Salve Regina University Newport,

The Search for a /VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS The Search for aPROVOST/VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Salve Regina University, Newport, R.I.

Salve Regina University announces the search for a new provost/vice president of academic affairs (VPAA), an uncommon opportunity for academic leadership. Salve Regina is educationally rich and financially stable, providing the new provost with a platform of enviable strength from which to build for the future. The University stands at a positive point of inflection to open a new chapter of academic accomplishments and qualitative growth.

True to the value-centeredness of its founders, the Religious , and grounded in a foundation of service to others, Salve Regina welcomes candidates from all faith backgrounds who bring an understanding of and appreciation for the Catholic intellectual tradition. Salve Regina’s next provost will be academically focused, accomplished as a strategic thinker and scholar, consultative by nature, decisive in practice, visionary as a leader, understanding of small comprehensive universities, and informed about the needs of the 21st century learner. Above all, the successful candidate will be motivated by regularly achieving clear goals that will reflect measurable progress for Salve Regina.

As the chief academic officer, the provost/VPAA will report to the president and will be recognized within the leadership team as “first among equals.” She/he will exercise oversight of the academic program, all faculty personnel matters, and nine direct reports. The provost will be surrounded by a highly qualified faculty, dedicated support staff, and a high quality, engaged student body.

MISSION STATEMENT As a community that welcomes people of all beliefs, Salve Regina University, a Catholic institution founded by the Sisters of Mercy, seeks wisdom and promotes universal justice. The University, through teaching and research, prepares men and women for responsible lives by imparting and expanding knowledge, developing skills, and cultivating enduring values. Through liberal arts and professional programs, students develop their abilities for thinking clearly and creatively, enhance their capacity for sound judgment, and prepare for the challenge of learning throughout their lives. In keeping with the traditions of the Sisters of Mercy, and recognizing that all people are stewards of God’s creation, the University encourages students to work for a world that is harmonious, just, and merciful.

ABOUT SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY History and Mercy Tradition - On March 16, 1934, the State of Rhode Island granted a charter to the Sisters of Mercy of Providence for a corporation named Salve Regina College. Beyond noting that Salve Regina was to exist “to promote virtue, and piety and learning,” there were no specific directives; the charter left all educational options to the Sisters of Mercy. In 1947, following more than a dozen years of careful preparation, a magnificent turn-of-the-century Newport mansion was given to the college corporation. The acquisition of , a fifty-room French chateau, enabled Salve Regina to welcome its first class of 58 students in the fall of that same year. Salve Regina became coeducational in 1973 and achieved university status in 1991, at which time the school’s charter was amended to change the name of the corporation to Salve Regina University.

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The Sisters of Mercy are specifically charged to give meaning to their order’s name. Lives of prayer, community and service embody foundress Catherine McAuley’s hope of offering relief to the poor, sick, and uneducated of the world. Their work is grounded in a belief in human dignity, Catholic faith and their own traditions. Through their sponsorship they strive to affirm the presence of mission and values as fundamental forces within an organization.

University Profile - Today, with a budget of $74.5 million and an endowment of nearly $60 million, Salve Regina University serves approximately 2,760 men and women from 39 states and 22 nations and boasts more than 22,000 alumni. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,161 students, while graduate enrollment stands at 599. Currently 66 percent of the student population is female, and 79 percent hail from New England. The University is planning to implement a three-year residency requirement beginning in the fall of 2019. The current number of students residing on campus is 1,273. With 127 full-time faculty members (201 FTE), 80 percent of whom hold a doctorate or the MFA, and 49 percent of whom are tenured, the faculty-to-student ratio stands at 1:13. On average, 30 percent of a typical graduating class has participated in at least one study abroad opportunity as part of their degree program. Salve Regina offers over 200 study abroad options in over 45 countries. The University awards B.A., B.S. and B.A.S. degrees in over 46 majors and concentrations. For graduate students, the University offers M.A., M.S. and M.B.A. degrees, as well as a Ph.D. in humanities, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a variety of certificate programs. Continuing education courses are offered at the University’s Center for Adult Education in Warwick, R.I.

