Dean, College of Education

The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is one of the premier universities in the world. As the top public university in Texas and the flagship of  The University of Texas System, UT is an influential catalyst for scientific, economic and societal progress. Founded in 1883, the University’s main campus spans 431 acres with a community of 55,000 students, 4,800 faculty members and more than 10,000 staff members.

The University is a leader in multiple academic fields, including energy, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, entrepreneurship and national security. Its graduate programs in accounting, petroleum engineering, geology, Latin American history and sociology of population rank No. 1 in the United States. UT is among the top producers of doctoral degrees in the nation and its alumni and faculty include Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. In total, UT offers more than 150 undergraduate degree programs and 230 graduate programs across 17 colleges and schools in the sciences, arts, humanities and professions.

Rankings and Research by the Numbers

• No. 1 among Texas public universities, U.S. News & World Report
• No. 7 among American public universities, U.S. News & World Report
• 76 graduate and undergraduate programs ranked among the top 10, U.S. News & World Report
• No. 3 in the world for most patents granted (UT System-wide), National Academy of Inventors
• $1.14 billion in research expenditures (FY2024)
• 1,291 patents issued in the last 10 years
• 4,660 externally sponsored research projects

The University’s holdings comprise more than 170 million objects, including a Gutenberg Bible and other rare books, manuscripts, photographs, artworks and artifacts from natural history to pop culture in eight museums and 12 libraries. The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library was the first presidential library to be located on a university campus.

Over the past decade, the campus has undergone a significant modernization and expansion of its research, academic and community spaces. Recent projects added new state-of-the-art facilities, high-tech labs and dynamic collaboration spaces that are transforming the student and faculty experience. The University’s large and diverse student body, storied history, strong and supportive community and rich tradition have given rise to a proud alumni base of more than 600,000. Among UT’s many well-known alumni are Michael Dell, Laura Bush, Jenna Bush Hager, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Durant, Wes Anderson, Robert Rodriguez, Renee Zellweger, Owen Wilson, Glen Powell, Marcia Gay Harden, Sanya Richards Ross, Sam Rayburn, James Baker, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Brené Brown, Jim Allison, Rex Tillerson, Bill Moyers and Walter Cronkite, as well as current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Texas alumni include founders or co-founders of Dell Computers, American Airlines, 7-Eleven, National Instruments, Carmax and iHeartRadio.

Founded in 1891, the College of Education is one of 17 colleges and schools at The University of Texas at Austin and is consistently ranked among the top public education colleges in the U.S.

The college’s world-class faculty and innovative programming ensure that students are prepared to lead in a variety of service professions, including — but not limited to — teaching, counseling, school/clinical child psychology, school administration, athletic training, health education, rehabilitation, sport management and social service provision. It prepares educators, researchers and leaders in these fields who are ready to respond to changing environments in education and health in Texas and beyond.

The college is also home to a PK–12 schools division that educates thousands of students annually through the UT Elementary School, the UT Charter School System and UT High School, providing a unique bridge between education research and classroom practice.

Additionally, the college benefits from a pool of over 50,000 living alumni, hundreds of engaged donors and numerous committed community partners who support its mission to serve Texas, the nation and the world through education, health and sport.

College of Education, by the Numbers

• 3,572: Student Enrollment
  • Undergraduate — 2,710 (40% growth since 2020)
  • Graduate — 862
• 1,137: Faculty and Staff
  • 103 Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty
  • 182 Professional Track Faculty
  • 852 Staff Members
• $52M: Research Expenditures (4th highest among all UT colleges and schools)
• $117M: Endowment (Nov. 2025 market value)
• $188.5M: What Starts Here Fundraising Campaign amount raised thus far (exceeding original $90M goal and poised to hit $200M challenge goal)

Position Title: Dean

Location: Austin, TX

Reports to: Executive Vice President and Provost

Direct Reports: Senior Associate Dean; Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies; Associate Dean for Student Success, Community Engagement and Administration; Chief Business Officer; Chief Development Officer; Senior Director of Communications and Marketing; Director of Strategy and External Relations; Director, LonestaRP3; the five Department Chairs; and the Senior Assistant to the Dean.

Position Summary: The Dean of the College of Education serves as the College’s chief academic and administrative officer and provides the strategic, intellectual and operational leadership necessary to advance research and teaching excellence. Reporting to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Dean guides a large and multifaceted academic enterprise that includes nationally recognized departments, research centers of distinction, strong undergraduate and graduate programs and deep partnerships across the University of Texas at Austin and the state of Texas.

The Dean is responsible for fostering an environment in which all faculty, students and staff can thrive; recruiting and retaining outstanding scholars and educators; and ensuring that academic programs meet the highest standards of rigor, relevance and innovation. The Dean oversees the College’s budget and operations; supports the development of new academic initiatives; and strengthens the infrastructure required for high-impact research, high-quality teaching and student success.

As the external representative of the College, the Dean serves as an ambassador to school districts, state leaders and agencies, alumni, donors and community partners. The Dean plays a central role in securing philanthropic support and in expanding the College’s visibility, influence and contributions to the educational ecosystem of Texas and the nation.

Major Priorities: The next Dean of the College of Education will assume leadership at a moment of strategic opportunity for both the University of Texas at Austin and the state’s evolving education landscape. While specific initiatives will emerge through collaboration with faculty, staff, students and University leadership, several core priorities will define the early agenda for the Dean.

