Georgia State University

Position Title/Short Description

Full Text of JOE Listing:

Dean, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Georgia State University seeks an inspiring, creative, and strategic individual to serve as the next Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYSPS).

Georgia State is a comprehensive research and doctoral granting institution in the Carnegie Foundation’s elite category of R1: Very High Research Activity. With more than 52,000 students from nearly 150 nations and territories, it is the largest university in the state and one of the largest in the nation. Georgia State offers more than 250-degree programs in 100 fields of study, taught by more than 1,500 faculty members who generate groundbreaking research and educate one of the most diverse student populations in the nation. In 2022, Georgia State was identified as the second most innovative university in the country by the U.S. News and World Report.

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYSPS) creates and disseminates knowledge and analytical methods highly valued by policymakers and leaders in the public sector, nonprofit, and business worlds. With the school bearing the name of civil rights leader Ambassador Andrew Young, the next dean will further expand on this compelling legacy for the school and its mission of developing leaders and strengthening individuals, families, and communities within a global context.

The AYSPS ranks among the top policy schools in the United States, connected by a shared emphasis on policy research, instruction, and engagement. The U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 ranking of Best Graduate Schools in Public Affairs places AYSPS at No. 22 in the nation. Other top rankings include No. 5 in Urban Policy; No. 5 in Public Finance & Budgeting; No. 10 in Local Government Management; and No. 10 in Nonprofit Management.

A strength of AYSPS is its collection of interdisciplinary research institutes and centers: Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group, the Experimental Economics Center, the Georgia Health Policy Center, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, Georgia Policy Labs, and the Public Finance Research Cluster (PRFC) that comprises three public finance centers — Center for State and Local Finance, Fiscal Research Center, and International Center for Public Policy.

Working collaboratively with the college’s stakeholders, the next dean will strategically position AYSPS for the future, seizing upon its strengths as a top-ranked school in the field and its location in Atlanta. The dean should have a strong administrative record, with strategic and organizational management skills, policy experience and expertise, a strategic vision, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The ability to raise funds and strong communication skills will also be important. The successful candidate should also have academic credentials and a record of scholarly achievement that merit the rank of a tenured professor in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies or the achievement of the highest levels of distinction in a policy role or other areas pertinent to the mission of the school.

Initial screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Georgia State University will be assisted by Ellen Brown Landers, Jackie Zavitz, and Meghan Ashbrock of Heidrick & Struggles, Inc.

Nominations and applications should be directed to: GSUAYSdean@heidrick.com

Georgia State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants due to race, ethnicity, gender, veteran status, or on the basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.