Baylor University seeks a visionary, forward-thinking, and deeply mission-centered academic leader to serve as its next Provost. Chartered in 1845, Baylor fulfills its mission “to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.” Baylor is both the state’s oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning and the world’s largest university with a Baptist heritage, educating more than 20,500 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in Waco, Dallas, San Antonio, and in hybrid and online programs.
This is an extraordinary moment in Baylor’s history. Having achieved Carnegie R1 status ahead of schedule in 2021 and successfully concluded the historic Give Light campaign, Baylor has established itself as a nationally recognized Christian research university with a growing scholarly impact, a vibrant undergraduate experience, expanding graduate and professional programs, and a compelling strategic vision articulated through its strategic plan, Baylor in Deeds. Today Baylor ranks among the top 50 private universities in U.S. News & World Report.
Reporting to the President, the Provost is the University’s Chief Academic Officer, providing strategic leadership to the deans of Baylor’s 12 schools and colleges and guiding the University’s academic future. Baylor’s next Provost will lead during a period of profound challenge in higher education, including changing enrollment demographics, increasing financial pressures, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, evolving models of graduate and professional education, and shifting expectations regarding the value and accessibility of higher education. As one of only a handful of Christian R1 institutions in the United States, Baylor meets these challenges from the distinctive vantage point of believing that rigorous intellectual inquiry and Christian commitment are mutually reinforcing, and that academic excellence and spiritual formation together prepare graduates for lives of leadership and service.
The next Provost will be called to steward this distinctive mission while boldly envisioning Baylor’s future. Baylor seeks a leader who can sustain and advance its research trajectory while preserving the undergraduate experience and Christian mission that remain central to its identity. Baylor’s next Provost will help shape an academic environment that is innovative and entrepreneurial, deeply committed to teaching and research excellence, responsive to society’s most pressing challenges, and unwavering in its commitment to educating men and women for worldwide leadership and service.
The successful candidate will be a proven academic leader with experience in strengthening faculty excellence, supporting student success, and aligning institutional resources with strategic priorities. The next Provost will bring financial acumen, organizational leadership, the ability to advance innovation in teaching, research, and service, and the collaborative mindset to work effectively across academic and administrative units and partner with executive and administrative colleagues in advancing Baylor’s mission and academic profile. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree and possess an academic record commensurate with appointment as a tenured full professor in a department within one of Baylor’s schools and colleges. The next Provost will be a leader of demonstrated Christian faith who understands the centrality of integrating faith, learning, and scholarship with leadership in a culturally complex and increasingly international institution.
Screening will begin immediately and continue until an appointment is made. Completed applications should be submitted using DSG’s Talent Profile and should include a CV and a cover letter addressing (1) interest in position, (2) how the candidate’s experience will help Baylor University achieve its aspirations as an R1 Christian university with a commitment to a transformational educational experience, and (3) how their personal Christian faith commitment will inform their leadership at Baylor.
Nominations and inquiries should be directed electronically to BaylorProvost@dsgco.com.
Kim M. Morrisson, Ph.D. Senior Advisor
Christine Falcone, Managing Associate
DSG Global
This is a full-time position that will be performed on site in Texas. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Baylor University is a private not-for-profit university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, Baylor is committed to compliance with all applicable anti-discrimination laws, including those regarding age, race, color, sex, national origin, marital status, pregnancy status, military service, genetic information, and disability. As a religious educational institution, Baylor is lawfully permitted to consider an applicant’s religion as a selection criterion. Baylor encourages women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply.