Academic Program - Salve Regina University is primarily an undergraduate residential institution, offering a comprehensive education in a wide range of academic disciplines. Central to the University’s identity is a commitment to student development and lifelong success. A rigorous academic program, grounded in a core liberal arts curriculum, offers concentrations in the arts and sciences and pre-professional and professional programs including business, nursing, education, administration of justice and social work. Innovative programs and co-curricular opportunities, including a civic engagement initiative and required community service, offer students the opportunity to grow, learn, and excel.

The curriculum reflects Salve Regina’s mission. By providing breadth of study in a core curriculum and depth of study in one’s major, the University prepares students to become lifelong learners and responsible, contributing citizens of their workplace, their local community, and the world. The undergraduate course of study is designed to foster intellectual, social, and spiritual growth that will encourage students to seek wisdom and work for a world that is harmonious, just, and merciful.

The University’s undergraduate curriculum is comprised of three interconnected components: the core curriculum; the major; and elective courses. The university undergraduate curriculum seeks to develop breadth of knowledge across a wide range of liberal arts disciplines, with a special emphasis on the ability to integrate and see connections among subject areas. Extending over the traditional four years of baccalaureate study, the core both affirms and illustrates the essential unity of all knowledge, provides a solid basis for lifelong learning, and develops a context

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for the specialized knowledge acquired in the major. The major gives students the opportunity to master a specific field of study in-depth. Normally, students select a major in the first or second year, choosing from a variety of professional fields, the liberal arts, or interdisciplinary programs. Electives at Salve Regina allow students to enhance their education, explore ideas, and challenge themselves outside their chosen major.

The Pell Honors Program offers outstanding students the opportunity to challenge themselves academically and personally. Typically, qualified students are invited to join the honors program upon admission to the University. Once on campus, they join a vibrant community of peers and faculty engaged in study and critical debates about big issues: God, politics, human nature and ethics, and the conflicting conceptions of “the good life” that have shaped human history. To build a learning and living community, students are housed with fellow Pell Scholars during the first two years of their academic careers. This living situation helps to provide them with a unique opportunity to form meaningful friendships centered on a shared pursuit of wisdom.

The University’s graduate and continuing education programs are tailored to the unique needs of adult students, combining the integration of knowledge and personal values with the development of greater competency in both theory and practice. Salve Regina offers 13 master’s degree programs with options for concentrations, a doctoral program in humanities and the Doctor of Nursing Practice, along with a bachelor’s degree in nursing for licensed registered nurses. Programs are available in a variety of formats, including classroom-based semester-long courses, compressed seven- week courses and hybrid courses that combine online learning with the classroom experience. Many programs also provide choices for four-course graduate certificates. Classes are offered at the Newport campus, at the University’s Center for Adult Education in Warwick, R.I., and online.

Salve Regina is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Its business program also holds accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education. Several University programs hold discipline specific accreditations including nursing, education, counseling, art, and social work.

Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy - The Pell Center at Salve Regina University is a multidisciplinary research center focused at the intersection of politics, policies and ideas. Reporting directly to the president and dedicated to honoring Senator ’s legacy, the center promotes American engagement in the world, effective government at home and civic participation by all Americans. The research and events at the Pell Center are designed to contribute to an understanding of contemporary local, national, and global issues while also providing opportunities for study, employment, and enrichment to students at Salve Regina. Each semester, the center works with faculty and student groups to host lectures, organize conferences and initiate other opportunities for students, faculty and the community to gather for discussion, debate, and to find common solutions to common problems. Current initiatives are focused on cybersecurity; the role of storytelling in public affairs; and broad public and international issues.

