partner to advance the

“four pillars” for the New School’s future: to be a higher education leader for equity, inclusion,

and social justice; to actively engage in civic and cultural life beyond our campus; to achieve the

highest standards of service and support for our students and to become and even more

academically and operationally integrated university.

Building on the NSSR’s historical strengths in interdisciplinary inquiry, innovative collaborations,

critical research methodology and global reach, the Dean will have the opportunity to exercise

leadership in the following areas with a spirit of shared governance:

Provide strategic, collaborative leadership and vision for education in alignment with the

mission of the NSSR and the New School

The Dean will be a collaborative leader who will champion the mission and vision of the NSSR,

strategically articulating the history and advancing the institution through internal and external

partnerships, working closely with faculty, staff, leadership, and administrators across the school,

the institution, and externally. The Dean will work with Admissions to attract and retain a diverse

student body with the aim of supporting all qualified students regardless of their financial need

and will support and ensure student preparedness for both academic and non-academic careers.

The successful candidate will have significant experience in both graduate and undergraduate

education and related programmatic and curricular collaborations. They will be able to expand

and deepen the partnership and collaboration between the NSSR and the Eugene Lang College of

Liberal Arts as well as the other colleges of the New School for curricular and programmatic

development and the advancement of university-wide academic and administrative initiatives.

The Dean will have the opportunity to develop and integrate BA/MA programs with Lang College

and the Schools of Public Engagement, as well as fostering the development of new

interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs across schools such as an MA in Applied

Psychology & Design; undergraduate minors in Law & Social Change and Business, Innovation &

Social Justice; a graduate minor in Social Movements/Social Activism and a PhD in Design and

Social Thought in collaboration with Parsons.

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Expand a prolific, engaged faculty

In addition to actively promoting and supporting the scholarship and research of the existing

faculty, the Dean will have the opportunity to replenish the NSSR’s faculty at a time of

generational transition. In doing so, the Dean will seek to broaden the scope of research and

scholarship through faculty diversification, thereby enabling new and innovative perspectives.

The Dean will also manage all faculty appointments, reappointments, and promotions, and make

recommendations to the provost.

Foster a culture of collaboration and transparent communication

The Dean will develop and foster a thriving, supportive, and inclusive intellectual community

within which NSSR faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to engage fully and freely in

thoughtful shared governance and collaborative decision-making structures that include

budgetary transparency relative to the NSSR and the institution broadly. The Dean will

collaborate with and supervise administrative staff in ways that foster inclusivity, respect,

professional development, and open communication.

Strengthen and augment the NSSR’s reach and impact through fundraising, program

development and collaboration

Through curricular innovation and academic program partnerships across the institution, as well

as donor and alumni stewardship and fundraising, and external funding source development, the

Dean will expand the reach and reputation of the NSSR both within and external to the New

School. Through effective and transparent budgetary stewardship and management, the Dean

will work with faculty and institutional leadership to ensure consistent and thoughtful financial

support to faculty and students at all levels of study.

Champion and strengthen equity, social justice, and inclusion efforts internally and

externally

The Dean will consistently engage in active, meaningful, and effective efforts to foster and

sustain a highly diverse and inclusive NSSR community, focused on social justice, that reflects the

makeup of its current and future student body, and the progressive and inclusive ideals upon

which the New School was founded.

Candidate Profile

Successful candidates will have a record of leadership and administrative experience in complex

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higher-education settings and an exemplary record in teaching and research that merits an

appointment at the level of full professor. They will have a leadership approach that aligns with

the culture and values of NSSR and The New School, including: a strong commitment to

interdisciplinary and community-based teaching and research; an abiding commitment to, and

experience advancing, equity, inclusion, social justice in higher education; a belief in shared

governance and collaborative, transparent decision making; and a commitment to academic

freedom.

Additionally, successful candidates will have:

 Demonstrated ability to manage human, financial, and information resources.

 Experience in academic planning.

 Experience effectively supervising faculty and staff in a way that proactively

supports their growth and development.

 Experience with student advocacy and support.

 Demonstrated success in fundraising and new resource generation (preferred).

 Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships with government entities,

nonprofit organizations, and other academic institutions (preferred).

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range of $230-250k plus subsidized healthcare, 10% retirement contributions, and

tuition benefits. If the selected candidate relocates to the NYC area, the university will

provide an annual stipend of $5k during the incumbent’s tenure in the role, in addition to

relocation assistance.

About Greenwich Village

One of the most widely known neighborhoods in Manhattan, Greenwich Village (“The Village”) is

home to the New School for Social Research. Located in lower Manhattan, and close to Midtown

and SoHo, Greenwich Village is an eclectic arts and culture-focused neighborhood whose lively

center is Washington Square Park. Filled with dog walkers, people-watchers, live music, chess

players, and many others, this iconic park is also known as a hub for activism and protest for

social justice - in keeping with the Village's roots as a birthplace of LGBTQ advocacy and activism

and 1960’s counterculture. Greenwich Village is both a residential neighborhood and a vibrant

and popular retail area with many bars, restaurants, cafes and other attractions for tourists and

locals alike. A progressive, diverse, and inclusive neighborhood in New York City is an

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appropriate home for the New School for Social Research.

Contact

Amy Sugin and Laurie Casteen of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To

express your interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions

will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with

disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing

interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an

interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation for

the interview process.

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The New School is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promises

diversity and tolerance in all areas of employment, education and access to its educational,

artistic or cultural programs and activities. The New School does not discriminate on the basis

of age, race, color, creed, sex or gender (including actual or perceived gender identity or

expression or transgender status), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health

decisions, pregnancy, religion, religious practices, mental or physical disability, national or

ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, marital or partnership status, or any other

legally protected status.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic

advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients.

Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides

our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible

businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.