The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) seeks an innovative, collaborative, engaged, and empathic leader with a deep commitment to public education and the tenets of shared governance to serve as its next provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs (provost). Inquiries, applications, and nominations are invited.
The flagship university within the University of Colorado system and a member of the AAU, CU Boulder serves more than 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students and employs a workforce of more than 8,000 faculty and staff members in its quest to shape tomorrow’s leaders, be the top university for innovation, and to positively impact humanity. CU Boulder is focused on excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, and creative work and on creating a student-centered campus culture that fosters a sense of belonging and success for everyone in the community. Located on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains on one of the most beautiful campuses in the U.S., CU Boulder is distinguished by a strong commitment to the public good and an innovative mindset that shape its teaching, research and creative work, and service. It is committed to diversity and equity in employment and education.
As the academic lead, the provost will join CU Boulder at an exciting and pivotal moment with new leadership of Chancellor Justin Schwartz and during a period of financial and enrollment strength. The provost will partner with the chancellor to envision the university’s future. The provost has leadership responsibility for the planning, development, implementation, assessment, and excellence of all academic, student affairs, and enrollment management programs, policies, and supporting infrastructure.
The provost has responsibility for fostering CU Boulder’s academic excellence through forging new academic initiatives, and through faculty recruitment and retention as well as rigorous review of key faculty personnel actions. The provost also has oversight of the planning, quality, and delivery of education to CU Boulder’s undergraduate and graduate students, ensuring a holistic, inclusive integration of academic and student affairs that supports the intellectual, personal, and professional development of all students.
The provost supports CU Boulder’s financial strength and resilience by ensuring strong enrollment, growing resources, and fostering external partnerships. The provost supports, advocates for, and enables the success of the deans and the academic, student affairs, and enrollment management units, as well as CU Boulder’s diverse body of students.
In carrying out this work, the provost will consult and cooperate with the Boulder Faculty Assembly and Staff Council and through ongoing interactions with the Chancellor’s Executive Committee, the Chancellor’s Cabinet, the Council of Deans, the Provost’s Cabinet, administrative and staff leaders, graduate and undergraduate student leaders, and other key campus constituent groups. These collaborations embody CU Boulder’s long history and strong commitment to shared governance. Underpinning the provost’s work will be vigorous leadership in advancing an institutional culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ensuring a campus culture of trust, mutual respect, and transparency.
CU Boulder seeks a faculty leader with intellectual vision and a broad worldview; a collaborative, transparent, accessible, caring, and compassionate approach to leadership; strategic and operational acumen; and the energy and integrity to inspire others to new levels of excellence. As the university is quickly approaching $1 billion in annual externally funded research, the provost will have an appreciation for scholarly and creative work across disciplines.
The incoming provost will have a deep commitment to teaching, research and creative work, and service; have experience as an academic leader; and have participated in the processes of faculty appointment, tenure, and promotion with a substantial record of advancing diversity in hiring and creating an inclusive campus climate. The successful candidate will understand the distinctive character and mission of a comprehensive public university and have a proven history of productive and collaborative relationships with various constituent groups internal to and external to the university, transparent leadership, and building consensus. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience or understanding of recruiting, supporting the success of, and retaining students through a holistic lens that considers both what happens inside and outside of the classroom. Candidates must have an earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution and a record of scholarship and teaching requisite for an appointment as a tenured full professor at CU Boulder. A minimum of 10+ years of progressively responsible job-related management experience, the ability to articulate the mission of teaching, research and creative work, and service for the Boulder campus throughout Colorado and the nation is required.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a current CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile which can be accessed by clicking here.
WittKieffer is assisting the University of Colorado Boulder in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by Friday, February 28, 2025.
Application materials should be submitted to CUBoulderProvost@wittkieffer.com.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Suzanne Teer, Alejandra Gillette-Teran, and Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D.
CUBoulderProvost@WittKieffer.com
CU Boulder will offer an annual salary range of $550,000-$660,000 for this role, plus a recruitment incentive and moving allowance (if applicable).
As part of the University of Colorado Boulder’s deep commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the campus has implemented a reference check program with respect to final candidates for tenured faculty appointments. The reference check program is intended to allow CU Boulder to collect and review information about a candidate’s conduct at their current and previous institutions, specifically conduct related to sexual misconduct, harassment and/or discrimination – before making hiring decisions. All final candidates for tenured faculty appointments are required to complete an Authorization to Release Information.
Commitment to Job Application Fairness: Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
