Indianapolis, Indiana
Bring on Tomorrow
THE SEARCH
Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) seeks an accomplished and visionary leader to serve as the next Dean of the Herron School of Art + Design.
Herron seeks a leader who appreciates the many ways that art, music, and design contribute to campus life, student growth, and the advancement of the State of Indiana. The next Dean will build on more than a century of operation and engagement in downtown Indianapolis.
HERRON SCHOOL OF ART + DESIGN
The John Herron Institute was founded as a private institution in 1902, at the time housing an art school and museum, located just north of downtown Indianapolis. In 1967, the Museum separated to become the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the school joined Indiana University. Two years later, Herron and other professional schools joined to create Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). In 2005, Herron relocated to its current home, Eskenazi Hall adjacent to the museums of the White River State Park and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.
Herron is home to more than 50 full-time faculty and 20 staff and has an annual operating budget of over $9 million. At the start of the Fall 2026 semester, 676 students were enrolled at Herron (12 doctoral students, 50 masters students, and 614 undergraduates). The school offers fifteen undergraduate majors, nine minors, two certificates, and eleven graduate degrees and certificates across four departments. Herron also has distinctly unique offerings in Music Technology and Music Therapy programs.
Herron is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The Art Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE). The Department of Music and Arts Technology is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The music therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.
Members of the Dean's Advisory Board offer their insights into immediate goals and long-term planning for Herron School of Art and Design. The Board brings together community leaders, business professionals, artists, educators, philanthropists, alumni, and other advocates who share a commitment to Herron and its future. Up to 22 community members are chosen for the Dean's Advisory Board each year for their outstanding professional or personal affiliations and accomplishments. The Board is currently helping advance planning for Herron’s 125th Anniversary, an important opportunity to celebrate the school’s history while increasing awareness, engagement, philanthropy, and enthusiasm for its future.
Herron spans three buildings on the IU Indianapolis campus—a total 215,000 square feet of studios, galleries, music practice rooms, and other inspirational spaces.
- Eskenazi Hall houses the majority of Herron’s art and design studios, a 240-seat auditorium, three galleries, an internationally recognized art library, a 3-D printing lab, a school-wide shop, outdoor sculpture gardens, student exhibition spaces, and a Grand Hall for public receptions and events.
- The Eskenazi Fine Arts Cetner (located about a mile away) houses Herron’s sculptureand ceramics programs, two more exhibition galleries, graduate studios, classrooms, critique spaces, and a large, multipurpose fabrication space.
- The Music and Arts Technology department is located in the Informatics and Communications Technology Complex. Students working in these spaces have access to practice rooms, recording studios, and the Critical Listening Environment for Audio Research (CLEAR) Laboratory: a state-of-the art facility for the recording, production, and mixing of musical projects. The Tavel Center explores frontiers of music and multimedia in the fine arts, education, computer science, informatics and engineering. As Tavel Center's associates collaborate in these areas, new modes of creative thought and expression emerge. Music technology graduate students benefit by working directly with research faculty on new technologies.
Herron faculty have a long history of connecting their work to communities locally, nationally, and internationally, promoting a collaborative culture not only in the classroom but across IU Indianapolis and the surrounding region. On campus, Herron faculty and students engage in interdisciplinary activities and shared research with their academic peers. They also bring imaginative ideas and solutions to life through the Basile Center for Art, Design, and Public Life. The Basile Center connects faculty and students with community organizations to address real-world challenges through art and design. The Basile Center has worked with more than 120 community partners including 10 East Arts Hub, Aspire House, the Fonseca Theater, and the International Center of Indianapolis. The Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA) programing brings together artists, religious leaders, religious communities, humanities experts, and a broad range of backgrounds and disciplinary perspectives to explore varieties of religious experiences to inspire the creation of new artistic works.
