Search for the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), one of the world’s outstanding public research universities, seeks an innovative leader to serve as the next Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM). This is a unique opportunity to lead a top-10 school of veterinary medicine that has enjoyed a sustained period of growth in enrollment, research, hospital revenues, and fundraising over the past decade. With a series of new building projects and renovations scheduled for completion during the next year and a curriculum revision scheduled for implementation in Fall 2025, the SVM is poised to continue its positive trajectory in research, education, clinical practice, and public service. Located on a campus with a comprehensive array of schools and colleges—including schools of medicine and public health, nursing, and pharmacy—the SVM plays a pivotal role in the university’s educational, research, and outreach missions.
Founded in 1848, UW-Madison is the flagship institution within the University of Wisconsin System and a land-grant research university committed to excellence in research, teaching, and public service. It consistently ranks among the world's top research universities. The institution draws on revenues of more than $3 billion annually and conducted $1.38 billion in research last year. It has a student body of approximately 50,660 representing 116 countries and has more than 25,000 employees—including approximately 2,290 faculty and 12,500 staff, 5,000 graduate assistants, and 7,000 student employees. The school is comprised of 380 veterinary medical students and approximately 875 faculty, staff, and trainees with a budget of approximately $100 million, including research expenditures of $42 million. Working in partnership with the faculty, staff, students, university leadership, and external partners, the dean will advance an agenda for the future, attending to the mission of engaging in education, research, and clinical service of the highest caliber to improve the health and welfare of animals and people and strengthen Wisconsin’s economic vitality. The dean’s success will depend heavily on their ability to build relationships, bring people together around common goals, communicate with the diverse array of people who support and depend on the school, and anticipate change in a quickly-evolving field.
The dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine reports to the chancellor and the provost, serves on the university’s deans council, and provides leadership for veterinary medicine and public health initiatives across the campus. Serving as the chief academic and executive officer of the school with responsibility for faculty and staff development, personnel oversight, fundraising, budget planning and management, curriculum, student academic affairs, clinical resources, and facilities development. The dean is an ambassador for the school and profession on the state, national, and international level and serves on the board of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association. The dean leads the advancement of the school through its instructional programs, its nationally recognized research initiatives, its philanthropic efforts, and by building strong internal and external communities to support the school’s continued success and growth. This includes aligning the school with new and developing priority campus initiatives.
Applications, Inquiries, and Nominations
For the formal UW-Madison Position Vacancy Listing, which sets forth the Dean’s duties and responsibilities, click here. Questions, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically and in confidence to Greg Esposito and Sharon Hansen at Isaacson, Miller at the link below. The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure consideration, applications must be received by January 8, 2024. Applicants should include a current resume or curriculum vitae and a comprehensive cover letter that addresses how their strengths and experience match the qualifications for the position, and what they see as challenges and opportunities of the position, as well as the names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references. Candidates will be consulted before references are contacted.
Important information regarding confidentiality: Unless confidentiality is requested in writing, UW-Madison is required by Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7) to release the names of all applicants to anyone who requests that information. If you would like to request confidentiality, please indicate that in an email to Victoria Castillo (vcastillo@imsearch.com) and request acknowledgment to that effect. Names of nominees and applicants who explicitly request confidentiality will not be made public, however, all candidates who advance to the finalist stage will be announced publicly prior to their campus visits.
