"Provost, Chief Academic Officer"

The College of Wooster announces the search for its next Provost, Chief Academic Officer and invites nominations for and applications from exceptional candidates to lead Academic Affairs for one of America's most distinguished residential liberal arts colleges.

The College of Wooster is the nation's premier college for mentored undergraduate research and the most internationalized campus in Ohio. Wooster offers an extraordinary and comprehensive liberal arts education in a spirited residential setting, culminating in every student creating new knowledge through our Independent Study (I.S.), a rigorous, in-depth project of inquiry or creative expression. Currently, international students make up 14 percent of Wooster's total enrollment and hail from 78 countries. U.S. students of color account for 22 percent of the student body. Of those students from the United States, 33% of incoming Wooster students for the Class of 2028 were eligible for Pell grants. Backed by strong endowment performance (now valued at over $475 million), Wooster is proud to deliver average financial aid awards of over $55,000. Wooster boasts a thriving residential community, where students live on campus all four years.

The College employs 168 full-time faculty who serve as teachers, researchers, and mentors to our diverse student body. Faculty and administration operate in a shared governance environment, and the faculty-to-student ratio is 10 to 1. Wooster's faculty include world class educators whose research informs and enriches the student experience in the classroom, the lab, the field, and above all in the one-on-one mentoring of senior Independent Study. Faculty oversee more than 50 academic programs in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and the arts, including new interdisciplinary Pathways. Wooster employs over 256 talented and dedicated full time staff to support the teaching mission of the College.

The City of Wooster, a vibrant Main Street community of roughly 27,000, is located approximately 50 miles from Cleveland and 35 miles from Akron and boasts a strong, diversified economy, two major hospital systems, a downtown full of great restaurants and shops, and easy access to outdoor recreation opportunities. It's a short drive to Ohio State's Secrest Arboretum, the mountain biking trails at Vulture's Knob, and the 1,000-acre Mohican State Park. In 2024, Wooster ranked as the #7 micropolitan area in the U.S. by Policom—a measure of Economic Strength that looks at the long-term tendency for an area to consistently grow in both size and quality. Money Magazine also ranked Wooster #37 out of 100 in its 2017 Best Places to Live.

The Provost serves as the Chief Academic Officer of The College of Wooster, a liberal arts institution committed to fostering intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and holistic student development. As a key member of the President's Cabinet, the Provost collaborates across divisions and with other Cabinet colleagues to advance the College's mission and promote a campus culture that values and supports the success of all students, faculty, and staff.

More information about the College of Wooster and the Provost search, including full lists of responsibilities and qualifications, is available at: https://www.academicsearch.org/open-searches-public/entry/22476/?search=22476

How to Apply

Applications should consist of a substantial letter of interest, a resume, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to: WoosterProvost@academicsearch.org

The position is open until filled but only applications received by Tuesday, October 14, 2025, can be assured full consideration. The College is being assisted by Academic Search. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultants Ann Hasselmo at Ann.Hasselmo@academicsearch.org and Chris Butler at Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org

Further information about the College of Wooster is available at https://wooster.edu/

The College of Wooster does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, medical condition, political affiliation, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, disability, age, marital status, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy, or by state, local, or federal law. All offers of employment are subject to verification of the legal right to work in the United States as required by federal law. The College of Wooster is committed by policy and practice to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information please visit: www.wooster.edu/info/nondiscrimination