Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

The City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) is seeking a dynamic Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs to serve as the School's Chief Academic Officer.

CUNY SPH is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, and works toward creating a healthier New York City, healthier populations across the globe, and a healthier planet. CUNY SPH is a leader in promoting equitable and evidence-based solutions to addressing pressing public health issues. Located in the vibrant Harlem neighborhood of New York City, CUNY SPH is known for its innovative programs and inclusive culture. As New York City's public school of public health and a vital part of the City University of New York, the world?s largest and most diverse urban public university, CUNY SPH is committed to advancing health equity and social justice locally and globally. The School creates affordable, accessible, and supportive educational opportunities for all - including students from underrepresented communities, working adults, and first-generation scholars - and prepares public health professionals for the challenges of tomorrow.

First accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) in 2011, CUNY SPH offers a range of student-centered public health training programs, including:

• Six Master of Public Health (MPH) degree programs in hybrid and online formats.
• Three online and one traditional Master of Science (MS) degree program.
• Three PhD programs and four credit-bearing online advanced certificate programs.

Academic programs are organized into four departments: Community Health and Social Sciences; Environmental, Occupational and Geospatial Health Sciences; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; and Health Policy and Management. The School is home to seven thriving centers and institutes and is increasingly recognized as a hub for impactful, community-centered applied research and practice. Over 900 graduate students (112 of which are doctoral), study alongside 49 full-time faculty (21 tenured), 47 adjunct faculty, 93 full-time staff, 68 part-time staff, and over 250 research staff, all engaged in teaching, applied research, administration, and community and professional service to advance population health.

In the U.S. News & World Report's national rankings for 2025-26, CUNY SPH was rated the number one public school of public health in New York State and is tied with Rutgers as the best in the tri-state (N.Y., NJ, CT) region. Of the 219 public health schools and programs in the nation, CUNY SPH ranks in the top 7 percent. In 2021, the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) presented CUNY SPH with the Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service, recognizing the School?s institutional commitment to addressing community needs through education, practice, and research.

CUNY SPH continues to evolve in response to the changing landscape of public health, growing its programs, deepening its research portfolio, and expanding its reach. In the past year alone, the School?s research portfolio grew by 21 percent. Looking ahead, CUNY SPH is planning to move to the new state-of-the-art Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) in Kips Bay in 2030, which will serve as a hub for education, life sciences, health care, and public health that will expand opportunities for faculty, students, and staff across research, training, practice, and community partnerships.

The School's collaborative approach reaches across academic departments and disciplines within CUNY SPH and throughout CUNY and extends to research, education, and practice with national and international schools of public health, community organizations, NGOs, and other partners committed to improving public health at home and abroad.

Reporting to the Dean, the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs provides intellectual and administrative leadership for academic programs, including digital learning, student services, faculty affairs, assessment and accreditation activities, and international, national, and local academic collaborations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead strategic expansion of academic programs and partnerships - including in-person, online, and 4+1 formats, and the development of an undergraduate public health program - in response to evolving educational and workforce needs at the local, national, and international levels.
• Support and advance faculty success in teaching innovation, community-centered research, and service, cultivating an environment of sustained engagement and development.
• Managing the Office of Academic Affairs, including academic development and scheduling online learning, accreditation and reporting, and library services.
• In collaboration with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Alumni Relations, assuring high-quality, student-centered, comprehensive services, including academic advisement, academic support, enrollment and retention management and support, financial aid, career services, and supporting student and alumni resources and activities.
• In collaboration with the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, developing meaningful assessment methodologies to evaluate teaching, learning, course, and program effectiveness.
• Seeking and pursuing external funding opportunities for educational scholarships and educational research programs.
• In collaboration with the communications and marketing team, strategically grow and market the School's multimodal programs.
• Assuming a leadership or ex-officio role in shared governance in various school committees.
• Assisting the Dean in other duties, as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

Preferred qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in public health or a related field.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in academic settings in positions of increasing responsibility, including evidence of leading fiscal and resources allocation, strategic planning, faculty and staff development, and other academic functions in graduate education.
• A distinguished career that demonstrates academic excellence and innovation in teaching, scholarship, and community collaboration service, meriting appointment at the rank of professor in one of the school's academic departments.
• Commitment to the public higher education tenets of equity, diversity, multiculturalism, in an inclusive environment conducive to student, faculty, and staff success.
• Experience mentoring faculty at all career stages.
• Evidence of academic experience using data-informed decision-making, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement.
• Excellent written, oral communication and conflict management skills with a leadership style that is collaborative, empowering, and inclusive.
• Evidence of collaborative work with faculty, staff and students.
• Strong organizational skills to develop and execute work plans, lead large-scale initiatives, manage multiple complex assignments, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing situations and priorities.
• Experience of a leadership role in starting a new academic degree or certificate granting program.

CUNY TITLE

Professional School Senior Associate Dean