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Student Life - Salve Regina’s division of Student Affairs champions a student- centered culture. The University’s civic action plan seeks to strengthen the University’s commitment to living out its Mercy mission and vision in increasingly tangible and measurable ways. The plan follows a four-year cycle and focuses on the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy - earth, immigration, women, racism and nonviolence - as the basis for social action. This thematic approach allows for coordinated and unit-specific programs, opportunities to engage with multiple community partners and the assurance that each student cohort will encounter Salve Regina’s mission in action. A campus-wide community and civic engagement steering committee provides overall guidance and monitoring of the plan’s implementation. Full implementation is tied to the four-year critical concerns cycle:

• Year one (2017-2018): Race • Year two (2018-2019): Earth • Year three (2019-2020): Women • Year four (2020-2021): Immigration • All four years: Nonviolence

The plan is anchored by signature programs that embed civic engagement and community learning into academic and campus life. These programs are designed to develop awareness of the responsibilities of citizenship and stewardship of the earth and change-oriented strategies that transform individuals, the institution and the larger community. Undergraduate students are required to complete 10 hours of community service in their four years through the Feinstein Enriching America Program, administered by the Office of Community Service.

The Office of Multicultural Programs works on a range of issues related to cultural diversity and inclusivity. An undergraduate multicultural learning community consists of both curricular and co-curricular components. Cultural diversity programming for the Salve community is provided to develop greater sensitivity and awareness of an increasingly diverse population.

Salve Regina students participate in nearly 70 recognized student organizations, among them the Student Government Association and the Campus Activities Board, which hosts several events per week including lectures, comedians, concerts, off-campus trips and daytime programming. First-year students live in traditional residence halls, designed to help them meet classmates and get involved with activities, while second and third-year students choose from one-of-a-kind rooms in former mansions and other architecturally significant buildings situated throughout the historic campus.

Overall, about 50% of the undergraduate population is currently engaged in student organizations on campus. Twenty-three percent of students, including 269 men and 223 women, play 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports at Salve Regina. Men’s sports include football, soccer, basketball, baseball, cross country, ice hockey, lacrosse, and tennis. Women’s sports offered are field hockey, soccer, equestrian, cross country, volleyball, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse, outdoor track, and softball. The co- educational sailing team is Division I.

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Salve Regina student athletes are students first. As a member of NCAA Division III athletics, Salve Regina is not permitted to offer any athletically-related financial aid. All of Salve Regina University’s sports teams averaged over a 3.0 GPA and 19 junior and senior student-athletes with a cumulative grade point average above 3.4 qualified for the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. Sixty-seven student-athletes were named to conference All Academic Teams this year.

The spiritual needs of the campus community are met, in part, by the Mercy Center for Spiritual Life which encourages and supports religious and spiritual life at Salve Regina University. Grounded in the rich heritage of the Roman Catholic Church and the charism of the Sisters of Mercy, the Mercy Center warmly welcomes people of all beliefs to engage in a lively and respectful practice of their faith; to seek wisdom; to promote universal justice, especially by practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy; and to deepen their relationship with God.

The Campus- The Salve Regina campus is breathtakingly beautiful. The 80-acre campus bordering the famed Cliff Walk exemplifies significant developments in the architectural, historical and cultural heritage of 19th- and early 20th-century America. The University continues to act as a steward of this heritage and is actively engaged in preserving the splendor of its Gilded Age properties, while also adapting them for educational use. The University’s efforts at historic preservation have been singled out for awards and special praise by the Preservation Society of Newport County, the Newport Historical Society, the Victorian Society of America, Save America’s Treasures, the Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Centrally located on campus, Our Lady of Mercy Chapel offers regular services and allows graduates and community members to celebrate their weddings on campus in a religious setting. Designed by award-winning architect Robert A.M. Stern, the chapel’s stone and shingle exterior complements the historic architecture of Salve Regina’s Ochre Point neighborhood. Features include a set of 13 leaded opalescent glass windows created by renowned artist John La Farge and a bell tower housing three 1910 bells cast by the Meneely Bell Company.

