Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Saint Leo University is one of American higher education’s true success stories. Established in 1889 by the Benedictine Order, the university has in recent years become a model for efficient, effective operations based on core principals of fidelity to mission, adherence to institutional values, accountability for execution, and commitment to vision and planning.

To continue and to enhance this record of success, Saint Leo University seeks a provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs (provost).

Saint Leo is organized into two distinct units. The first is University College, its traditional campus of approximately 2,350 traditional undergraduate students just north of Tampa, Florida. The second is Saint Leo WorldWide, which includes: its graduate programs, currently totaling more than 3,000 students; Center for Online Learning, undergraduate distance education programs currently enrolling approximately 3,000 students (FTE); military centers, onsite locations on military bases enrolling approximately 4,000 students; and civilian centers, enrolling approximately 4,000 students, including several partnerships with state colleges in Florida.

The university’s budget exceeds $170 million and has in recent years generated surpluses exceeding $10 million per annum. The 134 full-time faculty members on the traditional campus are unionized; the university’s full-time, off-campus faculty benefit from the same arrangements made with the bargaining unit. The institution is dedicated to a process of “smart growth” based first and foremost on its commitment to students. 

In short, Saint Leo is the very model of modern university business practices.

Reporting to the president, the provost is the chief academic and student affairs officer of the university and will provide oversight of all educational programs offered on the University Campus, at its centers, and online. Included in the duties of the provost are the development, implementation, and assurance of the quality of undergraduate and graduate programs, instruction, research, and service. The provost will provide direct, on-going supervision of deans, directors, the vice president of student affairs, and is responsible for overall administration of academic and student affairs of the university, including academic and administrative technology. This is a newly created position at Saint Leo, and its first incumbent will have the opportunity to set the standard of excellence and the range of impact for this position moving forward.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a thorough and actionable understanding of and engagement in the business of higher education as it has emerged and continues to emerge. The provost will have significant experience with promoting excellent teaching, scholarship, and external grant funding and in the management of people and programs toward well-defined and broadly embraced goals. He or she will first and foremost be dedicated to the core mission and values of the university. To this end, the successful candidate will be a person of faith with exposure to and appreciation of the Catholic, Benedictine traditions on which the university’s values are based. Above all, the provost will be student-centric in all decision-making, focusing the institution’s assets in service to its many and diverse students and student bodies. An earned terminal degree and a record of teaching and scholarship commensurate with an appointment to the faculty at the rank of professor are required.

Saint Leo University’s first provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs will serve a university whose commitment to its students is in keeping with its rich history and whose business practices in many ways define the cutting edge of modern higher education leadership.

Recruitment will continue until an appointment is made. Nominations, applications, and letters of interest (including a cover letter and resume) should be submitted to Witt/Kieffer consultants Dennis M. Barden, Robert W. Luke, and Concetta M. Stewart via email at:  SaintLeoProvost@wittkieffer.com.

Material that cannot be emailed may be sent to:

Provost

Saint Leo University

c/o WITT/KIEFFER

Attention: Dennis M. Barden, Robert W. Luke, and Concetta M. Stewart

2015 Spring Road, Suite 510

Oak Brook, IL  60523

Confidential inquiries and questions concerning this search may be directed to the consultants supporting this search at 630-575-6152.

Saint Leo University has a strong commitment to principles of equal employment opportunity and equal access to education. Saint Leo University does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnic origin, nationality, genetic information, gender, race, religion, or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, employment, or other school administered programs.

The policy is enforced by Saint Leo University and by applicable laws such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.