Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Mesa University (CMU) provides exceptional educational opportunities on a state-of-the-art campus. As western Colorado’s largest university, CMU serves students on its main campus in Grand Junction, its satellite campus in Montrose, the career and technical education-focused two-year division, CMU Tech, and via online offerings. With low student-to-teacher ratios, students have the opportunity to build one-on-one relationships with professors dedicated to providing tools to succeed in today's interconnected world. CMU offers value through 255 programs and a dedication to providing the highest quality education in a student-centered environment. The University has the distinction among Colorado's public four-year institutions of having the authority to award undergraduate and graduate degrees in addition to technical certificates. With this span of degree authority, the institution supports the widest range of credentials for students to pursue of any higher education institution in Colorado. Forty-four percent of the University’s 10,900 students identify as first-generation students, and 34 percent are Pell-eligible students. CMU is approaching Hispanic Serving Institution status, with 21 percent of current students identifying as Hispanic. The first-year student retention rate is 79 percent. CMU’s forward momentum includes a recently reformed undergraduate curriculum, new programs and improved classroom facilities. This dynamic campus environment exists within a broader context of change in higher education that includes persistent funding challenges, altering demographics, and the ever-increasing number of educational options for students and their families. CMU’s ability to think forward and innovate carefully has allowed the institution to thrive when external threats might well have motivated it to entrench and settle for mere survival. This need to remain nimble while continuing to grow has informed both the spirit and methodology of the current strategic planning effort. Located in the beautiful high-desert country of Western Colorado at the base of the world's largest mesa, Colorado Mesa University is surrounded by areas that provide unmatched opportunity for adventure and exploration. The Grand Junction area, with a county-wide population approaching 165,000 residents and a moderate climate, is home to some of the best outdoor recreation in the country, including hiking, biking, golfing, fishing, river rafting, climbing, and skiing, and enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year. Grand Junction is the economic hub of the region and located a four hour drive from both Denver and Salt Lake City. Reporting to President Marshall and overseeing the academic enterprise of the University, the next Provost & Chief Academic Officer at Colorado Mesa University will serve on the senior leadership team and work across all divisions at the University. They will be a valued participant in high-level strategy conversations and will ensure that an academic perspective is considered for all important policy and strategy discussions and decisions. The University seeks a visionary leader and a savvy academic innovator with strong interpersonal skills who seeks to embed themselves in a mission-driven and relationship-oriented institution and community. The next Provost & Chief Academic Officer will have the opportunity to enhance community and industry impact, sustain excellence through strategic growth, ensure relevant academic programs, and steward the University’s finances and strategically generate and utilize resources. The full position profile is linked here: https://www.dsgco.com/search/23499-colorado-mesa-university-provost-and-chief-academic-officer/ Interested candidates can apply using the following Talent Profile link: https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/23499 Jim Sirianni, Global Managing Partner and Practice Leader, Education Mark Halligan, Senior Associate DSG | Storbeck CMUProvost@dsgco.com Colorado Mesa University is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community.