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Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Selects Harris Search Associates to Lead Search for the Next Dean of the College of Science and Health

(March 2022) Charles R. Drew University University of Medicine and Science (CDU) has selected academic medicine executive search firm Harris Search Associates to lead the search for its next Dean of the College of Science and Health (COSH).

Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost, the Dean is responsible for guiding, directing, and overseeing the educational programs and auxiliary units in the College of Science and Health, providing leadership in the educational and professional missions of the College, overseeing the personnel policies and procedures of its faculty and staff and, developing and administering the budget of the College. The successful candidate in this position will lead the College to a new level of excellence with new programming, outreach, and recruitment. The candidate will focus on making all the programs in the College of Science and Health ‘destination programs’ emphasizing health disparities.

The Dean of the College of Science and Health is expected to advance the founding principles, values, and mission of Charles R. Drew University. The Dean is expected to show clarity in presentations, treat students and colleagues with respect and compassion, and demonstrate the ability to work with a variety of people and issues. The Dean should be objective, deal with differing viewpoints, be flexible, and manage the evolving growth of the college.

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) is a private, nonprofit, community-founded, student-centered University committed to cultivating diverse health professions leaders who are dedicated to social justice and health equity for underserved populations through outstanding education, clinical service, and community engagement. CDU is also a leader in health disparities research with a focus on education, training, treatment, and care in cancer, diabetes, cardiometabolic, and HIV/AIDS.

In the five decades since the school was incorporated in 1966, CDU has graduated more than 600 physicians, over 1,270 physician assistants and over 1,700 other health professionals, as well as training over 2,700 physician specialists through its sponsored residency programs. Its School of Nursing has graduated over 1,400 nursing professionals, including more than 1,000 family nurse practitioners.

CDU is an exceptionally diverse institution. Over 80 percent of students and 71 percent of faculty are from communities of color. CDU is the second most diverse four-year private nonprofit college in the nation, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education (August 2017). The Chronicle for Higher Education Almanac lists CDU as the top private, four-year, nonprofit university in the country in terms of faculty diversity. The Greenlining Institute recognized CDU as the most diverse medical education program in the University of California system. A California Wellness Foundation report estimated that one‐third of all minority physicians practicing in Los Angeles County are graduates of the CDU medical school and/or residency training programs. More than 85 percent of CDU College of Medicine students report that they intend to practice and provide much-needed care in underserved communities following graduation.

Harris Search Associates – an IIC Partners member firm, is a leading global higher education executive search and board advisory consulting firm with 44 offices in 33 countries worldwide.  Our higher education executive search practice is focused on identifying and attracting leaders to support the growth of clients in the areas of research, science, engineering, academic medicine, and healthcare enterprises. Clients include the foremost universities, research parks, institutes, academic medical centers, and healthcare organizations driving global innovation and discovery.