An Invitation to Apply and Nominate for the Position of
Executive Vice President and Provost
for
The University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
"The University of Arizona is a powerhouse in every sense of the term, consistently ranked as one of the nation's top universities. Our faculty leads the world in telemedicine and artificial heart technology and explores climate change, optics, genomics and entrepreneurship. We are forging new understanding of global cultures, human behavior and history."
Robert N. Shelton, Ph.D.
President
The President of the University of Arizona (UA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Vice President and Provost. The UA seeks an Executive Vice President and Provost to lead the efforts of a dynamic institution. The successful candidate must be an outstanding scholar with a strategic vision and judgment who displays a thorough understanding of academic values and is committed to the highest scholarly standards. In addition to an earned doctorate or its equivalent and academic credentials appropriate for a full professor appointment, the candidate must have had administrative experience at a high level within a university setting and have demonstrated the capacity to communicate effectively with faculty, staff members, students, alumni and external constituents. The Executive Vice President and Provost must have a demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity within the faculty, staff and students – essential for an academic environment that explicitly acknowledges the diversity of the world within which we live, work and learn.
Located in Tucson, Arizona, the UA is one of the nation's leading public universities with a long history of academic excellence, research innovation and a student-centered approach. A member of the Association of American Universities, the UA is ranked by the National Science Foundation as 21st among all universities nationwide and 13th among public universities in research expenditures.
With nearly 37,000 students representing 50 states and 124 countries, the UA is the most ethnically diverse of Arizona's public universities. The UA recruits faculty from around the world, who together with students are on the forefront of discoveries – from the depths of space to the medical and genetic mysteries of life, emerging trends in climate change, and the broad complexities of the human condition.
The UA is a university on the move, with an engaging new president, Robert N. Shelton, a recently completed $1.2 billion capital campaign, over $500 million in research funding annually, and an expanding statewide presence that includes the construction of a second, Phoenix campus for its colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy. As a statewide economic power and national research center, the UA is reaffirming its land grant roots as a comprehensive public research university dedicated to solving complex societal issues.
President Shelton has appointed a 27-member Search Committee representing many of the University's internal constituencies to conduct a nationwide search and to identify a small group of outstanding finalists from which he will select the successful candidate. The position is available as soon as it can be filled.
The Executive Vice President and Provost position reports directly to the President and serves as a cabinet member, the head of our academic council and second in line to the President. As the chief academic officer and chief operating officer of the University, the Executive Vice President and Provost works together with the President to coordinate their internal and external visions for the University. Reporting to the Executive Vice President and Provost are the Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies and Economic Development, the Vice President for Outreach, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Vice President for Instruction and Dean of University College, the Vice Provost and Dean for the College of Medicine, 16 college deans, the Chief Information Officer, three vice provosts, the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and the Associate Vice President for Academic Resources, Planning and Management.
The UA has retained R. William Funk and Associates to conduct the search. Confidential inquiries, nominations and applications may be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document. The Search Committee plans to begin the review of nominations and applications on or about November 1, 2007.
The experiences and qualities we desire in candidates grow directly out of the culture of the University and the opportunities and challenges facing the new Executive Vice President and Provost. We seek individuals of energy, creativity and intelligence with demonstrated experience and success in managing a complex organization. The Executive Vice President and Provost will face both near-term and long-term challenges. The near-term challenge is to help maintain the high morale and well-being of a talented University faculty deeply devoted to both their students' needs and their own research. The long-term challenge is to develop and improve genuinely world-class faculty leadership in a few fields of special importance to this era, while still maintaining a strong University community.