In 2002, Salve Regina became the first New England institution to receive a Getty Grant Program award to develop a Campus Heritage Preservation Plan. The plan includes a detailed review of 21 buildings which comprise seven contiguous 19th- century estates that distinguish Salve Regina’s historic campus. The plan also provides further structure and resources for the University’s practice of utilizing its campus as an academic “living laboratory” for cultural and historic preservation.

The campus also features mostly mature and exotic trees, originally designed by notable landscape architects such as the Olmsted brothers. The ongoing professional care and conservation of this historic landscape distinguishes the University among liberal arts institutions. In recognition of Salve Regina’s ongoing efforts to preserve and protect its 1,200 trees of 100 different species, the campus has been recognized as a Level II arboretum by the Morton Arboretum’s ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program.

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Newport and the Surrounding Community - Unlike most places in America, the use of the term “historic” does not describe only one street or section of the landscape; it is the Newport landscape. Whether investigating the oldest surviving synagogue in the nation, the oldest community library, one of the oldest operating taverns, the most opulent mansions of the Gilded Age, or a ballpark where Satchel Paige and Yogi Berra once swung their bats, the concentration of preserved architecture and historic structures is unparalleled in this unique city by the sea. Since its founding in 1639, Newport has also been a city rich in diversity and religious tolerance. Its emergence as one of the five leading ports in colonial North America along with Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charleston ensured its place as a beacon for varied cultures and beliefs. Today, the waterfront continues to bustle with activity. Shops, restaurants and other local businesses line the wharves, trolleys transport visitors to the Newport Mansions and the arts flourish through museums, galleries and theatrical performances. For those embracing the great outdoors, the Cliff Walk and beaches provide easy access to ocean-side settings. Newport is also considered one of the top surfing spots in New England and one of the worlds great sailing cities. The University is a cultural and academic resource for the community. It offers events, distinguished guest lectures, special symposia, and other programs to educate both the University community and the public. These offerings extend from Newport County and the State of Rhode Island to southeastern New England and national and international academic communities.

Governance - The University has a two-tiered governance structure: the corporate member and the board of trustees. The corporate member is the Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE), Inc., an affiliate of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Inc. The CMHE corporation empowers the board of trustees to operate the University. The purpose of CMHE is to maintain and enhance the Mercy mission for the various Sisters of Mercy colleges and universities throughout the United States. The 28-member board of trustees supports and conveys the University’s mission, provides long-range planning, ensures responsible management and communicates the needs of society to the University community. The board works in collaboration with the Conference for Mercy Higher Education to ensure the Catholic and Mercy identity of the University. Members of the board include alumni, parents of graduates, regional community and business leaders, and members of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.

THE AGENDA FOR THE NEW PROVOST The opportunity to serve a vibrant comprehensive university with a tradition of transformative student-centered education, a culture of free inquiry, and a deep service ethic is immediately attractive. Critical elements in the provost’s philosophy should include a fundamental belief in the notion of human potential as seen in Salve Regina’s students and faculty, a practice of setting high standards for self and others, and a model of inclusiveness as a foundation for further building a meaningful learning community.

Several benchmarks help to define the context in which the next provost’s agenda is being developed. In each case, these benchmarks help to underscore the anticipation existing around the arrival of new leadership for the Salve Regina academic program.

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• The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) will be visiting the campus to review and reaffirm the University’s accreditation status in 2021. • A highly qualified interim provost, Dr. J. David Arnold, is successfully serving in this capacity until the new provost’s arrival on or about July 1, 2018. • The new provost will arrive at a time when the new strategic plan is being formulated for implementation. • There is widespread campus agreement on the need for bold and gracefully assertive leadership by the new provost as a means of developing measurable academic progress.

