The University of Washington Tacoma is launching a national search for the next Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology. The Dean reports to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (EVCAA) and is responsible for all matters relating to the educational, budgetary, and administrative affairs of their units.  A comprehensive leadership profile and additional information is forthcoming. The search will be assisted by WittKieffer, an executive search firm specializing in leadership searches.  

Advisory Search Committee 

  • Committee Co-Chair, Natalie Eschenbaum, Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
  • Committee Co-Chair, Heather Dillon, Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Success and Professor of Mechanical Engineering
  • Lorne Arnold, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering
  • Tom Capaul, Associate Teaching Professor in Computer Science and Systems and Program Chair, CSS
  • Brian Chambers, Director of Development, UW Tacoma Advancement
  • Charles Costarella, Teaching Professor, Information Technology
  • Debasis Dawn, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Kira King, Lead Academic Advisor, SET
  • Raghavi Sakpal, Associate Dean, SET and Associate Teaching Professor, Computer Science and Systems
  • Jeff Walters, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
  • Ka Yee Yeung, Professor of Computer Science and Systems

Charge Letter 

August 31, 2026

Dear Colleagues, 

Thank you for agreeing to serve on the advisory search committee to identify and recommend candidates for the position of Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology. Dean Eschenbaum and Associate Vice Chancellor Dillon will co-chair the committee.

Executive Order 20 from the University Policy Directory sets forth the basic procedures for conducting a search for a Dean. Your role is critical in identifying and recommending the most qualified candidates to join our campus.

The Dean reports to the EVCAA and is responsible for all matters relating to the educational, budgetary, and administrative affairs of their units, as outlined in Executive Orders 12 and 72.

The University is strongly committed to recruiting outstanding faculty from across the nation and around the world. It seeks to build an academic community with varied backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and ideas to enrich the academic environment and support student success.

As you develop processes for evaluating eligible candidates, I ask you to thoughtfully establish evaluation criteria and protocols for gathering and considering feedback from faculty, staff, student and campus leadership. At the conclusion of the search, I would like to receive from you the names of 2-4 highly qualified candidates as well as their strengths and areas for potential growth.

We will be supported in this process by search consultants Jessica Herrington and Cathryn Davis of WittKieffer as well as Heather Porter in the Office of Academic Affairs. Heather will communicate with you to arrange the first meeting of the committee. I will attend a portion of the meeting to discuss the search with you. Gerri Williams, Director of Academic Human Resources and Faculty Affairs, will also be in touch with you about a search workshop in the morning or afternoon of October 7.

Sincerely,

Andy Harris
Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of Washington Tacoma

Downloads 

Advisory Search Committee Charge Letter - Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology (PDF)