Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School

The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) seeks a forward-thinking, collaborative and innovative leader with a deep commitment to graduate education in a research-intensive environment to serve as its next Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University, the Vice Provost and Dean serves as the principal academic and administrative officer of the school. Applications, inquiries and nominations are invited.

Penn State, a public, land grant, research-intensive university, educates more than 90,000 students at its 25 campuses, including 24 throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the University’s online World Campus. The Graduate School, established in 1922, is one of the nation’s largest, with more than 14,000 graduate students enrolled at University Park; Penn State Harrisburg, the Capital College; Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; the Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies; the College of Medicine, and through Penn State’s World Campus. International enrollment has increased to more than 2,700 students, and the Graduate School has a strategic priority to increase the enrollment and retention of underrepresented graduate students.

Penn State offers nearly 200 graduate fields of study, with 93 research doctorates (Ph.D.), seven professional doctorates (D.Ed., D.M.A., D.N.P., and Dr.P.H.), 108 research master’s degrees (M.A. and M.S.), and a growing portfolio (currently 97) of professional master’s degree programs. Graduate faculty across all degree programs exceeds 3,100. The Graduate School is responsible for overseeing the admission, matriculation and graduation of all graduate students across the University, excluding professional students in the College of Medicine, Dickinson Law and Penn State Law; maintains academic standards and adherence to academic and administrative policies related to graduate education; promotes and provides professional development opportunities for graduate students; and promulgates best practices for graduate faculty to augment the efforts of graduate programs and colleges. Additionally, the Graduate School has awarded 129,809 graduate degrees to date. There are more than 121,000 living Penn State graduate alumni.

The Vice Provost and Dean provides visionary leadership to a multi-campus academic unit in a multi-disciplinary and highly inter-disciplinary research university, overseeing a base budget of over $21 million in general funds, an operating budget of $5 million, and $15 million in student aid funding. The Graduate School is supported by approximately 50 full-time staff. The new Vice Provost and Dean will be expected to advance a contemporary vision for the Graduate School; strengthen structures, systems, policies and practices; partner with university leadership and build relationships across the university; foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; promote and expand interdisciplinary opportunities; and strengthen fundraising and alumni engagement.

The successful candidate must have a record of leadership in graduate education, preferably in a research-intensive environment; prior leadership experience with responsibility for strategic management of personnel, programs and resources; a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; and a scholarly record appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of professor. The successful candidate should have the ability to inspire graduate students to expand their knowledge and understanding of their impact in a multicultural, global society; a commitment to high-quality disciplinary and interdisciplinary graduate education; and familiarity with national issues affecting graduate education. Experience in fundraising and alumni engagement is desirable.

All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile, available at www.wittkieffer.com. WittKieffer is assisting Penn State in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by August 15th.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Suzanne Teer, Jessica Herrington and Luis Bertot PennStateGraduateDean@wittkieffer.com

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report, which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.