There are many varieties of associate and assistant dean positions. Some specialize in a single area such as assessment or faculty development. Others have broader duties (i.e., associate dean of academic affairs). Those who serve in these roles do so for a variety of reasons. Some become associate dean to determine if a career in administration is a good fit. Some view the role as a part of a progression to higher administrative positions. Some serve temporarily with the intent of returning to a faculty position. And some view it as a long-term position.
Beyond the Credential Factory: Why Higher Education Must Shift from Management to Flourishing
For decades, higher education leadership has obsessed over “student success” as a purely operational metric. We track retention and graduation rates and postgraduation outcomes with the same linear precision that
Yoshitaka Iwasaki
August 3, 2026
