Provost

Provost
 
Position Summary
 
The University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Provost.  This critical role is responsible for administering all academic and administrative policies and operation of the division, which includes: Office of the Deans, Academic Departments and Programs, Academic Success Center, Academic Advising and Support, Ramsey Library, Undergraduate Research, Center for Teaching and Learning, Honors Program, Writing Center, Study Abroad, Registrar’s Office, STEAM Studio, and Academic Budgeting.
 
Reporting to the Chancellor, the Provost will be the lead voice of UNC Asheville’s academic enterprise. The Provost will partner with the Chancellor to set the tone for effective and healthy shared governance, ensuring the University remains mission aligned, future-focused, and innovation-driven.
 
Required Minimum Qualifications
 
• Candidates must have a terminal degree within a department or program at UNC Asheville or from an accredited university.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in an academic environment.
• Minimum of 7 years of leadership experience in higher education or comparable environment.
 
Preferred Education/Experience/Skills
 
• Ability to understand and clearly and persuasively promote a public liberal arts and sciences university that has a deep commitment to the Western North Carolina region.
• A collaborative approach to leadership, coupled with the ability to exercise authority, prioritize, and make strategic decisions.
• Understanding of what is involved to lead academic change and the driving forces that create change in public universities.
• Extensive knowledge of the interrelationships between recruitment strategies, enrollment, tuition revenue, and programmatic costs.
• Exceptional budgetary and financial management acumen, including awareness of the near-term interdependencies and long-term implications of financial decisions in a large, complex organization.
• Strong teaching, service and community engagement.
• Ability to confidently, accurately, and positively promote UNC Asheville’s successes to internal and external audiences.
• Demonstrated track record of working collaboratively and with integrity, seeking partnerships and maximizing resources.
• Resource allocation and priority-setting.
• An innovative mindset with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and the dynamic work ethic necessary to take full advantage of opportunities to advance the institution as they emerge.
• Strategic planning and executing a strategic plan.
 
Responsibilities include:
 
LEADERSHIP
The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs reports to the Chancellor and will be the lead voice of UNC Asheville’s academic enterprise. The Provost will partner with the Chancellor to set the tone for effective and healthy shared governance at the University. The Provost is the senior institutional leader responsible for the academic strategy and a key thought partner to the Chancellor, ensuring the University remains mission aligned, future-focused, and innovation-driven. The Provost works collaboratively with direct reports to recommend academic priorities; oversees appropriate resource allocation; ensures that the institution is responsive to the University of North Carolina System; and develops strong academic leadership across the University. The Provost is an essential component of the Chancellor’s leadership team and, as the Chief Academic Officer, represents the University across the UNC system and represents the Chancellor during absences. The Provost is a member of the Senior Staff, the Faculty Senate, and many administrative and academic committees of the University. The Provost is expected to be a significant contributor to academic policy across UNC Asheville as well as at the System level. Administratively, the Provost is directly responsible for leadership and resource allocation in the Division of Academic Affairs. The Provost is the primary liaison with the Faculty Senate, its committees and all shared governance processes. The Provost oversees all hiring, evaluation and program review within the Division of Academic Affairs.
 
STUDENT SUCCESS
The Provost will work to ensure ease of access and the necessary financial and academic support of a diverse student body, reducing and removing barriers that hinder goal attainment. The Provost will seek to enhance student success initiatives and increase retention and graduation rates. The Provost will engage the faculty, deans, and University leadership in dialogue to ensure that programs remain competitive and relevant, maintain a broad reach, and ensure the greatest access and potential success of participants.
 
COLLABORATION
The Provost will work to foster collaborative conversations, integrate curricula, assess opportunities, build new programs, and establish strategic partnerships that align with the academic vision of the University and the needs of Western North Carolina.
 
REGIONAL TRANSFORMATION
The Provost will encourage the use of knowledge created by the University to contribute to
solving challenges in the region such as technological resources, health issues, advanced manufacturing, and rural development. A critical component of the role is to partner with business and community leaders to identify workforce needs and develop programs to fill those gaps. As the academic architect of the University, the provost will work with faculty, staff, and the community to provide dynamic educational experiences to prepare students to lead in a complex society and engage the region with social and economic opportunities.
 
ASSESSMENT / PROGRAM EVALUATION
The Provost will oversee and guide a culture of integrity, ethical behavior, data analysis, and the promotion of best practices and continuous improvement. The position will reinforce continuous improvement processes that regularly evaluate academic programs and curricula.  The Provost will lead improvements in curriculum review, revision, and development.  The position will ensure successful continuance of institutional and specialized accreditation for the University and support a system of assessment, evaluation, and academic program review.
 
OTHER
The Provost oversees multiple offices, departments, and programs within the division and is responsible for their growth, quality and responsiveness to the University mission. Among the most important responsibilities is to ensure strong leadership in every college, school, and unit.
 
How to apply:
 
For priority consideration, please provide (1) a letter of interest, and (2) resume, by January 30, 2024 to uncaexecutivesearch@northcarolina.edu. This position will be open until it is filled. Please direct nominations and questions or concerns regarding the search and/or application process to uncaexecutivesearch@northcarolina.edu. Please note a criminal background and reference checks will be conducted on the candidate finalist prior to the offer of employment.
 
UNC Asheville is committed to equality and diversity of experiences for our students, applicants and employees. Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply regardless of socio-economic status, gender expression, gender and sexual identity, culture, and ideological beliefs. UNC Asheville is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will not discriminate against applicants and employees on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, genetic information, and any other legally protected status with respect to all terms, conditions, and privileges of university-sponsored activities, employment, and the use of university facilities.