Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Stephen F. Austin State University in its search for Dean, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. 

For full consideration, please apply by May 20, 2026. 

Well resourced, the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) is entering a new phase of growth, supported by a nearly completed $85 million facility, and a strong institutional commitment to its continued impact. SFA seeks a Dean to drive this evolution, strengthening culture, advancing high-potential programs, and building a more visible, industry-connected, and research-active college across forestry, agriculture, environmental science, and geospatial disciplines.

This opportunity comes at a critical moment. With enrollment growth, new institutional leadership, and major capital investment across campus, including the new Forestry and Agriculture complex and a $40 million entrepreneurship center designed to advance interdisciplinary collaboration, SFA is accelerating its commitment to impact. These investments are part of a broader campus master plan that includes more than $1 billion in facility enhancements over the next 15 years. As the only institution in The University of Texas System with a comprehensive forestry and agriculture portfolio, the College holds a highly visible, strategically important position. In this context, the Dean will be responsible for ensuring these programs drive enrollment, deepen industry engagement, and further distinguish SFA within the UT System.

This role offers the chance to accelerate an already solid foundation. Building on a decade of steady leadership, the College is stable and positioned to expand its impact. The next Dean will bring clarity, alignment, and momentum, advancing research, partnerships, and program visibility.

The College offers a rare combination of scale, resources, and applied infrastructure. It includes three departments: Forestry, Agriculture, and Environmental Science, supported by extensive land holdings, laboratory space, working agricultural operations, and strong ties to East Texas industries. With major capital investment nearing completion and an experienced leadership team in place, the focus now is to align efforts, sharpen priorities, and execute with discipline.

From this foundation, the Dean will inherit significant physical and programmatic assets, including farms, research operations, and established industry relationships, and will be expected to translate these strengths into measurable results: Expanding research activity, strengthening partnerships, modernizing faculty systems, and advancing a more cohesive and forward-looking academic culture.

The successful candidate will be an action-oriented academic leader with the judgment and credibility to move quickly while building trust across a long-tenured faculty environment. They will bring experience advancing applied, industry-connected research and developing external partnerships, particularly in sectors aligned with forestry, agriculture, and environmental science. Comfortable operating in a highly visible and expectation-rich environment, the Dean will combine strong interpersonal leadership with an external orientation toward fundraising, partnership development, and institutional advancement. This role is well suited to a leader motivated by building and elevating, rather than maintaining, and by the opportunity to position the College more prominently within both the University and the region.

This is a full-time, twelve-month faculty position reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Direct reports include Department Chairs (Forestry; Agriculture; Environmental Sciences) and administrative staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide visionary leadership to advance the College’s academic, research, and outreach mission across Forestry, Agriculture, Environmental Science, and Geospatial Science 
• Lead efforts to fully leverage significant institutional investments, including new facilities, laboratories, and land-based assets 
• Strengthen culture and climate across departments, ensuring alignment, collaboration, and equitable visibility across disciplines 
• Advance applied, rural-focused research and innovation aligned with regional and industry needs 
• Build and expand partnerships with key industry stakeholders, including timber, agriculture, and environmental sectors 
• Support the development of emerging academic areas, including interdisciplinary opportunities with civil engineering and hydrology 
• Lead strategic enrollment growth, faculty hiring, and program development in alignment with institutional goals 
• Provide leadership in faculty and staff affairs, including recruitment, evaluation, supervision, and professional development of academic administrators, faculty, and staff 
• Promote excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and student success across all programs 
• Oversee academic operations, including curriculum quality, degree planning, and student progression to graduation 
• Establish, interpret, and implement academic policies and procedures, including matters related to tenure, promotion, and faculty advancement 
• Partner with Advancement to build a culture of fundraising and external engagement and actively support resource development efforts 
• Ensure effective stewardship of resources, including budget development, prioritization, and oversight of financial performance 
• Serve as a key advisor to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs on matters affecting instructional programs and college performance 
• Strengthen internal communication by keeping academic leaders informed of issues impacting programs, faculty, and students 
• Support institutional recruitment and retention initiatives and enhance the College’s visibility, reputation, and external impact 
• Perform other related duties as assigned 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of university policies and procedures, or the ability to quickly acquire such knowledge 
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders 
• Proven capacity to collaborate across units and develop strategic partnerships with internal and external constituents 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Sound judgment and decision-making ability in complex and high-stakes environments 
• Ability to set strategic objectives, assess outcomes, and evaluate organizational effectiveness 
• Experience managing budgets and operating effectively within financial constraints 
• Ability to support and advance fundraising efforts on behalf of the College and University 
• Capacity to develop, interpret, and evaluate policies and procedures 
• Demonstrated effectiveness in supervising, mentoring, and developing staff