In short, the confluence of these benchmarks in the life of the University will provide a distinctive springboard for a successful provost, whose agenda will include:

Invigorating the Strategic Planning Process – Salve Regina’s current strategic plan is built on a three-year cycle that expires in the coming year of 2018-2019. The opportunity for the provost to listen and learn early in the first year will pave the way for her/his vision and energetic renewal of the new plan’s academic component. Leading an inclusive process, engaging faculty and academic staff, prioritizing budget decisions around academic initiatives, and collaborating with administrative colleagues in identifying “all university” strategic issues will be among the new provost’s major contributions in 2018-2019. It will be critical for the provost to build consensus around the academic components of the plan and successfully manage their implementation and outcomes.

Providing Effective Academic Leadership – Championing the academic program and supporting the teaching faculty remain at the core of this leadership agenda. Strength of leadership from a new provost can make an indelible mark at a critical moment when many in the academic community feel that they need greater advocacy. Fully recognizing that tight fiscal times make enrichment of people and program an ongoing challenge in higher education, strong and effective leadership can begin to unify the University community around the potential for qualitative academic growth and the nurturing of additional resources. Faculty and academic staff are eager to be energetically represented by the provost’s animated understanding of many of their ongoing needs.

Integrating Learning Across the Campus – The provost’s influence could expand dramatically if she/he adopts a creative focus on additional elements impacting student success. The potential to broaden the provost’s impact in a strongly student- centered culture is palpable. The academic affairs and student affairs programs can work more effectively together, especially when there is clear potential and willingness for doing more on the part of both groups. As the lines of informal and formal learning are increasingly blurred on many campuses today, the provost is in a strategic position to blend the teaching and mentoring of Salve students in and out of the classroom.

Whether supporting student engagement in internships, international experiences, independent research, community engaged learning, or other opportunities for the practical application of theory, the provost should be creative in blending all the resources available at Salve Regina. The Center for Student Development provides a

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co-curricular trajectory for students to cultivate holistic growth, leadership, and the tools to create positive social change. Intentional collaboration with Student Affairs in this and other initiatives could further enrich educational outcomes.

The new provost will further distinguishing the University’s profile by successfully integrating faculty, students, and appropriate staff into a unified learning community.

Managing While Leading – The university community eagerly awaits a new provost with strong management skills. She/he will steer the collaboration between various systems throughout the University, in support of the academic mission.

Direct reports to the provost will include an administrative assistant, associate provost, dean of undergraduate studies, dean of graduate studies, assistant vice president for research and compliance, director of sponsored programs, director of library services, director of international programs and director of community services. With this range of academically-related activities and a significant dedicated support staff, the provost’s skill at evaluating organizational structure, delegating individual and shared responsibilities, analyzing and providing feedback on performance, and holding accountable all members of the team will bring strength and clarity to the work of the academic affairs program.

As the chief academic officer working closely with the president and the board of trustees, the provost will bring a singularly critical perspective to educational issues that impact the entire Salve Regina program. An ability to work cooperatively with the senior leadership team while bringing strong advocacy for the academic program will enhance a new provost’s effectiveness. In particular, the ability to deal effectively with budget strategy, financial issues, and information data systems, to collaborate openly with student affairs around extended opportunities for student success, and to work creatively with faculty and the enrollment team on new program development and possible revision of existing programs will be critical to the provost’s successful management profile.

In all of these management roles, the provost’s candor, courage, and collaboration will be essential.

Raising Visibility and Accessibility – Although diverse in its programming and physically spread over an 80-acre campus, Salve Regina has a vivid sense of personality and intimacy. Presence in the life of the University and visibility in both curricular and co-curricular programs will provide a reassuring “fit” for a successful provost.

Regardless of their status as undergraduates or graduates, students have historically and consistently been the focus of Salve’s educational program. Faculty and staff strive to provide a supportive, warm, and caring dimension in the mentoring of Salve students. It is no accident that students are drawn to a strong sense of campus community and a recognizable commitment to student-centeredness. The new provost must be comfortable with the personality of the campus and be authentic in her/his visibility, accessibility, and participation in the life of the University.

