University launches search for liberal and fine arts dean

AUGUST 31, 2020 — Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy today announced the launch of a new search for the permanent dean of UTSA’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Lisa Montoya will chair the search advisory committee. National search consultant Alberto Pimentel of Storbeck/Pimentel will assist the committee. Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates is known for its success of placing accomplished leaders from diverse backgrounds and has led nearly 400 senior executive searches on behalf of clients in higher education and nonprofit institutions across the Unites States.

“COLFA’s next dean will play an important role, both in the college’s future growth and its support of our strategic vision for the university,” said Espy. “We are looking for a proven leader with a dynamic vision for establishing a shared identity and shared goals among our liberal arts, humanities and fine arts disciplines and a record of accomplishment as well as a deliberate commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion.

“We also recognize that identifying candidates in our current state of operations, due to the pandemic, will present unique challenges, and I’m especially grateful to our advisory committee and consultant for their efforts to recruit and bring on board our next dean.”

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“We have a prime opportunity…to reenvision and articulate a more focused identity for the college.”

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The COLFA dean position is expected to be filled in spring 2021. Nominations can be submitted to Storbeck/Pimentel.

Concurrent with the search, a college task force will lead a three-month visioning exercise focused on (1) COLFA’s identity and strengths, (2) opportunities to partner with other parts of campus, (3) opportunities to partner with and serve the San Antonio community and (4) insights from examining other institutions.

The task force, led by the interim dean, Sean Kelly, is made up of 35 faculty, staff and students, primarily from COLFA. Research performed by task force subcommittees will include outreach to faculty, staff, students, alumni and external partners and will result in a report that will be shared and discussed with campus, including in forums. Input can be submitted to the task force at any time by emailing COLFA.Main@utsa.edu.

“We have a prime opportunity in this postpandemic world to reenvision and articulate a more focused identity for the college, which will be particularly important for our students in adapting to changes in how we work and live,” said Kelly. “It is my hope through this process that we can develop a common vocabulary for our goals for COLFA that in turn will inform the search for the new dean.”

Ten task force members also serve on the COLFA dean search committee, including Montoya. The task force report will provide dean candidates with important insights on COLFA’s identity and opportunities for collaboration and growth—paving the way for a more in-depth strategic planning effort once a permanent dean is in place.

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⇒ Explore the College of Liberal and Fine Arts at UTSA.

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The College of Liberal and Fine Arts is composed of nine departments that encompass the fine arts, humanities and social sciences. COLFA touches and shapes the education of virtually every UTSA student through its highly ranked core curriculum. The college offers 33 degree programs, including doctorates in anthropology and English; a nationally recognized M.F.A. and one of the nation’s largest undergraduate programs in medical humanities.

Its faculty includes exemplary, award-winning teachers and internationally recognized researchers and artists. COLFA is also a major provider of arts and humanities programming in Texas, reaching an audience of more than 70,000 guests annually.

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