Senior Vice President and Provost

Columbia College Chicago, a private not-for-profit college for creatives serving nearly 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students, seeks an accomplished, progressive leader to serve as our next senior vice president and provost. Reporting to the president and working closely with the faculty and the senior leadership team, the provost will provide strategic direction for the academic enterprise of the college.

Located in downtown Chicago’s South Loop, the college is centered in one of the world's most lively urban cultural areas. Its many competitive advantages include its strong reputation in the creative industries, outstanding faculty and passionate students, impressive technological and physical resources, and a sincere commitment to bringing diverse voices and experiences into close proximity with each other to shape new forms of creative practice.

The institution is looking for an academic leader who will harness our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to help position us at the forefront of those responding to evolving 21st century models of higher education. We seek an individual who champions collaboration, who is willing to make and effectively communicate difficult decisions, and who can compassionately lead institutional change at a pivotal time in our history.

The ideal candidate will bring strategic vision, a record of successful organizational leadership, sound fiscal management skills, a distinguished record of creative practice or scholarship, and a deep commitment to Columbia’s mission. The next provost must also have the capacity and the desire to build a robust academic culture that encourages curricular innovation, builds partnerships with creative industries, and is dedicated to the pursuit of academic excellence.

The college is entering the fourth year of implementation of a five-year strategic plan under which the college is rewriting its curriculum; conducting an extensive review of faculty qualifications and the post-tenure review process; strengthening its student support services; upgrading its physical and technological resources; reorganizing and strengthening its enrollment management function; and continuing to build a robust financial foundation for the future.

The institution is five years into a transition from being an open-access institution to a moderately selective one that marries student access with student success. The provost must continue to build a faculty and academic programs that can meet the needs and expectations of prospective and current students and support the college’s push toward renewed growth.

A search committee led by the college president has been formed and will be assisted by Isaacson, Miller, the national executive search firm. Confidential inquiries, nominations/referrals, and/or resumes with cover letters may be submitted electronically to Sheryl Ash and Allison Burson, Isaacson, Miller, www.imsearch.com/6642 .

In accordance with Federal laws and regulations, equal opportunity shall be provided for all applicants on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.