1. Develop and articulate a compelling vision for the College’s future
   The Dean will lead a collaborative process to define a clear, ambitious and achievable vision that builds on the College’s strengths in research, teaching and service. This vision should set strategic priorities that align with UT’s mission; strengthen and broaden the College’s statewide impact; and position the institution as a national leader in addressing the most important questions in education.
2. Strengthen academic excellence and support scholarly distinction
   A central responsibility of the Dean will be recruiting, retaining and supporting outstanding faculty across the College’s diverse disciplines. The Dean will champion the conditions that enable faculty to pursue high-impact research, seek competitive grants and contracts, innovate in teaching and practice and achieve recognition in their fields. The Dean should be adept at building faculty pipelines and advancing faculty success at every career stage. The Dean should foster student success and work with faculty and staff to raise graduation rates further and ensure academic advising continues to evolve to ensure students are prepared for the changing career landscape. The Dean will continue to cultivate and expand graduate student recruitment and support initiatives that strengthen the College’s research enterprise and prepare future leaders in educational and health.
3. Strengthen educator preparation and the workforce pipeline for Texas
   The Dean will play a crucial role in ensuring UT Austin continues to prepare exceptional teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, educational leaders, policy professionals and practitioners. This includes continuing to support and build program rigor, deepening and expanding partnerships with school districts and state agencies and identifying ways — including through academic innovations — that the College can employ to support the evolving workforce needs of a rapidly growing and diverse state. The Dean will give particular priority to expanding teacher training and growing the K-12 teacher pipeline for the state of Texas.
4. Advance high-impact research and interdisciplinary collaboration
   UT Austin offers exceptional opportunities for collaboration — both within the College and across campus — with partners such as the Dell Medical School, the College of Natural Sciences, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the Population Research Center, the Moody College of Communication and other schools and colleges. The Dean will encourage collaborations that yield innovative research, deepen the College’s scholarly footprint and expand its influence on policy and practice in Texas and beyond.
5. Expand external partnerships and resource development
   The Dean will be an effective external representative of the College, building relationships with donors, alumni, foundations, state leaders and policymakers, school districts and community organizations. The Dean will lead efforts to secure philanthropic and externally funded support for faculty research, student scholarships, new initiatives and programs central to the College’s long-term success.
6. Ensure operational excellence and strategic resource management
   The Dean oversees a substantial budget, a portfolio of academic programs, multiple research centers and high quality staff within a variety of departments that support our teaching and research activities. The next leader must bring strong operational judgment, sound financial acumen and the ability to align resources with strategic priorities. The Dean will strengthen administrative structures and ensure that the College uses its resources effectively to advance academic excellence, student success and research productivity. The Dean will continue to support the success of the staff — whose work is essential to the operations of the College — through professional development and sustainable workload structures.
7. Foster a culture of intellectual openness, collaboration, academic freedom and high professional standards
   The College is home to scholars, practitioners and students who approach teaching, learning and service from multiple perspectives. The Dean will nurture an environment grounded in respect, open inquiry, academic freedom and integrity, productive debate and a commitment to the pursuit of truth — core values of a leading public research university. The Dean will be an effective listener, a principled decision-maker and a leader who brings together differing viewpoints in the pursuit of shared academic goals.

Qualifications and Experience: The College of Education seeks in its Dean a leader who has the creative vision, integrity, interpersonal skills and professional profile to inspire and lead the College to even greater heights of excellence. The search committee understands that no single candidate may have all of the ideal qualifications, but prefers candidates with the following experiences and abilities:

• Academic distinction with a record of scholarly achievement suitable for appointment as a full professor with tenure at The University of Texas at Austin, or a high level of distinction in a directly comparable setting that clearly establishes the candidate with the credentials, experiences and reputation to lead a stellar college of education at an elite research university.
• Proven strategic and high-level administrative leadership in a complex academic or research organization,with the ability to set priorities, build consensus and execute a clear strategic vision comprising multiple goals.
• Commitment to preparing educators and leaders for Texas, with a demonstrated understanding of teacher preparation, educational leadership and the evolving needs of schools and communities across our state.
• Demonstrated success in external engagement and fundraising, including developing and maintaining relationships with donors, alumni, foundations, policymakers, school districts and community partners.
• High degree of familiarity with, and understanding of, cutting-edge research, policy and practice across the College’s disciplines, including curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, special education, kinesiology and health education, and educational leadership and policy; proven ability to support faculty working across diverse disciplines related to education.
• Deep understanding of external funding mechanisms for research in education and health, including experience with garnering and administering federal and private foundation research grants that provide the core support for research activities at a college of education in an elite university.
• Demonstrated ability to make considered, timely, principled decisions that are fully informed by data and attentive to multiple perspectives.
• Commitment to open inquiry and constructive dialogue, fostering an environment that values respectful debate, intellectual openness and the pursuit of truth.
• Ability to speak and engage productively with audiences of all kinds and with diverse perspectives on campus in Austin, in Texas, and nationally and internationally.
• A strong and rich history of using collaborative leadership and team-building skills within large academic organizations and demonstrated success in developing effective academic and administrative teams and supporting faculty, student and staff success.
• Financial and operational acumen, including high level experience managing budgets, stewarding resources and aligning financial decisions with strategic goals.