Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Michigan Technological University invites applications for the position of Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

 

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. From cancer research using fruit fly genetics to award-winning lunar rovers engineered for NASA, Michigan Tech students redefine the college experience. This year alone, Tech undergraduates will spend more than 117,000 hours working alongside faculty mentors on paid research. As Michigan’s flagship technological university, our 18 research centers and institutes are equipped with $95.78 million in research expenditures. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. Michigan Tech has a five-year average undergraduate job placement rate of 93 percent and median early career pay of $71,100. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.

 

About the Position

 

Michigan Technological University seeks a collaborative and innovative leader to serve as its next Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (“Provost”). The next Provost will join the University at an exciting time in the institution’s trajectory, exemplified by robust enrollment, a strong financial position, and a demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary, integrated teaching, learning, and research. The Provost is the chief academic officer of the University with responsibility for Michigan Tech’s faculty and academic programs. This position develops and implements strategic initiatives that will advance the University to the highest level of achievement as a technologically oriented, nationally ranked University. The Provost promotes integrity, scholarship, and expansion of Michigan Tech’s research enterprise, guides the continuous improvement of academic programs and supports efforts to increase and enhance campus diversity. The Provost promotes the growth of graduate and undergraduate programs with a vision that stresses collaboration and collegiality, and the interdisciplinary nature of education, scholarship, and research.

 

The successful Provost candidate will present academic credentials and experience that qualify for appointment as a full professor with tenure. They are an accomplished leader and scholar with a record of successful support for interdisciplinary education and research, as well as an experienced administrator who promotes excellence in education, research, and outreach activities. In addition, the successful candidate demonstrates commitment to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We strongly encourage applicants who are committed to promoting and have a demonstrated record of a sense of belonging and contributing to an equitable and inclusive learning environment.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

 

  • Provide exemplary leadership as the chief academic officer of the University with responsibility for Michigan Tech’s faculty and academic programs.
  • Advance the scholarly, research, and academic activities of the University.
  • Enhance the quality and ensure the relevance of Michigan Tech’s undergraduate and graduate educational programs.
  • Support and promote undergraduate and graduate co-curricular learning activities and encourage undergraduate student participation in research.
  • Promote growth and quality of graduate and undergraduate student research and scholarly activities.
  • Ensure student success at all levels, in part by enabling an environment of advising and mentorship.
  • Sustain and enhance efforts to recruit, develop, and retain talented researchers, faculty, and staff.
  • Encourage an environment of academic innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Play a key role in long-range planning for the University by developing and articulating an ambitious vision for academic affairs.
  • Strategically plan, implement, and responsibly administer the academic budget.
  • Pursue new programs and academic areas in alignment with the University Strategic Plan and lead the academic units toward achieving their strategic goals including supporting the development of unit and academic college strategic planning goals for diversity, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging.
  • Ensure adherence to accreditation standards as established by the appropriate accreditation bodies in order to maintain accreditation of all academic programs and the University overall.
  • Recommend faculty appointment, tenure, promotion, and sabbatical.
  • Recommend endowed positions and other awards to the president and collaborates with the Michigan Tech Fund as new endowed positions are created.
  • Participate in shared governance through interaction with the University Senate and collaboration with student governments.
  • Advise the President on matters related to the responsibilities of the office.
  • Provide leadership and work effectively as a supervisor of all academic leadership positions.
  • Engage in participatory leadership as a member of the University Leadership Team.
  • Work collaboratively with deans, faculty, staff, the University senate, senior leadership, and the Board to develop curricular innovations and improve all aspects of the student experience to increase retention and graduation rates.
  • Clearly and effectively communicate academic affairs issues and policy with relevant University constituents at all levels.
  • Provide information to the Board of Trustees’ Academic Affairs Committee.
  • Represent the University on the Michigan Association of Public Land Grant Universities’ Committee on Faculty Affairs.
  • Other responsibilities as assigned by the President.

 

Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

 

  • Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited University with academic credentials and experience that qualify for appointment as a full professor with tenure.
  • Comprehensive experience in administrative leadership and supervision in higher education.
  • Demonstrated experience in advancing scholarly, research, and academic activities.
  • Demonstrated successful strategic leadership and the ability to understand and make decisions about complex financial management issues.
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders.

 

Desirable Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

 

  • Significant academic experience and leadership experience at the level of Dean or higher.
  • Substantial e,
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and communicate in a climate of openness, transparency, and mutual respect effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with diverse groups of students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders.
  • Deftness, diplomacy, and decisiveness, with the ability to lead complex academic affairs issues and deliberations and bring them to a timely conclusion.
  • Experience in encouraging an environment of academic innovation and continuous improvement with a
  • Ability to identify and support initiatives to increase and enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and sense of belonging across the campus.
  • Demonstrated experience in shared University governance and collaborative decision-making.
  • Ability to enhance the quality and promote the growth of graduate research and scholarly activities and undergraduate co-curricular learning activities and participation in research.
  • Demonstrated experience in working to ensure student success at all levels, in part by enabling an environment of advising and mentorship.
  • Experience with sustaining and enhancing efforts to recruit, develop, and retain talented researchers, faculty, and staff.
  • Experience in leading and adherence to accreditation standards.
  • Experience in pursuing new programs and academic areas in alignment with strategic goals.
  • Experience in working collaboratives with a Board of Trustees.
  • Commitment to safety and to formal continuous improvement practices.

 

Located in Houghton, in the heart of Upper Michigan's scenic Keweenaw Peninsula, the surrounding area is perfect for enjoying outdoor activities throughout the year. Historic downtown Houghton is active with locally owned shops, eateries, high-tech companies, music festivals, and parades. We embrace our size, climate, sense of adventure, and originality.

 

Michigan Tech recognizes the importance of supporting faculty members' partners; candidates selected for on-campus interviews will be invited to bring a guest. Additional details on our Partner Engagement Program can be found at www.mtu.edu/provost/programs/partner-engagement/.

Michigan Tech is proud to be an ADVANCE Institution that has thrice received National Science Foundation support to increase diversity, inclusion, and the participation and advancement of women and underrepresented individuals in STEM.

Application Procedure

The search committee invites nominations, applications, or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting Michigan Technological University. All submission materials should include a letter of interest, a full CV/resume, and a diversity statement that describes how their past and/or potential actions support a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging where all members of a campus community can excel. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted to the search firm prior to January 1, 2023.

For more information please contact:

Porsha L. Williams, Vice President
Jacob C. Anderson, Senior Principal
Jack McGrew, Executive Recruiting Coordinator
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: (678) 775-4564
janderson@parkersearch.com || jmcgrew@parkersearch.com

The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format should contact Human Resources at mtujobs@mtu.edu or 906-487-2280. As a Federal Contractor, the University provides the federal “EEO is the Law” and Pay Transparency information posters to all applicants as provided here (https://www.mtu.edu/eo-compliance/equal-opportunity-hiring/eeo-poster/).