Globally, Herron’s programming opens doors to a network of communities for students, faculty, and staff. Led by the Edgar and Dorothy Fennel chair of international studies, Herron benefits by an endowment offering multifaceted opportunities for global learning. From study abroad programs that offer immersive experiences around the world to international education partnerships dedicated to providing students with new perspectives and skills, Herron has a wide range of opportunities for our community to connect with the world.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
Since 1969—the year Indiana University and Purdue University came together to create Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). IUPUI has been recognized for its outstanding teaching and learning, resourceful innovation, commitment to community engagement, and research that changes lives for the better.
In June 2023, the Indiana University and Purdue University Boards of Trustees approved a definitive agreement to formalize the separation of IUPUI. The creation of independent campuses enables the two major research universities in the state to build upon their legacies of excellence and impact to meet the needs of Indiana and its capital city for decades to come. Most academic programs at IUPUI, along with 1,308 faculty, 2,195 professional and support staff, and 85% of all students (more than 20,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students) transitioned to IU Indianapolis in 2024.
IU Indianapolis is the urban health and life sciences campus of Indiana University, housing the nation’s largest medical school, and schools of nursing, dentistry, and Science. The campus and its more than 200,000 living alumni have long played a critical role in the metropolitan Indianapolis region and across the state. As of Fall 2026, Indiana University Indianapolis had 23,145 students in three locations: Indianapolis, Columbus, and Fort Wayne, of which 15,442 students are undergraduates and 7,703 are graduate and professional students. Undergraduate enrollment has increased each of the past three years, with incoming beginner classes increasing more than 10% annually over that time. IU Indianapolis was recently recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a Research I institution, representing its place among premier research institutions. The campus also received Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, building on a legacy of collaboration with local partners and institutions. Growth and community investment in the reimagined campus is also seen in new construction: a STEM Lab Building and the James T. Morris Arena (“The Jim”), a state-of-the-art athletic facility directly across the street from Eskenazi Hall, set to open in late 2026.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1820, Indiana University is one of the nation's leading public research universities, with 930+ academic programs, nine university campuses and nine School of Medicine campuses. Since its founding, Indiana University has helped students create brighter futures while also driving innovation, from breakthroughs in DNA technology to cancer research to trailblazing humanities programs and resources. Indiana University is home to top-ranked business; public and environmental affairs; education; law; arts and sciences; and music schools, as well as the world's first school of philanthropy, the nation's first school of informatics, and the country's largest medical school.
The university's campuses are united by IU 2030: The Indiana University Strategic Plan, an aspirational vision for a bold and ambitious future focused on student success and opportunity, transformative research and creativity, and service to the state of Indiana and beyond. The three foundational pillars are:
1. Student Success and Opportunity - A commitment to affordability and a student experience that equips graduates for resounding success in the workplace and beyond.
2. Transformative Research and Creativity - A commitment to the pursuit of discovery, creativity, and innovation that improves communities and changes lives.
3. Service to Our State and Beyond - A commitment to engagement, partnership, and collaboration that strengthens the vitality of Indiana, the nation, and the world.
Indiana University has a total budget of approximately $4.2 billion with approximately 7,500 full-time faculty, 12,000 full-time staff, and nearly 93,000 students. In addition, Indiana University is one of only seven public universities in the nation with a AAA credit rating from both Moody's Investor Service and S&P Global.
Beginning with its roots in Bloomington, Indiana, IU is now a major multi-campus university system with locations across the state and the world. The statewide IU system includes five additional campuses, two regional centers, and nine School of Medicine campuses across Indiana. The core campuses in Bloomington and Indianapolis give students the opportunity to choose a traditional setting or a big-city environment. The regional campuses offer 4-year IU degrees and graduate degrees in small-campus environments throughout the state. Regional centers of IU Indianapolis include IU Columbus and IU Fort Wayne.
INDIANAPOLIS
With a population of approximately 880,000, Indianapolis, the capital city of Indiana, is the 16th largest city in the United States. Home to several major league sports teams, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Headquarters, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, White River State Park, and numerous museums and other cultural attractions. Indianapolis was recently recognized as the 11th best metro area for livability by RentCafe and surrounding communities Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, and Greenwood all rank in the top 26 for livability in US News “250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2026-27.” The state legislature and many companies—including Eli Lilly, Roche Diagnostics, Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), Elanco, and Corteva—are headquartered in the city, creating a rich ecosystem for collaboration and partnership. CNBC recently ranked Indiana as the fifth best state for infrastructure, specifically noting the state’s strategic geographic location, investments in rail lines, access to key ports, good condition of roads and bridges, and widespread access to broadband.