Given our university culture and the opportunities and challenges articulated below, the career of a finalist for this position is likely to offer highly successful experience in the following areas:
We seek a person accustomed to organizational growth and success who sees possibilities, brings people together, and champions good ideas.We seek an Executive Vice President and Provost with a love of ideas and respect for scholarship who understands the job in intellectual terms and who can communicate effectively within the University community. In addition to an earned doctorate or its equivalent, the successful candidate should have academic credentials appropriate for a full professor appointment at an AAU university such as the UA. Successful leadership in a university generally requires high intelligence, substantial academic skills, and a strong track record as a teacher and scholar. The Executive Vice President and Provost will need experience building the relationships necessary for effective partnerships between numerous entities and for helping to leverage the University's investments in academic programs and people. The new Executive Vice President and Provost must have excellent management skills and must have demonstrated the ability to contribute to leading and directing a complex organization. As the President's senior executive, the new Executive Vice President and Provost will function in a role similar to a chief operating officer of an organization and thus must be a deft steward of the many resources of a university, including human resources, financial assets and space allocation. The successful candidate for Executive Vice President and Provost will bring to The University of Arizona accomplishments demonstrating strong managerial acumen befitting a university whose budget exceeds $1.4 billion.The new Executive Vice President and Provost must have demonstrated achievement in promoting diversity, including gender, under-represented minorities and intellectual breadth. As the UA is a NSF-designated ADVANCE institution, the successful Executive Vice President and Provost will participate directly in initiatives to obtain equity and diversity for women in science. As The University of Arizona moves forward, issues of strategy and planning will become increasingly important. We seek an Executive Vice President and Provost with strong experience participating in or leading the strategic, visionary work of an organization.A finalist for this position is also likely to demonstrate high levels of skill and personal strength in the following areas:
Some situations require maintenance; others require building. The University of Arizona is a place that is on the move, that is growing, and that savors high-quality change.Establishing strong, trusting relationships is very important. Energy, drive, enthusiasm and experience surviving disappointments will enhance a candidacy. We seek a person whose personal strengths will wear well and will contribute to the building of a strong, unified organization. The Executive Vice President and Provost must be a "team player" who values collective accomplishment above the individual achievements of team leaders, but who also understands the responsibilities of leadership unambiguously. A commitment to and experience with shared governance is necessary to be successful in this position.University conversations and dialogue, whether written or oral, form a lively marketplace of ideas and often require exceptional articulateness and careful attention to the positions of others. First-rate, candid, diplomatic communications skills are critical in establishing the Executive Vice President and Provost as a respected participant in these discussions.To inspire enthusiasm and accomplishment the Executive Vice President and Provost needs to possess optimism, intellectual talent, interdisciplinary breadth and creativity. At the same time, goals and mission are never static and require flexible, realistic strategies.The Executive Vice President and Provost will be a proven, highly-skilled, fiscal and managerial leader of a large, complex organization, open in management style, respectful of alternative points of view, comfortable in a collegial environment, and capable of decisive action and leading by persuasion. Patience, humor and an ability to get things done are essential characteristics of the successful candidate.The Executive Vice President and Provost will be expected to demonstrate high standards and complete integrity in all areas of activity. He/she must lead by example in our moral imperative to prepare students from increasingly diverse backgrounds to succeed an increasingly complex world. Linking scholarship and creative expression to its land grant mission
Established in 1885 as the first university of three state-funded public institutions of higher education in the Arizona territory (the others being Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University), the UA has been a crucial force behind the economic, intellectual, social and cultural vitality of this environmentally and culturally diverse region that has also, in more recent years, been one of the fastest growing regions in the nation both in terms of populations and commercial development. Finding the balance between growth and environmental sustainability is a challenge that the UA is uniquely qualified to meet. The UA also has taken its land grant mission beyond the boundaries of geography and discipline, drawing from and contributing to the larger body of knowledge in key fields. The UA's innovative and student-centered approach to research and its ability to apply its findings in a practical manner to address issues of global importance has earned it a place among the nation's top research universities.
In the tradition of the best land grant universities, the UA will continue to tirelessly and innovatively address the most pressing needs of the region. As a result of its commitment to the sustainability of the cities, municipalities, communities, peoples and individuals within the semi-arid regions of Arizona, the UA is literally a part of the fabric of the land and its people.
The UA's identity is inextricably linked to the region, as can be seen in many of its core programs, for example:
The UA also embraces the human condition with leading programs in anthropology, biomedical and health sciences, business, law, music and dance, as well as a PAC 10 athletics program.
An unusually large number of UA programs and disciplines have achieved top 10 rankings. Individual faculty achievements are part of the record as well. Currently, the UA proudly boasts of 20 members of the National Academy of Science, 11 members of the National Academy of Engineering, 16 members of the Academy of Arts and Science, two members of Britain's Royal Society, six Guggenheim Fellows, four MacArthur Fellows, one Pulitzer Prize winner and one member of the National Academy of Education.
The UA campus has grown to 380 acres and 179 buildings. The University's 19 colleges offer more than 300 degree programs through 150 academic units on three campuses.
The UA has a combined enrollment of nearly 37,000. It is the most diverse among Arizona's public universities and the second most diverse among its fellow Association of American University (AAU) members. Its student body represents 50 states and 124 countries. This year, 52.6% of students are female and 26.9% are students of color. It is also worth noting that 70.1% of students are Arizona residents, and that this last year realized a record 880 transfers from Pima Community College.
