Vice President for Equity and Inclusion

Bates College, one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, seeks a dynamic leader and collaborative campus partner to serve in the role of Vice President for Equity and Inclusion (VPEI). The Vice President will lead initiatives at an institution with a deep commitment to the values of access and equity in education that runs deep in history and mission.

As a scholar and administrative leader, the Vice President will have the opportunity to develop and implement a strategic framework for equity and inclusion work at Bates in collaboration with colleagues who are engaged in this work, serving different constituencies across the college. The VPEI leads and is part of a systemic and institution-wide approach to equity and inclusion, including the Board of Trustees, faculty colleagues aiming to achieve inclusive excellence in curriculum and pedagogy, staff committed to equity and inclusion for employees, student affairs colleagues focused on equity and inclusion in the student experience, colleagues in alumni outreach and engagement, and students. Further, the VPEI will be responsible for providing an overarching leadership framework and managing the staff and operating budget of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, which is overseen directly by the VPEI.

The Vice President reports directly to the president and collaborates with the Board, faculty, staff, students, community partners, public officials, donors and alumni in shaping the college's equity and inclusion strategy. In recent years, Bates has garnered significant philanthropic support for its equity and inclusion work, including a substantial grant from the Mellon Foundation, focused on the humanities, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence grant focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Both grants support curricular transformation and inclusive pedagogy. Bates has been an institutional leader in both the national organization of Liberal Arts Diversity Officers (LADO), a consortium of more than 24 liberal arts colleges and the Creating Connections Consortium (C3), funded by the Mellon Foundation. As a result, the new Vice President for Equity and Inclusion will be part of a community where equity work is a visible institutional priority to which substantial resources have been and will continue to be devoted.

Established in 1855, Bates College was the first institution in New England to provide a coeducational college experience. Bates began its journey for equity and justice during its founding year when they expressed their intentions of not only having a coeducational environment but called for the admittance of African American students. Over 150 years later, Bates is home to approximately 2,000 academically strong students that represent 44 states and 53 countries. About 26% are domestic students of color, 9% of students are international students, and 12% of all students are first-generation.

Bates is located on the ancestral homelands of the Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Abenaki, Mic’maq and Maliseet Nations. The college is situated on a beautiful, 109-acre, traditional New England campus in Lewiston, Maine, which is the second-largest city in Maine after Portland, with a population of 34,000. With an engaged citizenry and a historic downtown, this walkable city is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 miles north of Boston, and 340 miles north of New York City.

A detailed leadership profile is available at www.wittkieffer.com.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Candidates should provide, as two separate documents, a curriculum vitae and a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the Leadership Profile. References are not requested at this time.

For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal by October 15, 2022. Review of applications will continue until an appointment is made.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to the WittKieffer consultants supporting this search:

Charlene L. Aguilar, Ed.M., and Darrien Davenport, Ed.D.

batesvpei@wittkieffercom

Bates College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and providing an educational and work environment free from discrimination. The college prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status and other legally protected statuses in the recruitment and admission of its students, in the administration of its educational policies and programs, or the recruitment of its faculty and staff. Bates College adheres to all applicable state and federal equal opportunity laws and regulations. All college faculty, staff, students, contractors, visitors, and volunteers are responsible for understanding and complying with the Non-Discrimination Policy.

Inquiries concerning the college’s policies, compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VII, Title IX, and ADA/Section 504), and complaints may be directed to Gwen Lexow, Title IX Officer, at 207.786.6445 or via email at glexow@bates.edu.