Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

The University of Arizona (U of A) seeks inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost (Provost). Reporting directly to the President, the Provost will serve as the university’s chief academic officer and help forge a new direction for one of the world’s distinguished public research universities. With the arrival of our new President, Suresh Garimella, the U of A is positioned for a strong academic and financial future with an accelerated focus on its mission of excellence in educating students, conducting outstanding research, and delivering on its land-grant mission. This is a preeminent opportunity for a forward-focused leader, experienced with the changes occurring in higher education, and eager to work in close partnership with President Garimella and senior leadership colleagues to guide the University of Arizona through this time of critical change.

The University
Established in 1885, the U of A is Arizona’s flagship, land-grant university and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. Recognized as a global leader in higher education and classified as a Carnegie R1 institution and a Hispanic Serving Institution, the U of A conducts more than $1 billion in research and development activities each year and is currently ranked in the top 25 among American public universities. Advancing the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships, the university benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $8.3 billion annually. With over 3,300 faculty, the U of A currently serves more than 45,000 undergraduate students and over 11,000 graduate and professional students. The U of A offers more than 300 majors and provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in its 22 colleges.

Position Summary
The Provost will serve as the academic and scholarly leader for the university, with oversight over all academic programs, operations, and initiatives. The Provost will have primary responsibility for all the university’s academic operations, including faculty promotion and tenure, administrative structures of colleges and schools, and advancement of international and online initiatives. The Provost also oversees all aspects of the student experience and campus life, including enrollment management, student affairs, and student success and retention.

The Provost will partner closely with the President on creating and executing on a strategic plan for the university. The Provost will guide the colleges in highly collaborative initiatives throughout the U of A campus community and promote the institutional values of integrity, compassion, exploration, adaptation, inclusion, and determination. Under President Garimella’s leadership and his focus on student success and experience, the power of research, and our land-grant mission, the U of A has embarked on a process of reinvention, drawing on our historic academic strengths and innovative thinking about the future. The Provost will enhance student performance, standing of institutional scholarly programs in their respective communities, and external support for these programs. In addition, the Provost will also work with the Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, and the newly appointed Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, to develop a collaborative vision for the University’s academic and research enterprise.

More information about the Office of the Provost is available at: https://provost.arizona.edu/reporting-units.

UA’s administrative organization is detailed at: https://www.arizona.edu/university-administration-governance.

Qualifications
U of A seeks a Provost with exceptional interpersonal skills who will contribute to elevating the university’s culture of excellence and service, build strong teams within academic administration and among the faculty, while also forming strategic ties to alumni, donors, Arizona Board of Regents, and local, national, and international communities to advance the university’s commitment to academic excellence. The university seeks an individual who is a distinguished scholar and shares its commitment to further advancing its position among the ranks of the nation’s globally oriented universities. The Provost must nurture quality throughout the academic enterprise, facilitate continued cross-college and interdisciplinary collaboration, empower and inspire faculty to create new campus initiatives, and be able to communicate the value of a multicultural and multilingual campus and how it contributes to the overall excellence and attractiveness of the university.

For additional information about the U of A and to view the full Position Profile, please visit https://www.spaexec.com/pd/UofASVPAAProvost.pdf.

Procedure for Inquiries
Every effort will be made to preserve the confidentiality of information received. General expressions of interest, nominations, and inquiries should be submitted electronically in confidence to: apsearch@spaexec.com

Application / Nomination Process
Confidential review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin in January and will continue until an appointment is made. Applicants must submit a current curriculum vitae and a letter of interest describing relevant experience. Nomination letters should include the name and contact information of the nominee.

Applications and letters of nomination should be submitted by email to:

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