With a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment for 2006 of 36,805, this past fall, the UA welcomed the largest and most diverse freshman class in its history. More than 6,000 freshmen enrolled, 62% of whom are Arizona residents. The ethnic diversity of incoming freshmen rose from 27% in 2005 to 31% in 2006, while at the same time maintaining the level of academic achievement. The average SAT score for incoming freshmen is 1106 and the average GPA is 3.36. The increase in the diversity of student enrollment can be attributed to a substantive increase in Hispanic students. The number of National Hispanic Scholars nearly doubled in one year. The incoming class included 92 National Merit Scholars.
The UA Honors College, recognized in a 2006 TIME Magazine article titled Your Guide to Finding the College That Fits, was cited as an alternative to any Ivy League liberal arts education: "These schools within schools often feel like cloistered liberal-arts colleges but still have access to the superior resources of a large research university." The Honors College enrolled 85 new students in fall 2006, 29% are students of color with an average SAT score exceeding 1300. One hallmark of the UA experience is that faculty members engage their students in research, giving students unparalleled opportunities for independent research and scholarly publication. For example, 65% percent of undergraduates in the College of Science are directly involved in research as a part of their studies.
The UA has an annual budget of approximately $1.7 billion. Capital projects underway amount to $120.8 million and an additional $239.4 million in projects are in the design phase. As of June 30, 2005, the endowment and similar funds in net assets totaled $466.7 million, representing a total return of 9.7%.
The University of Arizona Foundation raised nearly $1.2 billion through Campaign Arizona, an eight-year fundraising effort that ended June 30, 2005. Campaign Arizona placed the UA alongside Harvard, Southern California, Stanford, UCLA and Virginia in establishing and surpassing $1 billion goals. Campaign Arizona was the first billion-dollar fundraiser in state history, successfully expanding the philanthropic potential of 225,000 alumni as well as friends, corporations and foundations.
According to a Fiscal Year 2004 University of Arizona Economic and Tax Revenue impact report authored by Vera Pavlakovich-Kochi, the UA's economic impact is worth $7.13 for each dollar of state-appropriated funds. Along with the 14,500 people who work at the UA, the University's spending outside its campuses results in some 40,000 other jobs across the community and the state. In total, the UA has a profound impact in Tucson in particular and around the state – generating $2.3 billion a year.
In order to continue to advance its mission as a leading national student-centered research university, the UA must broadcast its message, reaching out to and attracting innovative and entrepreneurial leadership while simultaneously increasing student diversity and educational access. With increasing competition for federal dollars and State appropriations ranked as low as 37th nationally, the UA must draw from all available revenue sources, broadening and strengthening its private philanthropic revenue streams and ensuring a reliable stream of public funds.
Dr. Robert N. Shelton is the 19th President of The University of Arizona. He comes to the UA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost for five years.
Dr. Shelton is leading The University of Arizona in its strategic vision to advance its standing as one of the country's top public research universities. His focus is on continuing to enhance the overall quality of the University, while increasing diversity and ensuring that the UA is accessible to Arizona students, particularly first-generation college students. One feature that most attracted him to the UA was its land grant status, its commitment to the people of Arizona and the importance of the bond between the public and public research universities.
At UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Shelton was the chief operating officer, responsible for the University's budget, and chief academic officer, overseeing the conduct, coordination and quality of the University's academic and research programs. He has been active on external boards and councils, including the Space Telescope Institute Council that advises and provides oversight and advocacy to NASA for the Hubble Space Telescope; the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics, responsible for policy decisions for the residential school for high school juniors and seniors; and the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of Research Triangle Institute, an organization with a distinguished history in scientific research and technology development.
Dr. Shelton has served as major professor for 24 doctoral and six master's degree students, and is the author of more than 240 published articles. He served as a guest scientist at Kernforschungsanlage in Julich, Germany, and at the National Institute for Materials Science in Tokyo. He has held a visiting professorship at the Universite de Geneve in Geneva, and served as editor of the Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the California Council on Science and Technology and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Prior to his appointment at UNC, Dr. Shelton was Vice Provost for Research in the University of California Office of the President. In this position, he provided university policy and program leadership among the many offices, campuses, U.S. Department of Energy laboratories and research facilities of the University of California. Previous to that appointment, he served as the Vice Chancellor for Research at UC-Davis, where he also was Professor of Physics. Other academic appointments include Professor of Physics at Iowa State University and Assistant Research Physicist at UC-San Diego. He earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford and his master's degree and doctorate in physics from UC-San Diego.
While confidential inquires, nominations and applications will be accepted until a new Executive Vice President and Provost is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials to the address below by November 1:
Bill Funk
R. William Funk & Associates
100 Highland Park Village, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75205
Email: krisha.creal@rwilliamfunk.com
Fax: 214-295-3312
~ The University of Arizona is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer ~
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