Vice President of Inclusive Diversity and Equity/Chief Diversity Officer

St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a public, non-sectarian, co-educational liberal arts institution, seeks an accomplished and innovative leader to become its vice president of inclusive diversity and equity/chief diversity officer (VPIDE/CDO). Chartered by the State of Maryland and designated the state's official Honors College, St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) is recognized as the premier public traditional liberal arts institution in the nation. Founded on the site of Maryland's first capital, at the place where the separation of church and state was first enacted as an ideal in this country, the college stands as a living legacy to the ideals of freedom and inclusiveness, in a setting that continually renews its commitment to the environment.

St. Mary's has forged a singular identity as an institution offering a small college experience comparable to that found at exceptional private colleges, with commitments to affordability, access and diversity. Its faculty excels in teaching, scholarship, creative thinking, community engagement and an appreciation of and commitment to the study of world issues, cultures and communities. Undergraduate and residential in nature, it has a diverse student body of approximately 1,700, emphasizes excellence in teaching and averages a student to teacher ratio of 10:1. In recent years, the college has greatly enhanced its facilities including adding student residences that allow 82 percent of its students to live on campus.

The new vice president will join St. Mary’s at a pivotal moment in the institution’s history. Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, the college’s seventh president, has built an exceptional leadership team that, together, has implemented an ambitious and inclusive three-year strategic plan, “A Time for Rebirth,” approved by the board of trustees in 2016. Reporting to the president and serving as her primary advisor on matters related to inclusion, diversity and equity, the new vice president will work to ensure SMCM is a place where people are engaged in an ongoing dialogue that values differences and the unique contributions of others’ talents, backgrounds, customs and worldviews. Further, the new vice president will help envision and create a future for St. Mary’s College that reaffirms and builds upon its charter as the state’s only public honors college and the first of its kind in the nation.

The vice president offers consultation on both internal and external issues and opportunities and works collaboratively with the president, board of trustees and senior leadership team to develop and promote an institutional culture of inclusive diversity and equity across the college at the student, faculty and staff levels. The vice president works closely with leaders of all departmental units to develop and support initiatives related to inclusive diversity and equity in a manner that promotes the college’s mission, ethos, and core values. The VPIDE also serves as a member of the Office of the President and works closely with academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management and human resources in developing, supporting and coordinating recruitment, retention, curricular and outreach programs that promote intercultural and diversity education for the entire campus community.

The successful candidate will be an adroit and experienced leader of inclusion, diversity and equity who will implement best practices, optimize finance and budgeting in a highly tuition dependent environment, and serve as a role model to promote respect and inclusiveness in interactions at all levels across the campus. The new leader will be a superb communicator and effective change manager with exceptional analytical and relationship-building skills.

Located in a beautiful rural waterfront setting covering 300 acres on the banks of the St. Mary's River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, the college fully embraces its historic and physical geography with a commitment to sustainable development. The waterfront is a distinctive and highly attractive characteristic of the college and is fully integrated into the life of the campus for learning, recreation and sport. The campus adjoins Historic St. Mary's City, a fully accredited outdoor museum supported by the State of Maryland and private sources. The college and Historic St. Mary's City are formally affiliated and the relationship affords students opportunities for fieldwork in archaeology and historic interpretation.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Review of applications has begun and will continue until the position is filled; interested candidates are encouraged to submit materials as soon as possible. Candidates should provide, as three separate documents, a curriculum vitae, a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the leadership profile that can be found at www.wittkieffer.com, and the names and contact information of five references. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates.

Materials should be sent electronically via e-mail to the St. Mary's College of Maryland consultants Charlene Aguilar, John McFarland and Robin Mamlet at SMCM-VPIDE@wittkieffer.com. The consultants can be reached via the desk of Candice Jones at 630-575-6929.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.