The University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon, is one of the nation’s premier public research universities. The University invites nominations and applications for the position of president. The president is the UO’s chief executive officer, and the University’s chief academic officer, administrator, spokesperson, fundraiser, and advocate. The president of the UO is expected to be a leader within the community, and across the state, working cooperatively and collaboratively to achieve the broad objectives of public higher education. The president reports to the Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon. Together with the Board, he or she will provide vision and strategic leadership to the University.
Key Characteristics and Selection Criteria
In its 18th president, the UO seeks an innovative leader and strategic thinker with the stature, charisma and distinction to lead one of the nation’s major public research universities. He or she will be an individual of creative vision, focused energy, and unquestioned integrity, with a passion for educating students and for serving a public mission of teaching, research and service.
The ideal candidate will have a clear vision of the future of higher education and the imagination to seize the possibilities that lie before the University and shape them to create an institution of world-class distinction to benefit Oregon, the nation, and the world.
The president will possess outstanding interpersonal, relational, and communications skills. He or she will be adept at fostering collaboration, and building partnerships that can accomplish the University’s objectives. The president will have a clear understanding and appreciation of shared governance as a fundamental part of the culture of the University. The president will be a champion of diversity, will demonstrate cultural flexibility and embrace the many communities that comprise the University.
He or she must be agile in navigating the University’s political landscape, must be bold in his or her approach to leadership, must be able to understand the unique qualities of a research university, and must be adept at managing – and attracting – financial resources needed to support the University’s strategic direction and ambitious goals.
The president will embrace the mission of a dynamic public research university that is committed to raising the aspirations of all Oregonians while recognizing the increasing role the private sector can play in fulfilling the University’s aspirations. He or she must be a collaborative leader with the demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty and leaders of other universities. The president will be an experienced leader who balances priorities, inspires others, and leads with courage.
The president will possess experiences and a record of achievement that merit a tenured appointment as a senior faculty member.
The following leadership characteristics are essential for the UO’s president:
- A passion for public higher education.
- A demonstrated record of substantive leadership and accomplishment within higher education, government, research, philanthropic, business or service environments with multilayered constituencies.
- An exemplary record of scholarly, professional, and/or individual achievement.
- An understanding and appreciation for the research culture of an AAU institution, the importance of graduate education, and the importance of working at the frontiers of knowledge creation and dissemination.
- An understanding of the critical academic and business issues facing the University and higher education more broadly, as well as the ability to develop and implement successful strategies to address these issues.
- The ability and agility to navigate political landscapes, and an understanding of how to operate effectively and efficiently within a culture that values collaboration, teamwork, equity, clarity of decision-making, independent thinking, and egalitarian ideals.
- Demonstrated success in attracting financial resources—public and private—to support the University’s strategic direction and ambitious goals in an era of declining public support; and a proven record of forming productive relationships with donors, alumni, and other external constituents.
- A collegial leadership style marked by a commitment to upholding academic values and principles of shared governance, a collaborative approach to problem-solving, and a highly communicative and respectful relationship with faculty, students, administrative staff, classified employees, alumni, and other stakeholders.
- A commitment to recruit, develop and retain faculty, staff, and administrators who are committed to excellence.
- A commitment to promoting and achieving a broad diversity of thought, background, ethnicity, and perspective in order to build a welcoming campus climate that is supportive of culturally diverse communities.
- A collaborative and collegial perspective that engages with other Oregon universities and their leadership to further the collective success of the state’s higher education institutions.
- Demonstrated experience in organizing and managing the human, financial, and capital resources of a comprehensive research university—or similarly complex organization—and in empowering and coordinating a skilled executive team.
- A significant level of financial and operational acumen, good judgment, the ability to make a compelling case for investments, and a willingness to set strategic priorities and make difficult decisions.
- An awareness and perspective of global issues that can help strengthen academic opportunities at the University as well as the University’s relationships throughout the world.
- Experience with and an understanding of organizational management issues relating to organized labor.
- A perspective that understands the importance of community-based relationships that are strategic, constructive, collaborative and positive; and an ability to use that perspective to bolster relationships in the Eugene/Springfield area, Portland, Bend and throughout the state.
- An understanding of the complexities of overseeing an intercollegiate athletic program within a major research university.
The Search Committee invites nominations, applications (a letter of interest, comprehensive curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of five or more references) or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting The University of Oregon (electronic submissions preferred). Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted to the search firm prior to March 9, 2015.
President of the University of Oregon
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