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PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

SPELMAN COLLEGE Atlanta, Georgia

THE SEARCH

Spelman College, an historically black college and a global leader in the education of women of African descent, seeks a provost and vice president for academic affairs (“provost”) with vision, energy, and a distinguished record of scholarship and leadership in higher education to further advance the college. In its next provost, Spelman seeks a highly respected scholar with a strong commitment to the liberal arts and to single-sex education for women of promise who will lead lives of distinction. The provost will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team and play a pivotal role in setting and achieving Spelman’s academic, strategic, and institutional goals.

The position becomes available at an exciting time in the college’s history as President Mary Schmidt Campbell formulates a strategic plan that will profoundly impact educational programs and campus life at Spelman and provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful members of the global community. The provost will partner with the president to assure the execution of the strategic plan and will work closely with her to implement special initiatives that advance Spelman’s institutional excellence. The successful candidate will have the experiences necessary to lead the academic enterprise with creativity and innovation; recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty; provide effective leadership and management to the office of the provost; support and strengthen the commitment to shared governance; and foster an intellectually and culturally diverse institution.

Spelman College has engaged national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller to assist with this important search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications, which will remain confidential, should be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.

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SPELMAN COLLEGE

Spelman College has a unique history in American higher education. Founded in an era when women, especially women of African descent, could not participate fully in society, Spelman is as important to the nation today as it was over a century ago. A Spelman College education empowers its students; over 37 percent of the school’s graduates from 1928-1953 earned graduate and professional degrees, a remarkable achievement in an era marked by overt racial and gender discrimination. In recent years, Spelman has gained global prominence as a leader in the education of women who aspire to success in every sector of society. Combining academic excellence and rigor with deeply rooted values of social justice and sisterhood, Spelman prepares its students to change the world.

Today, Spelman enrolls more than 2,000 women from 45 states and 11 foreign countries who are instructed by an exemplary teaching body of 130 tenured and tenure-track faculty and 46 non-tenure track faculty. Among its many distinctions, the college ranks among the top 100 liberal arts colleges and the top 10 liberal arts colleges for women in the nation. Spelman also was ranked first among the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) for the seventh year in a row by U.S. News and World Report.

Spelman is a member of the Atlanta University Center Consortium, the largest consortium of historically Black institutions of higher learning in the world. Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Morehouse School of Medicine are its partner institutions. Spelman shares cross- registration as well as the Robert W. Woodruff Library with its undergraduate partners.

Spelman’s historic 39-acre campus is located just five minutes from downtown Atlanta. Spelman students enjoy a wide range of unique advantages: small classrooms, varied research opportunities, active learning experiences domestically and internationally, and access to one of the nation’s great cities.

History

Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, missionary teachers from New England, founded Spelman College on April 11, 1881. With $100, an offer from Father Frank Quarles to use the basement of Friendship Baptist Church, and 11 students, Packard and Giles established the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary to provide education and training to newly freed female slaves.

The philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller enabled the school to purchase nine acres and five frame buildings. In 1884, the school expressed its gratitude to its generous donor and changed its name to Spelman Seminary in honor of Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman, longtime activists in the antislavery movement and the parents of Rockefeller’s wife, Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller. Rockefeller’s financial support was crucial to maintaining this growing independent school for women and girls. The school became Spelman College in 1924.

Spelman has advanced the cause of Black women throughout its history and has taken a leadership role in the great civil and human rights struggles domestically and internationally. Notable alumnae in such endeavors include Dovey Johnson Roundtree, a trial attorney and civil rights pioneer; Marcelite Harris, the first African-American woman to reach the rank of general in the U.S. Air Force; and Marian Wright Edelman, children’s activist and the first African-American woman admitted to the Mississippi bar.

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THE SPELMAN EXPERIENCE

Spelman boasts a rich tradition of transforming its students through extraordinary signature experiences within the context of educating women leaders in a global community. Students and alumnae alike praise the emphasis on sisterhood as a unique aspect of the Spelman experience and one of the college’s most important values. More than simply a social or transactional network, the Spelman community bonds around fundamental, enduring core values—strict allegiance to the highest academic standards, dedication to elevating the lives of women of African descent, and an abiding commitment to social justice. Spelman challenges its students with a rigorous academic program.

Students

Spelman students embody superbly high standards of character and academic achievement and aspire to achieve greatness in their lives and their communities. Spelman has an average six-year graduation rate of 76 percent, and 45 percent of graduates go on to pursue graduate and professional degrees within five years of graduation. The National Science Foundation reports that between 1997 and 2006, Spelman prepared more Black women to earn doctoral degrees in STEM than Duke, Georgia Tech and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill combined.

Spelman students have won some of higher education’s most prestigious awards. The college boasts 55 Gates Millennium Scholars, the highest number of Black female awardees at any institution in the country. The college ranks ninth overall in Gilman Scholarships earned. Spelman was the only liberal arts college and the only HBCU among the awardees. Two out of every three applicants from Spelman win these scholarships, while the national average is one of three.

