Provost & VP for Academic Affairs Search
Position Description
The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs provides vital, creative, and adaptable vision and leadership for the academic enterprise at Southern Oregon University. S/he is responsible for oversight of all academic divisions, departments, and programs and the services that support them. Working collaboratively with the other Vice Presidents, the Provost reports directly to the President and serves in her stead as requested. The Provost is responsible for guiding academic planning, shaping the academy through recruitment and development of faculty, working with the Vice President for Student Affairs to shape the student body through strategic recruitment and retention, and working with the Vice President for Finance Administration for budget development and priority-setting. S/he must be able to focus resources toward achievement of established strategic plans at a university where enrollment and student success are top priorities. A high level of collaboration, a commitment to teamwork, and exceptional listening and communication skills are critical.
Compensation
Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes a generous benefits package.
Position Responsibilities
- providing general development and direction of the curriculum;
- developing long-range planning and budget priorities;
- supporting, promoting, and enhancing excellent faculty teaching, scholarship, and engagement with the community;
- fostering academic excellence in departments and programs, with an emphasis on student learning both in and out of the classroom;
- supervising the faculty personnel system and faculty development programs;
- promoting and providing direction for the University’s research and creative endeavors;
- guiding programs including the library, information technology, instructional services, off-campus and continuing education programs, summer session, interinstitutional programs, and various galleries and collections associated with the University’s intellectual life;
- maintaining effective channels of communication with the President, faculty, and Faculty Senate;
- fostering, and maintaining partnerships with the University’s external communities.
Qualifications
- Ph.D or other terminal degree with a record of teaching and scholarship suitable for a tenured full professor appointment in an academic discipline;
- Experience in operational leadership and management of a complex academic organization;
- Demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, fairness and public service;
- Demonstrated leadership fostering excellent teaching, strong scholarship and creative endeavor;
- Experience with strategic planning, budgeting, personnel administration, and fundraising;
- Experience developing and overseeing academic programs that increase student access and enrollment;
- Experience fostering partnerships between a university and the region it serves.
About SOU
Southern Oregon University is a public liberal arts and sciences university and is one of seven public institutions in the Oregon University System. Serving approximately 5,000 students, SOU challenges individuals to grow intellectually and personally as life-long learners. We are an inclusive campus community that fosters student success by teaching, serving, creating, and leading. We engage regional, national, and international partners in meaningful civic, professional, research, and artistic contributions.
Southern Oregon University is committed to:
- A challenging and practical liberal arts education centered on student learning, access, and community engagement;
- Partnerships, public service, community outreach, and economic development activities that address regional needs;
- Outstanding programs that draw on and enrich our unique arts community and bioregion.
The University, a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), offers thirty-four majors and nearly fifty minors in the College of Arts & Sciences and Schools of Business and Education. SOU has a rich array of interdisciplinary programs, including Environmental Studies, Native American Studies, and Shakespeare Studies. SOU also collaborates with Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) to offer an exceptional nursing program. A dozen graduate programs in business, management, psychology, and education are also offered.
Southern Oregon and Ashland
The University’s beautiful 175-acre campus is located in the city of Ashland in the bio-diverse Rogue Valley, a hub for culture and arts in the Northwest, and has an additional campus located in nearby Medford. Located 14 miles north of the California border in a sunny Oregon region nestled at the convergence of the Cascade, Siskiyou, and Coast mountain ranges, the region is home to enormous and rich cultural offerings, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, varied art galleries, novel shops, and a wide range of exceptional restaurants. Outdoor recreational opportunities include river rafting, hiking, rock-climbing, biking, golf, tennis, and skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Ashland.
Application Requirements, Process and Timeline
Apllications must be submitted via the SOU website. Please direct nominations and inquiries to:
Provost Search Committee
Southern Oregon University
c/o Jonathan Eldridge, Vice President for Student Affairs
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
Or email to: jonathan.eldridge@sou.edu
The successful candidate is subject to a criminal background check.
Southern Oregon University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to development of an inclusive multicultural community.