Indianapolis is also home to numerous cultural and creative institutions including the Indianapolis Museum of Art/Newfields, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indy Arts Council, the Harrison Center for the Arts, the Madam C.J. Walker Legacy Center, the Indianapolis Arts Center, the Stutz Building, the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, and the Indianapolis Jazz Festival. It is also home to a range of non-profits that focus on arts and cultural development.
ROLE OF THE DEAN
The Dean, reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor at IU Indianapolis, serves as the chief strategic, academic, and administrative officer for the School. This individual is responsible for:
- Defining the School’s direction and priorities at the highest
- Shaping an environment for faculty, students, and staff to thrive.
- Overseeing its growth and development, including fundraising to support Herron’s strategic directions
- Managing personnel, budget, and
- Collaborating and forming strategic partnerships with other IU Schools.
Direct reports to the Dean include two associate deans, an assistant dean, four department chairs, a gallery director, a director of development, a facilities manager, and a marketing lead.
The Dean also works with the Dean’s Advisory Board, the Advancement Council, and the National Advisory Council to help guide the direction of the school, engage alumni and donors, and help support curricular innovation.
Opportunities for the next Dean of the Herron School of Art + Design include:
- Leading the development and implementation of the school’s next strategic plan, focusing on the mission and vision of the Herron School, its future growth, and its role in supporting the three pillars of the IU Indianapolis 2030 strategic plan.
- Increasing enrollment and ensuring student academic success and professional preparation through an innovative curriculum.
- Deepening the School’s connections to the city, region and state in alignment with the IU Indianapolis 2030 strategic plan.
- Further advancing research, scholarship, and creative activity at Herron, including building on Herron’s long-standing connections with the local community around art, design, and music.
- Growing financial resources from alumni and supporters to expand opportunities for students and faculty while making strategic and operating investments for Herron’s future.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
For Herron’s School of Art + Design Dean, Indiana University Indianapolis seeks an exceptional leader who is passionate about the role of art, design, and music in the life of a campus and community. IU Indianapolis is open to considering candidates from all parts of the world who may have been shaped by a variety of experiences, including leadership in the academic, private, professional, military, nonprofit, and government sectors.
A PhD or terminal degree related to Herron’s areas of study and research is required. Candidates should have a record of successful scholarship, a demonstrable record of engagement in higher education, or other leadership experiences that would qualify them to be a tenured Professor at IU Indianapolis.
While no one person will likely embody all the professional qualifications, skills, experiences, and personal qualities desirable in this role, the successful candidate will bring many of the following:
- A deep commitment to academic innovation and student
- A highly successful track record as a strategic leader, with excellent capabilities in enhancing organizational strengths, forging organizational unity, and delivering exceptional results.
- A leadership style that is adaptable and collaborative, built upon mutual respect, communication, and fairness.
- Thought leadership and experience working with cities, states, and/or the federal government around art and design.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing higher education
- Fundraising experience and enthusiasm for building relationships with external stakeholders for the benefit of the school.
- Financial acumen and proven abilities in budgetary and financial
- An entrepreneurial and creative
- A reputation for integrity, transparency, accountability, and
- Interpersonal skills that enable effective relationships with all stakeholders, including faculty, staff, other University leaders, alumni, advisory boards, professional officials, and leaders in the fields of higher education and international affairs.
TO APPLY:
The deadline for priority consideration October 14, 2026. Review of candidates will continue until an appointment is made.
All applications (including—as separate documents—a cover letter, resume, and list of references) should be submitted online at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/22639
All inquiries and nominations should be directed in confidence online to:
IU Executive Recruiting exesrch@iu.edu
Equal Employment Opportunity
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.
Campus Safety and Security
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at iups@iu.edu or by visiting IUPD.
