Chancellor

CHANCELLOR

 

The University of Minnesota Morris, located in Morris, MN, seeks nominations and applications for the position of Chancellor. As a campus of the University of Minnesota system and one of the thirty-one members of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), UMN Morris is a residential liberal arts and science institution that provides a rigorous undergraduate liberal arts education, preparing its students to be global citizens who value and pursue intellectual growth, civic engagement, intercultural competence, and environmental stewardship. As a public university, UMN Morris subscribes to the value of accessible public education for all and promises accountability to the people it serves. Moreover, UMN Morris combines the benefits of an intimate, student-centered community with the resources and opportunities of one of the nation’s largest universities, the University of Minnesota.

 

The campus community believes in the values of shared governance (embodied in its official policy-making body, an inclusive Campus Assembly), and it recognizes the heritage of its campus site, which once housed an American Indian boarding school and then became the West Central School of Agriculture, with a deep commitment to diversity. With a vibrant sense of community in and out of the classroom, UMN Morris aims to integrate curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular aspects of the student experience. The university also reaches outward to the broader local community with collaborative enterprises and service-learning initiatives. UMN Morris serves a diverse enrollment of approximately 1,100 students who are supported by faculty (99% of whom hold the highest degree in their field) and benefit from a student to teacher ratio of 10:1.

 

Morris seeks an exceptional candidate who is willing to embrace the opportunity to lead an institution that serves as a model for public liberal arts education, who recognizes and respects its proud history and traditions, who can build a strong enrollment growth trajectory, and can serve as a spokesperson for and guide to greater opportunities and growth. The individual will be a highly visible figure who is fully engaged with faculty, students, staff, alumni, and the University of Minnesota System as s/he builds upon what has been a history of extraordinary success.

 

Morris seeks a chancellor who has shown evidence of:

 

  • a demonstrated leadership ability and a deep commitment to academic excellence and shared governance,
  • a transparent and collaborative leadership style,
  • the capacity and enthusiasm to passionately articulate the unique qualities of Morris and the zeal to lead the fundraising efforts in support of the institution’s priorities, and
  • an innovator eager to expand and enrich the close collaboration Morris already enjoys with the surrounding area.

 

Located in west-central Minnesota, Morris is a thriving rural community with approximately 5,200 people. The scenic city is the center of Stevens County and is always looking for opportunities to welcome new visitors and attract permanent residents. A small town on the prairie with cultural and
educational options, Morris enjoys a unique blend of agriculture, industry, and culture. Visitors enjoy the peaceful scenery, outdoor recreational activities, and unique shops in a tree-lined downtown. Morris is full of surprises—from the wind turbines symbolizing commitment to green energy, to the local food co-op, fair trade coffee shop, unique restaurants, and farmers’ market, to a world-class jazz festival, plays, concerts, horticulture gardens, and gallery openings at a downtown art store and on the UMN Morris campus. The campus enriches its surrounding area with innovative collaborative projects in athletics, the arts, and education.

 

Further information about the University of Minnesota Morris may be found at: https://morris.umn.edu

 

APPLICATION AND NOMINATION PROCESS

 

Dr. Sally Mason and Dr. Garry W. Owens—both representing AGB Search—will be assisting the University of Minnesota Morris Search Committee. Prospective nominators or potential candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Mason or Dr. Owens directly by email prior to submitting materials.

 

Confidential application materials (Word or PDF) must be submitted electronically and should include:

 

  1. a letter of interest that addresses specifically how the candidate’s experiences and qualifications intersect with the University of Minnesota Morris’ qualifications, personal qualities, and listed strategic priorities outlined in the Leadership Profile;
  2. a curriculum vitae; and
  3. the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of five references for future contact — please also include your professional relationship with each reference listed. No references will be contacted without prior permission granted by the candidate.

 

All candidate names will remain confidential, except for those individuals invited to campus interviews.

 

Application and nomination materials should be submitted electronically by the target date of January 30, 2023 to: UMNMorris@agbsearch.com

 

For the complete Leadership Profile, please visit: https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/chancellor-university-of-minnesota-morris

 

Dr. Sally Mason, Executive Search Consultant, AGB Search, sally.mason@agbsearch.com

 

Dr. Garry W. Owens, Executive Search Consultant, AGB Search, garry.owens@agbsearch.com

 

The University shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.