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Celebrating Diversity – Diversity and inclusiveness are key ingredients in a fulfilling and meaningful institutional climate at Salve Regina. To that end, the provost’s embrace of these qualities and her/his ability to engage the University population around issues of diversity must be a priority. The healthy stature of all underrepresented groups on campus is critical to the quality of life at Salve Regina. The goal to become a model, inclusive university and the provost’s fresh ideas and actions toward this objective will be welcomed.

Communicating Frequently and with Transparency – For this agenda to be achievable, the provost must work at improving communication across all the areas of her/his responsibility as well as throughout the University community. While better communication is frequently a concern on any campus, it is particularly important for the Salve Regina provost to serve as a catalyst for transparently and authentically keeping people informed. While prioritizing these improvements in academic affairs, the provost can also be instrumental in working with her/his colleagues on the University’s leadership team to be sure that lines of communication remain energized throughout the campus community.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES OF THE NEW PROVOST The successful candidate at Salve Regina should possess a combination of personal qualities and professional experiences that match the expectations outlined in the Agenda for a New Provost. She/he will bring integrity, energy, an uncompromising work ethic, empathy, and a sense of humor. An earned doctorate or terminal degree in her/his discipline, teaching experience, and achievements as an academic leader will all be attractive qualities. The Salve Regina provost will be expected to:

• lead by ideas with a style that is visionary, innovative, action oriented, and fiscally responsible, while setting high expectations for all; • bring personal traits that model Mercy traditions and embrace the values of Catholic higher education including social responsibility, inclusion, and service; • communicate effectively and regularly by listening carefully, writing well, and speaking with clarity and inspiration, all as a means of improving morale; • strongly advocate for the faculty and academic program in a transparent manner, as a means of building trust and cooperation across the academic affairs spectrum; • commit to collaboration with student affairs and others outside of academic affairs, as a means of enriching programming that will enhance student success; • demonstrate understanding and support of 21st century learning as it applies to undergraduate, graduate and continuing education; • provide accomplished strategic thinking and planning skills, while practicing collaboration as a style of planning and decisiveness as a characteristic of decision making; • enhance the work of the provost’s administrative team by providing structure, clarifying roles, empowering leaders, and holding team members accountable; • maintain an energetic and approachable campus presence, actively engaging in the student-centered life at Salve Regina, while modeling traits that will enrich collegiality and community on campus; • demonstrate intercultural competence with an ability to develop a model of inclusivity through the University community, and; • play a central role on the University’s leadership team by contributing effectively on issues of all-university concern. 10 The Search for aPROVOST/VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Salve Regina University, Newport, R.I.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS The provost search committee will be accepting nominations and applications throughout the late fall and early winter. The candidate pool will be narrowed in mid-December, although applications will be accepted until a new provost is selected. For the most favorable consideration, applications should be submitted by Friday, December 15 at 5 PM. The provost will be invited to begin work no later than July 1, 2018.

Dr. Thomas B. Courtice is the search consultant assisting with this search. Nominators and prospective candidates may contact him at tom.courtice@gmail. com or at 614/395-6631.

Application materials should be submitted to:

Dr. James Ludes, Chair Provost Search Committee [email protected]

Materials should include a letter of candidacy that responds to the Agenda for the New Provost, a CV or resume, and the names and contact information (email and phone) for three references, none of whom will be contacted until a later stage of the search and not without the formal permission of the candidate. All inquiries and applications will be received and evaluated in full confidence.

Salve Regina University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by applicable federal or state law, in the administration of it employment policies and financial aid programs. Salve Regina University neither condones nor tolerates discriminatory conduct and expects all faculty, staff and students to promote an environment that is free of discrimination and supportive of this policy.

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