Dean, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration

A research-intensive, technologically advanced university with global impact, the University of Delaware traces its roots to the founding of a small private academy in 1743. The University received its charter from the State of Delaware in 1833 and was designated in 1867 as one of the nation’s historic Land Grant colleges. The University celebrated its 275th anniversary in 2018-19, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirmed its accreditation of the University in 2022.

A Land Grant, Sea Grant, and Space Grant institution, UD is state-assisted, yet privately governed. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as having very high research activity, a distinction achieved by less than 5% of U.S. colleges and universities, and it ranks among the nation’s top 100 universities in federal research and development support for science and engineering. Since 2015 and reaffirmed in 2026, UD has held the Carnegie Community Engagement classification, recognizing the extension and impact of its scholarship to society through work on community-engaged projects with local, state, national, and global partners.

UD is highly regarded in multiple external rankings. QS World University Ranking lists UD among the top 500 in the world. The 2025 U.S. News and World Report ranks UD as a Best Global University at #88 nationally and #43 among public institutions. Six undergraduate programs are ranked among the top quarter in the nation, including the undergraduate program in chemical engineering at #4. U.S. News also ranked 34 of UD’s graduate programs in the top 150 nationwide.

Named in 2018 for UD’s most distinguished alumnus, the 46th President of the United States, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration prepares students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in research and public service activities to improve the quality of life in communities around the world. The work and dedication of Biden School faculty, staff, students, and alumni informs effective decision-making and policy and improves leadership and administration.

The Biden School partners with organizations from all sectors to discover innovative and equitable solutions to the critical challenges of our time. The Biden School houses its flagship undergraduate program, Civic Leadership and Policy Studies; six master’s degree programs; four graduate certificates; and four doctoral programs. Areas of focus include energy and environment, social determinants of health, disasters and recovery, education and social policy, public policy, and nonprofit and public management and leadership. Its world-renowned faculty conduct research in these areas and help to find solutions to society’s most critical issues.

The Biden School includes eight research and public service centers – from the Center for Applied Demography & Survey Research, where data science and digital technology join to serve the public interest, to the Biden Institute, a non-partisan domestic policy center that brings together the sharpest minds and the most powerful voices to address our nation's toughest problems. With over 500 current students, 29 full-time faculty, 43 full-time policy scientists, 13 school staff, and a legacy of meaningful community impact, the Biden School is a unit with international stature and unlimited growth and promise.

The School’s dedicated faculty includes interdisciplinary teachers and scholars who are locally, nationally, and globally recognized as leaders in their respective fields. The Biden School faculty and staff have developed trusting, longstanding partnerships and are well-known in state and local government, non-profits, and communities as partners in their success.

Biden Hall, currently in the planning and fundraising stage, will serve as the School’s permanent home and interdisciplinary hub for the social sciences. Designed to support innovation, dialogue, and civil discourse, this modern facility will anchor the Biden School’s next chapter as a nexus for academic excellence, public service, and democratic leadership.

The University of Delaware seeks an accomplished, collaborative, and mission-driven leader to serve as Dean of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration. The Biden School is a highly interdisciplinary, public-service–oriented school within a major research university. It operates at the intersection of academic scholarship, experiential education, sponsored research, and deep engagement with state, regional, and federal partners.

This role uniquely combines the responsibilities of both a school dean and a department chair, requiring strategic vision, operational rigor, and relational leadership. As the chief academic and administrative officer of the Biden School, the Dean is responsible for providing strategic and intellectual leadership and overseeing the operations and finances, including all programmatic and personnel activities.

The next Dean will lead the School through a period of organizational transition and opportunity, helping to define its distinctive identity, stabilize its financial and enrollment position, and elevate its national profile. The Dean will lead a high-impact school within a comprehensive research university, with deep connections to government, policy, and public service. With the support of faculty and staff, the Dean serves as the School’s principal representative for enhancing its profile, visibility, and resources as well as for the demand for its programs.

The Dean reports to the Provost and works closely with University leadership, faculty, staff, students, research center directors, and external partners. The successful candidate will value shared governance, demonstrate respect for faculty and staff, and lead with transparency, empathy, and integrity.

The full position specification can be found at: https://bit.ly/UDBidenSchoolDean

The University of Delaware invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Dean of the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. Interested candidates should confidentially submit a curriculum vitae and letter of interest that details your interest in the role, as well as your relevant experience and leadership skills (PDF files preferred) to:

Joi Hayes-Scott

Consultant to the Search Committee

Russell Reynolds Associates

UD.BidenSchool@russellreynolds.com

For fullest consideration, materials should be received as soon as possible, and no later than March 23, 2026.