Spelman ranks among the top liberal arts colleges in the country in producing Fulbright scholars. Students have taught English as a second language and conducted anthropological, gender-focused, artistic, and interdisciplinary research in Asia, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. In recent years, Spelman students have been awarded a Gates Cambridge Scholarship (2015), a Boren Fellowship to Japan (2013-2014), two Marshall Scholarships (since 2010), and two Luce Fellowships (2009).

Spelman College counts community service among its core values. Students are required to engage in community service during their first two years at the college, with the expectation that during those formative years they make service a habit and continue to serve others throughout their time at Spelman and beyond.

Financial aid is critically important to students at Spelman. Over 80 percent of its students require financial aid and approximately 50 percent are Pell-grant eligible.

Faculty

Spelman College has a long history of scholarly and creative production. This rich history is now enhanced by the expertise of its 130 tenured/tenure track teacher-scholars, who comprise the faculty in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, fine arts, and education. Among the faculty are nationally and internationally recognized and awarded scholars, heads and officers of disciplinary associations, and several patent holders. Eighty-eight percent of the faculty have doctoral degrees or the equivalent in their fields. The college invests in ongoing faculty Spelman College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Page 4 of 8

development through sabbatical and research leave, internal small grants, and membership in organizations dedicated to faculty development in liberal arts institutions.

The college currently procures an annual average of $5.9 million in new and continuation funding from federal agencies and has a current research grant portfolio totaling $19.7 million, to be funded over a period ranging from one to five years.

Alumnae

Spelman alumnae continue to be engaged with the college and represent a special sisterhood. They consistently return to campus in impressive numbers for traditional college events such as Founders Day, Reunion, Homecoming and the annual Christmas Carol Concerts; attend regional college events around the country and work in local chapters of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (NAASC); participate in formal and informal mentoring of Spelman students; provide shadowing and internship opportunities for students; and encourage and recruit students to apply to the college.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE

Mary Schmidt Campbell President

A leader in education, the arts, and the public sector for nearly 40 years, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell began her tenure as the 10th president of Spelman College on August 1, 2015. Prior to her appointment as president, Dr. Campbell was dean emerita of the Tisch School of the Arts at (NYU) and University Professor in the department of Art and Public Policy.

During her tenure as dean, the school became one of the most selective undergraduate programs at NYU while at the same time increasing the diversity of the student body and faculty more than fourfold.

Early in her career, Dr. Campbell led the Studio Museum in Harlem. Under her leadership, the museum was transformed from a rented loft into the country’s first accredited Black fine arts museum with a permanent collection, major publications, exhibitions, and artist-in-residence programs.

Prior to joining Tisch, Dr. Campbell served as ’s cultural affairs commissioner under two mayors and was responsible for the city’s cultural policy as well as the capital and operational development of major cultural institutions. In 2009, Dr. Campbell was appointed by President as the vice chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a non-partisan advisory committee to the President of the United States on cultural matters.

Dr. Campbell lectures widely across the country and around the world, and has authored many papers and articles on a range of subjects including African-American art, urban cultural policy issues, leadership, and arts in education.

Dr. Campbell holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from , where she also served for 12 years on the Board of Managers. She holds a master’s degree in art Spelman College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Page 5 of 8

history from and a doctorate in humanities, also from Syracuse. Dr. Campbell holds numerous honorary degrees. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves on the board of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Board of Trustees

The 26 members of the Board of Trustees include corporate and academic leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and financial and legal experts who bring a wide range of professional and personal experience in support of Spelman. Alumnae, students, and faculty fill dedicated seats on the board, and the presidents of the National Alumnae Association, the Student Government Association, and the Faculty Council also serve as representatives to the board. The president of the college serves as an ex-officio voting member of the board.

FINANCES

Spelman College enjoys a strong financial position. The college has generated balanced budgets for nearly 40 years, consistent endowment returns, and successful fundraising campaigns. The college has an annual operating budget of $108 million, a $345 million endowment, and an A1 bond rating.

THE PROVOST ROLE

Reporting to the president, the provost is the chief academic officer of Spelman College and carries out responsibilities central to the performance of its educational mission. The following areas report to the provost:

• Academic Departments and Programs • Faculty Development • Program Review and Accreditation • Institutional Research, Assessment & Planning (OIRAP) • Office of Research • Office of Undergraduate Studies • Gordon Zeto Center for Global Education • Museum of Fine Art • Teaching Research and Resource Center • Women's Research and Resource Center

Duties and responsibilities include serving as the chief adviser to the president and to the faculty on academic affairs, for which the provost formulates educational policies and presents them to the faculty for consideration and to the president for approval; overseeing and enhancing academic programs and advising within the college; reviewing and recommending proposals related to academic programs; and staffing the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. The provost also communicates changing trends and practices in higher education to the faculty, board, and senior leadership of the college.

The office of the provost is responsible for recruitment, orientation, and retention of faculty. The provost recommends, in consultation with the Tenure and Promotion Committee, candidates for tenure and promotion. The provost will oversee a budget of approximately $27 million. Spelman College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Page 6 of 8

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR SPELMAN’S NEXT PROVOST

Spelman seeks in its next provost a leader experienced in the academy, knowledgeable about its operations and business model, and with the personal integrity and drive to effectively partner with and complement its inspiring new president.

Primary opportunities and challenges for the provost will include the following:

Lead the academic enterprise with creativity and innovation.

In addition to being the top ranked HBCU, Spelman aspires to be a leading liberal arts college. The provost will be an energetic and imaginative leader in undergraduate education who brings a deep commitment to the liberal arts and to Spelman’s diverse academic community, and who is able to foster a sense of pride in the special place that Spelman occupies in higher education. As the chief academic officer, the provost partners with the president to assure the execution of the college’s strategic plan, and she/he works closely with the president to implement strategic initiatives in support of the college’s academic mission. Working closely with the deans, department chairs, and program directors, the provost will provide oversight for assessment and accreditation of the college, as well as programming within the college and the periodic review of departments that report to the position. Externally, the provost will represent the institution in various consortia and membership associations.

Recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty.

The office of the provost assures institutional excellence by maintaining processes and support structures necessary for the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. The ability to hire and retain high-quality faculty is critical to the long-term success of the college. The next provost will support departments as they identify Spelman’s future faculty by leading efforts to recruit and retain excellent teacher-scholars. The provost will further strengthen the systems for mentoring faculty that take into account their changing needs over the course of a career. She/he will continue to promote high standards of excellence in teaching and research, and establish priorities and plans for faculty mentoring, development, and diversity. The provost is responsible for fostering an environment in which research can flourish and pedagogical innovation is encouraged and realized.

Provide effective leadership and management to the Office of the Provost.

While charting a course for the future, the provost must also keep a sharp focus on the day-to- day operations of the office of the provost to ensure that existing office structure and staffing are effectively meeting institutional objectives. The provost will be a skilled administrative leader with a passion for talent development, ensuring that the offices under their purview provide efficient and effective support for faculty, staff, and students. The provost must develop a culture of open and transparent communication internally among staff and externally with faculty. The provost’s office must embody a spirit of service and be highly responsive and collaborative to support the faculty in addressing issues.

Support and strengthen the commitment to shared governance.

A strength of the Spelman College culture is shared governance. Working closely with the faculty, the provost will continue to cultivate an effective balance between a culture invested in strong faculty governance and a structure that supports faculty desire to advance their scholarly Spelman College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Page 7 of 8

and pedagogical pursuits. She/he will provide oversight and coordination of academic goals; identify synergies between and among teaching, research, and service roles; serve as an academic resource to the Board of Trustees on academic policy; collaborate with faculty council on academic policies and shared governance; review proposed, new, and existing programs; engage with other senior administrators on matters impacting academic affairs, both directly and indirectly; and review and advise on the institutional assessment plan.

Foster an intellectually and culturally diverse institution.

In her/his role as vice president for academic affairs, the next provost will be responsible for the academic advising and curricular initiatives that support the education of Black women who aspire to be global leaders in a wide spectrum of fields. Science, technology, medicine, business, law, entrepreneurship, public service, education, and the arts are a sampling of the fields in which Spelman women have excelled. The provost oversees a robust global studies program; establishes links between disciplines that enhance curricular offerings; and coordinates grant and research opportunities.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

Spelman seeks as its next provost a collegial and engaging leader who will effectively manage an extensive administrative enterprise; champion and embody scholarly excellence; inspire and lead the faculty; collaborate effectively with other senior leaders; and represent Spelman, its academic programs, and educational mission to external and internal constituencies. The successful candidate will possess most, if not all, of the following attributes:

Required attributes:

• An earned doctorate from an accredited institution and an academic record that supports appointment as a tenured professor.

• Academic and administrative experience in progressively responsible positions, preferably at the level of dean, associate VP, or higher, with preference given to candidates with faculty rank of full professor.

Desired Attributes:

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated success in strategic planning and implementation.

• Intercultural competence and commitment to diversity in its many forms.

• Understanding of key issues facing private liberal arts colleges, women’s colleges, and historically black colleges and universities with respect to recruitment, retention, and student success.

• Experience with managing complex budgets.

• Demonstrated leadership in higher education organizations. Spelman College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Page 8 of 8

• Experience with generation of external resources through grants.

• Collaborative as opposed to hierarchical leadership style.

• Transparency and responsiveness.

• Experience with race, gender, and cultural diversity and with models of success and excellence for at-risk students.

• A seasoned scholar and successful academic administrator.

• Experience in developing international programs and international enrollments.

• Experience in establishing external cooperative academic programs.

• Experience in forging successfully a productive interface between technology and curriculum within a context of undergraduate education.

• Experience shepherding faculty through grants application and administration processes.

• Knowledge of the administrative requirements for building and sustaining a vibrant environment of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research capacity.

TO APPLY

Spelman College has engaged Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to the firm as directed below.

Please send CV with cover letter, or contact, preferably by email, in strict confidence to:

Ponneh Varho, Vice President Keight Kennedy Senior Consultant Isaacson, Miller 1300 19th St. NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 682-1504 Fax: (202) 682-1272 www.imsearch.com/5890

Spelman College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer