Leadership Statement
Introduction
The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents announces a nationwide search to recruit a new Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer to lead this 35-campus statewide system. The Chancellor and Board seeks a proven academic leader who will work with the System and campus leadership teams to further enhance the state’s public higher education offerings.
The University System of Georgia is the third largest university system in the United States and enrolls more than 310,000 students, employs more than 40,000 faculty and staff, and the combined annual operating budgets of all 35 institutions is over $6 billion. The state appropriation for higher education for FY11 is approximately $2 billion.
Today, the University System of Georgia is a key catalyst and driver of economic development and contributes significantly to the cultural, social, and educational life of the State. (Additional information about the System can be found at http://www.usg.edu/).
The Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer
Reporting to the Chancellor, the EVC/CAO works closely with the System’s leadership team to initiate and promote the System’s commitment to excellence in education and research. Through the creation of policies and collaborative work, the EVC/CAO advises and provides leadership on all academic-related areas to the members of the System; identifies and reviews solutions for the USG strategic plan in the departments of Academic Planning, Academic Programs, Data Administration, Educator Preparation, Innovation & Research, Faculty Affairs, Information Technology Services, Research & Policy Analysis, Student Achievement and Student Affairs; and, supports several special initiatives designed to enhance the quality of education and research and the student experience in Georgia. The next EVC/CAO will be a key leader of the System’s upcoming strategic planning effort.
Essential Skills, Experiences, and Attributes
The next Executive Vice Chancellor of the System must be an uncommon individual who has:
- The ability to work collaboratively as part of a leadership team;
- Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills;
- Demonstrated successful senior-level campus academic experience;
- The ability to articulate the academic priorities and goals of the Board of Regents to internal constituencies and state policymakers;
- Proven academic credentials that will engender the respect of the campus Presidents, Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Vice Presidents of Student Affairs, and the faculty;
- Strong leadership, management, and administrative experience;
- An extensive and sophisticated understanding of American higher education in the 21st century;
- The demonstrated ability to skillfully manage a large and complex portfolio of academic functions;
- An understanding of political, legislative, and governmental processes; and,
- Strong team-orientation, exemplary communications skills and the ability to work well with the academic leadership on the System’s 35 campuses.
In addition, it is expected that the next Executive Vice Chancellor demonstrate:
- Integrity, honesty, wisdom, and sound judgment;
- A commitment to equity, fairness, and the highest standards of transparency;
- An appreciation of the history and culture of Georgia;
- An understanding of the importance of affordable, high-quality public higher education to the future of Georgia;
- A commitment to the System’s three-part mission of teaching, scholarship, and public service;
- An appreciation of the distinctive missions, cultures, differences, challenges, and opportunities of the 35 USG campuses and a commitment to helping each reach its full potential;
- Support for academic freedom, open-minded inquiry, and shared governance; and
- A commitment to make Georgia’s higher education system a leader both nationally and globally.
The University System
The University System of Georgia encompasses 35 colleges and universities: four research universities, two regional universities, 13 state universities, eight state colleges, and eight two-year colleges.
Each of USG’s 35 campuses has a rich history, a distinct academic mission, and a set of strengths that continue to be nurtured and sustained. In addition to its teaching role, the University System of Georgia has a long-standing commitment to public service. The USG component institutions afford the citizens of Georgia a wide array of educational, cultural, social and economic benefits.
Constituent Institutions of the University System of Georgia include (a listing of profiles and website addresses for each institution is available at http://www.usg.edu/inst/):
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Albany State University
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Atlanta Metropolitan College
Augusta State University
Bainbridge College
Clayton State University
College of Coastal Georgia
Columbus State College
Dalton State College
Darton College
East Georgia College
Fort Valley State University
Gainesville State College
Georgia College & State University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Health Sciences University
(formerly Medical College of Georgia)
Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Perimeter College
Georgia Public Library Service
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southwestern State University
Georgia State University
Gordon College
Kennesaw State University
Macon State College
Middle Georgia College
North Georgia College & State University
Savannah State University
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
South Georgia College
Southern Polytechnic State University
University of Georgia
University of West Georgia
Valdosta State University
Waycross College
The USG Board of Regents
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia was created in 1931 as part of a reorganization of Georgia’s state government. With this act, public higher education in Georgia was unified for the first time under a single governing and management authority. The governor appoints members to the Board, who each serve seven years. Today the Board of Regents is composed of 18 members, five of whom are appointed from the state-at-large, and one from each of the 13 congressional districts. The Board elects a Chancellor who serves as its chief executive officer and the chief administrative officer of the University System.
Executive Vice Chancellor/Chief Academic Officer Search Process
While applications and nominations will be accepted until the new EVC/CAO is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials to the address below in confidence by November 1.
USG EVC/CAO SEARCH
R. William Funk & Associates
100 Highland Park Village, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75205
Email: bill.funk@rwilliamfunk.com
Fax: 214/295-3312
The University System of Georgia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer