Senior Consultant: Chris Butler
chris.butler@academicsearch.org
Associate Consultant: Amy Bonsiero
Amy.Bonsiero@academicsearch.org
The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL), a nationally ranked and regionally focused comprehensive university within the University of Houston System, seeks its next Dean of the College of Education (COE).
Situated on a 524-acre wildlife preserve, UHCL has become a cornerstone of higher education in Texas. Since opening its doors in 1974, the university has awarded more than 80,000 degrees, each resulting in expanded employment prospects, brighter futures and changed lives. UHCL is a regional comprehensive university that is classified as a doctoral university and offers more than 90 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through its four colleges: Business, Education, Human Sciences and Humanities, and Science and Engineering. The university annually enrolls more than 9,000 students and has earned a distinctive reputation as a student-centered, community-minded, partnership-oriented university. UHCL’s more than 80,000 alumni are leaders in a variety of fields and include 10 astronauts, more than 400 CEOs and at least one best-selling author. Through its ongoing community engagement, UHCL has developed alliances with area businesses, organizations, schools, and governmental agencies that enhance the educational, economic, cultural, scientific, and professional environment across the region. The university is proud to be classified as both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). During the 2021-2022 academic year, UHCL welcomed its sixth president, Richard Walker, Ed.D., and its eleventh provost, Christopher Maynard, Ph.D. UHCL is within close proximity to numerous science and engineering-driven facilities, organizations and complexes including the Port of Houston, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and several major chemical manufacturing operations. UHCL is located in Clear Lake, which is part of the Bay Area of thriving and cosmopolitan Houston – the fourth-largest city in the United States – and is near the charming and historic city of Galveston and the broader Galveston Bay.
The College of Education at University of Houston-Clear Lake is divided into four departments that encompass 17 undergraduate degrees with certification plans, eight graduate degrees and three doctoral degrees program options as well as 16 post-baccalaureate teacher certification plans and four teaching minor options. Accredited by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), the College of Education at UHCL provides students ample opportunities to receive hands-on learning through professional development school sites, partnerships, and innovative classes to give them real-world experience. Faculty are active researchers and practitioners, contributing to evolving teaching practices and academic scholarship. The College is composed of the following departments: Teaching, Learning, and Educator Preparation; Transformative Leadership, Counseling, and Innovation
Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the next Dean will contribute to an emerging university experience, participate in institutional planning, build external relationships and community partnerships, develop fundraising and alumni relations efforts, and advance a welcoming culture. To fulfill these needs, the next Dean will demonstrate a record of administrative leadership, which will include effective human resource and financial experience, adeptness at conflict resolution and negotiation, extensive experience with grants and partnerships, and a clear focus on student success. The next Dean will also have a record of instruction, scholarship, and research excellence that merits appointment as a tenured professor in one of the departments in the College of Education.
More information, including an institutional profile with a full list of responsibilities and qualifications, is available at the link above.
How to Apply
Applications should consist of a substantial letter of interest, a CV, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to:
UHCLDeanCOE@academicsearch.org
The position is open until filled but only applications received by Wednesday, November 5, 2025, can be assured full consideration. The University is being assisted by Academic Search. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultant Chris Butler at Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org. Further information about the University of Houston-Clear Lake is available at https://www.uhcl.edu/.
The policy of the University of Houston Clear Lake is to ensure equal opportunity in all its educational programs and activities, and all terms and conditions of employment without regard to age, race, color, disability, religion, national origin, ethnicity, military status, genetic information, or sex (including gender and pregnancy), except where such a distinction is required by law. Additionally, The University of Houston Clear Lake prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment and educational programs on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.