Dean of Liberal Arts (DLA-26)

Category : : Administrators

Subscribe : :

Department : : Division of Liberal Arts

Locations : : Des Plaines, IL

Posted : : Aug 20, 2025

Closes : : Nov 11, 2025 - 11 : 59 PM EST

Type : : Administrators

Position ID : : 191904

About Oakton College :

Educate. Empower. Transform

At Oakton College, we know education changes lives - and that starts with the people who make it happen. For more than 50 years, we've built a welcoming and inclusive community where students from all backgrounds and experiences thrive.

We're looking for passionate educators, professionals and leaders to join our team. Whether in the classroom, student support, or behind the scenes, your talents and expertise will make a difference and shape the future.

We provide dynamic learning environments that empower students and employees alike with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie and a Health Careers Education Center in Evanston.

As a proud institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Oakton is more than a college - it's a place where innovation, equity and lifelong learning drive everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and embrace new ideas and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and student-centered culture.

Explore career opportunities at Oakton College .

Job Description :

Basic Function and Responsibility :

The Dean of Liberal Arts is responsible for the general oversight, strategic vision, and tactical implementation of activities and deliverables in the Liberal Arts division. Working collaboratively with other academic deans, the Dean of Liberal Arts ensures alignment and broad implementation of the college's mission, vision, and values. The dean directly supervises and evaluates the division's academic chairs and faculty members, and provides administrative leadership for division office staff.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities :

Academic Operations

Provides educational vision and leadership for the division

• drives department and program efforts at program, curriculum, and course development and improvement;
• facilitates faculty professional development activities;
• Ensures academic course schedules support student needs and are fiscally responsible and sustainable.
• Assigns faculty loads.
• Develops and leads the execution of the annual budget for the division and its departments and programs. Actively pursues appropriate grant or alternative funding opportunities.
• Individually and as a member of the Council of Deans participate in proposing, implementing, and interpreting college policies and procedures with regard to the college's mission, goals and objectives.
• Participate in the hiring process for faculty and staff.
• Works collaboratively with the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant / Operations Manager on the standardization and ongoing management of division office operations.

Supporting Students

Teaching and Learning

Enrollment Management

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Supervision received :

Administrative supervision received from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Supervision Exercised :

Administrative supervision is exercised over all academic department chairs and faculty, as well as office staff.

Requirements :

Minimum Qualifications :

Physical Demands and Working Conditions :

Light lifting up to 10 lbs. and light carrying up to 10 lbs. Ability to reach above shoulder. Periods of time spent sitting, standing, walking, kneeling, bending and stooping. Mobility to move from building to building on-Campus and to visit off-Campus entities. Work is performed in a general office environment.

Additional Information :

Salary Range : $125,000-$138,000

A comprehensive benefit package is available which includes medical, vision, and dental insurance; flexible spending; term life insurance; tuition waivers and reimbursement; retirement; paid holidays; sick days.

Appointment to a Administrator position is contingent upon approval by the College's Board of Trustees

Please note this search will follow the academic calendar with semi-finalist interviews planned in early December, finalist interviews in late January, and the positions going to the March 2026 Board meeting. Anticipated start date will be July 1, 2026.

Full consideration deadline November 10, 2025.

Oakton College is an equal opportunity employer and has a strong commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we seek a broad spectrum of candidates, including minorities, veterans, women and people with disabilities. EOE / AA / M / F / D / V

Oakton is committed to maintaining an environment free from harassment and discrimination for all and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex (gender), sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, and reprisal or any other protected status. Further, Oakton does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational, employment, or extracurricular activity.

Out-of-State Employment Defined :

Oakton College's primary location of operation is in the state of Illinois. An "out-of-state employee" is defined as an employee of Oakton College whose primary work location is outside of the state of Illinois. State taxes, employment tax, and worker's compensation provisions vary from state to state and require payroll compliance with these various rules.

Allowable States for Out-of-State Employment :

All employees must maintain their primary residence in Illinois, Indiana, or a reciprocal state with Illinois. Reciprocal states include Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Illinois has tax agreements with these reciprocal states. Employees may have their primary residence in Indiana since Indiana is adjacent to Illinois.

Application Instructions :

For further details, visit our website at www.oakton.edu and select the Employment link to view Employment Opportunities.

To become an applicant, interested individuals must complete the online application linked from the posting found on the Oakton website. Electronic copies of a cover letter, resume / cv, list of three (3) references with contact information and transcripts must be submitted by the applicant via uploading to the Oakton employment website. Please indicate the position code (DLA-26) on the cover letter. Uploaded documents need to be under 2 MB in size and in either .doc, .txt, or .pdf format. A total of 8 separate documents may be uploaded to an application file that has been successfully submitted to the College.

TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED :

An UNOFFICIAL copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application by the applicant.

Official transcripts or placement / credential files sent by postal mail should be sent to :

Oakton College

Dean of Liberal Arts (DLA-26)

c / o Human Resources Department

1600 East Golf Road

Des Plaines, IL 60016

Interviewees will be reimbursed for expenses associated with travel in excess of 50 miles to the interviews.

Oakton College conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Convictions are not a bar to employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with state and federal law and in accordance with the Illinois Department of Human Rights Conviction Record Protection Act of March 2021.

Posted positions may be removed from the Oakton website without notice when it is determined that no additional applicants are required.

Oakton College does not utilize E-Verify for employment eligibility verification.