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Position Description

Opportunities

Individuals seeking the Provost position will find the University ready for change led by a chief academic officer who brings positive, collaborative leadership. The position offers the opportunity to:

• Help the University to shape its academic, research and service vision.
• Foster and build a cohesive leadership team.
• Serve as the chief academic officer for one of 76 public universities designated by the Carnegie Foundation as “research universities with high research activity.”
• Enhance a university with a national and international reputation for its undergraduate, graduate and international programs.
• Serve as the chief academic officer within an outstanding physical plant.
• Enhance a university in a research rich, heavily populated service area.
• Lead in a position with a broad scope of responsibilities.
• Inspire and serve a faculty and staff committed to the University’s mission.
• Live in a community that is supportive of the university and is characterized by a high standard of living in a relatively low cost environment.

Essential Leadership Qualities of the Next Provost

The above opportunities for leadership, coupled with the University’s historic mission, aspirations, location and current statewide conditions, suggest that the next Provost should have a broad array of experiences, competencies and qualifications. It is most important for the Provost to be:

• A scholar with an earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree in an academic discipline and earned tenure with qualifications meriting appointment at the rank of full professor.
• An academic who demonstrates commitment to shared governance, supports the role of Faculty Senate and the AAUP, and values faculty input in tenure and promotion decisions.
• An innovative leader who embraces both graduate and undergraduate education and supports the interactive relationship between teaching and research and creative activities in all disciplines.
• An administrator with a demonstrated commitment to internationalization of higher education and interdisciplinary research and instruction with a focus on graduating globally competent students whose world view extends beyond their field of study.
• A flexible and pragmatic problem solver with demonstrated skills in enrollment management, budgets, resource allocation, negotiation, fundraising, and planning suitable to the complex nature of a public research university in the context of a changing academic environment.
• A leader who is accessible to all University constituents, appreciates their roles and responsibilities, demonstrates open and timely communication, and builds consensus.
• An engaged leader with a sustained record of high integrity and ethical behavior, creativity, energy, and the ability to inspire others.

Other Desired Qualities

• Experience—An innovative, entrepreneurial leader with a demonstrated record of success in the management of a complex organization. Extensive experience in a research university (as defined by the Carnegie Endowment for the Advancement of Teaching).
• Vision and Planning—Experience in developing a vision for the academic division of the University, including carrying out the achievement of that vision by developing a strategic plan tied to resource allocation. Ability to help the University achieve its goals by design rather than react to the environment.
• Consultative Decision Making—Commitment to collaborative decision making which invites others to share in the decisions in the academic affairs division, yet the ability to make difficult decisions after having consulted appropriately, and evidence of building consensus to implement such decisions.
• Length of Service in Leadership Position—Sufficient length of time in a leadership position to have had to live with decision outcomes and make corrections.
• Internationalization—Demonstrated commitment to comprehensive internationalization of the university, including leadership in internationalizing the curriculum and assisting faculty in development activities that increase their ability to pursue international dimensions in research, instruction and service.
• Interdisciplinary—An understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of research and instruction and a commitment to assisting faculty and students in forging cross-discipline collaboration, instruction and learning.
• Inclusivity—A record of achievement in advancing diversity and a commitment to fostering diversity throughout the University, including a willingness to seek every possible opportunity to enhance the number of underrepresented populations on the campuses.
• Planning and Budgeting—Successful supervision of management staff and experience, including strategic planning, financial management, and budgetary development. Demonstrated ability to manage financial resources, complex budgets and personnel in times of both strong support and budget reduction.
• Advocacy and Style—Ability to lead, advocate for, and be an effective spokesperson for the academic division of the University, including the ability to articulate an academic and research vision for the University to all. This includes a reputation for effective interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with people at all levels.
• Commitment to University—Willingness to make a commitment of a sufficient length of time as Provost to make a difference at a university that is clearly committed to achieving its goals.
• Team Building—Demonstrated ability to build a strong administrative team that will work collaboratively to achieve mutually defined goals for the academic division of the University. This includes abilities in team leadership, and the ability to delegate and hold persons responsible, as well as to be a valuable member of the senior leadership team of the University.
• Collective Bargaining—Commitment to working in a collective bargaining environment.
• Students—A commitment to students and student learning as a basis for decision making in academic programming.
• Undergraduate and Graduate Education—A clear comprehension of and commitment to both dimensions of WMU’s instructional mission, and an understanding of the centrality of graduate programs to WMU’s identity as a research institution.
• Technology—An innovative leader with a track record of supporting technological innovations and using technology to facilitate leadership and learning. Knowledge of distance education and a commitment to develop learning opportunities in off-site and remote locations.