SECTION II – THE SEAT

The Provost & Chief Academic Officer serves as the University’s chief academic leader and is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, evaluation, and continuous improvement of the academic enterprise. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a key member of the University leadership team, the leader in this position provides strategic vision, leadership, and oversight for instructional programs, academic outreach activities, academic support services, and institutional academic planning efforts.

OVERVIEW AND ROLE SCOPE OF TEAM AND/OR TASKS

The Provost & Chief Academic Officer will:

• Act as the primary advisor to the President on matters related to academic affairs and academic support services.
• Provide strategic leadership for the University’s academic programs, curriculum development, assessment, accreditation, instructional delivery, and academic planning efforts.
• Foster a culture of academic excellence, innovation, student-centered learning, faculty development, and continuous improvement.
• Support and guide academic department heads and academic leaders in matters related to faculty recruitment, evaluation, promotion, tenure, retention, professional development, and succession planning.
• Coordinate resources, personnel, and operations across academic departments and academic support offices to achieve the academic mission of the University.
• Collaborate closely with the President and University leadership to align academic priorities with institutional planning, enrollment management, budgeting, student success initiatives, and fiscal sustainability efforts.
• Work closely with the Faculty Senate and Faculty Senate Executive Committee to establish priorities and address concerns.
• Foster a culture of shared governance and transparency, ensuring faculty input on budgetary matters, academic policies, and strategic planning.
• Oversee academic operations, including instructional planning, scheduling, academic outreach activities, and the publication and delivery of instructional schedules and programs.
• Support and maintain productive partnerships with the Board of Trustees, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Higher Learning Commission, and other governing and accrediting organizations.
• Work collaboratively with the Senior Vice President for Student Services, the Chief Financial Officer, and other University leaders to strengthen academic and student support functions.
• Provide leadership and oversight for library services, academic support services, and instructional technologies.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for CMU Tech.
• Plan and oversee budgetary aspects of the academic division while monitoring expenditures and ensuring fiscal accountability.
• Lead with transparency, humility, professionalism, collaboration, and accountability.
• Support a culture of data-informed decision-making.

Required Qualifications

• Earned terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education recognized by the CMU Board of Trustees; doctorate preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible senior academic administrative leadership experience at the dean, director, vice president, provost, or equivalent level.
• Record of teaching, scholarship, and service sufficient to qualify for a faculty appointment in a discipline relevant to the University.
• Demonstrated experience in academic leadership, strategic planning, budgeting, accreditation, faculty development, and institutional administration.