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A terminal degree in an academic discipline within the College
• A strong record of research and other scholarly achievements sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of full professor with tenure in a discipline within the College
• At least five years of administrative experience in higher education, preferably at the level of academic unit head (e.g., department chair, school director) or above
• Proven ability to lead and elevate programmatic excellence across multiple academic programs

About the Institution

Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA), the newest member of The University of Texas System, began more than a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’s oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has evolved into a comprehensive regional institution comprising six colleges and offering the academic breadth of a larger university with the personalized attention of a liberal arts experience. 

Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, SFA serves more than 11,000 students and plays a vital role in advancing educational access and opportunity across East Texas. The University is distinguished by its strong commitment to first-generation student success and its ability to connect academic programs with the needs of the region’s workforce and industries. 

Set within a 421-acre campus in a pine forest environment, SFA integrates natural resources, applied learning, and community engagement into the student experience. Its broader footprint, including research centers, clinical facilities, and specialized program sites across more than 1,200 acres, supports hands-on education and applied research across disciplines.

About the College

The Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture is one of SFA’s most distinctive and strategically important academic units, defined not only by its academic programs but by the scale and integration of its applied resources. The College encompasses three core departments—Forestry, Agriculture, and Environmental Science—bringing together disciplines that are deeply interconnected in both practice and research.

Beyond the classroom, the College operates as a comprehensive applied ecosystem. Faculty and students engage directly with working agricultural operations, forestry lands, environmental labs, and the SFA Gardens, one of the university’s most visible and community-engaged assets. These resources support hands-on learning, industry collaboration, and research that is closely aligned with the economic and environmental priorities of East Texas.

With more than 30 endowed faculty positions and longstanding relationships across timber, agriculture, and environmental sectors, the College is uniquely positioned to advance applied research and workforce development. Its next phase of leadership will focus on better aligning these assets, elevating program visibility, and strengthening its role as a regional and system-level leader in forestry, agriculture, and environmental science.

Living in the Area

Nacogdoches, Texas offers a distinctive East Texas setting defined by natural beauty, a strong sense of community, and a high quality of life. Surrounded by pine forests and scenic landscapes, the area provides access to outdoor recreation, including hiking trails, gardens, and nearby lakes, while maintaining the amenities of a vibrant university town.

The region is known for its affordability and accessibility, making it an attractive place to live for individuals and families alike. Nacogdoches offers a welcoming, close-knit environment with strong public and private school options, a growing local economy, and convenient access to larger metropolitan areas such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin.

SFA contributes significantly to the cultural and intellectual life of the region. The university hosts a wide range of performances, exhibitions, and community events throughout the year, including concerts, theatre productions, and visual arts programming through its College of Fine Arts. These offerings, combined with the natural setting and pace of life in East Texas, create a unique environment that blends professional opportunity with personal quality of life. 

To Apply 

For full consideration, please apply by May 20, 2026. 

Please apply through the application link and do not email applications. 

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Inquiries and questions: Please send to SFADeanATCFA@acesrch.com.
Nominations and referrals: Please send the nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com.

Institutional Information
Stephen F. Austin State University, an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and Educator, is committed to excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, creed, color, age, national origin, religion or physical or mental disability as required by law. If, because of an impairment or disability, you need accommodation during any part of the employment process, please contact Human Resources at 936-468-2304.