Syracuse University invites nominations and applications for Faculty Director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program. As the Program transitions to a fully university-wide model within Academic Affairs, the Faculty Director will lead its next chapter, bringing faculty and outstanding students from all the University’s schools and colleges into a shared intellectual community. Reporting to the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and working in close partnership with the Provost, the Director will have a rare opportunity to reimagine honors education at a major research university at a moment when the University has committed both the mandate and the resources to do so.
Key Responsibilities
Vision and Strategy
- Define and advance a compelling, university-wide vision for Honors, and communicate it to faculty, deans, students, and families.
- Develop initiatives that elevate the Program’s standing among the nation’s leading honors programs.
- Set priorities informed by evidence and the counsel of the Honors Faculty Advisory Council, and establish learning outcomes and measures of success to guide the Program’s growth.
Curriculum and Faculty Engagement
- Shape a distinctive, intellectually ambitious curriculum that draws on the full range of disciplines at the University.
- Recruit and sustain faculty participation across all academic units, establishing durable teaching rotations and sustained commitments rather than episodic participation.
- Advocate for incentives and recognition that make teaching in Honors attractive and professionally meaningful.
Students and Student Success
- Guide Honors recruitment and admissions in partnership with Enrollment Management, with attention to broadening access across schools and colleges.
- Promote student success and retention, including among first-generation students, through advising, mentoring, and high-impact learning experiences.
- Support Honors students’ pursuit of research, creative work, and nationally competitive fellowships in collaboration with campus partners.
Governance and Community
- Convene the Honors Faculty Advisory Council and Student Advisory Council, ensuring both meaningfully shape the Program’s direction.
- Supervise and support Honors staff and foster an inclusive, intellectually vibrant community at university scale.
- Partner with deans and academic leaders to keep each school and college invested in the Program’s success.
Resources and Accountability
- Set resource priorities aligned with the Program’s expanded mission and steward the Program’s budget.
- Partner with Advancement to grow the philanthropic base supporting Honors.
- Report regularly on Program outcomes to the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and the Provost.
Qualifications
Required
- Tenured full professor at Syracuse University
- A distinguished record of scholarship or creative work and teaching that will earn the confidence of faculty across the University.
- A strong record of commitment to undergraduate education and an ambitious vision for it at university scale.
- Demonstrated ability to build consensus and lead across disciplines and units.
- Experience in curriculum development, academic governance, or program leadership, including leading through change.
- Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to make the case for Honors to audiences ranging from faculty colleagues to prospective students and families.
- Sound judgment in setting priorities and allocating resources for a growing, complex program.
Preferred
- A national reputation in one’s field.
- Experience leading honors, interdisciplinary, or cross-college programs.
- Experience with fundraising or donor engagement.
- A record of broadening access to high-impact learning for students of all backgrounds.
How to Apply
Please submit the following materials through the Faculty Director application form. Review of applications will begin November 16, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.
- A letter of interest (up to two pages) describing your vision for university-wide honors education and how your experience positions you to be the next Honors Faculty Director.
- A current curriculum vitae.
Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Amanda Latreille at facultyaffairs@syr.edu