AGB Search Seeks Provost for University of South Carolina
December 27, 2019 – Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search is looking for a new executive vice president for academic affairs and provost for the University of South Carolina. Managing principal Roderick J. McDavis, consultants Sally Mason and Garry W. Owens, and principal Kimberly S. Templeton are leading the assignment.
This role is the second ranking officer of the university, acting for the president in his absence, said the search firm. The provost administers the budgets of all academic units and oversees academic policy and priorities. The individual oversees the schools and colleges of the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus. The provost is charged with overall leadership of academic affairs of the university, including curriculum development and establishment of academic standards in the schools and colleges.
The successful applicant will have a distinguished record of scholarship and administrative experience; possess vision, integrity, creativity, energy, acumen, and diplomatic skills; and will understand and appreciate the value of the liberal arts, professional education, and scholarly research, said AGB Search. Candidates should have demonstrated financial acumen as it relates to sustainable operating budgets, revenue and future financial models to assure the university’s mission and continued high standing. They should also have a record of sound decision making, including the ability to balance short and long-term goals and make difficult decisions that reflect the highest ethical standards.
Candidates should have the ability to create and sustain distinguished and innovative academic programs in collaboration with colleagues both within disciplines and across disciplinary lines, said AGB Search. The University of South Carolina wants someone with a collaborative management style and a person who considers multiple perspectives to make effective decisions and instills shared commitment to goals. The individual should have the ability to build strong relationships with key internal audiences characterized by mutual trust and respect.
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Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina is the flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System and offers more than 350 programs of study, leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. Currently, the university has an enrollment of about 50,000 students, with nearly 35,000 on the main Columbia campus, making it the largest university in the Carolinas. Its main campus in downtown Columbia has been categorized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: Doctoral Universities—Very High Research Activity.
A Respected Recruiter
AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership, conducts searches for college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, university system heads and CEOs of coordinating boards and related foundations. The firm was founded by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in 2010.
Dr. McDavis, former president of Ohio University, is responsible for leading and managing all components of AGB Search including executive search, interim search and compensation evaluation service. He is also responsible for developing new business opportunities for the firm and attending national higher education conferences to represent AGB Search. He also serves as an executive search consultant for some of the firm’s searches.
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Dr. Mason joined AGB Search in 2015. She is president emerita of the University of Iowa, having served as the institution’s president from 2007 to 2015. Since joining the firm, Dr. Mason has assisted a variety of leadership searches for both public and private institutions, including the provost for the University of Montana, president for Boise State University and president for St. Cloud State University.
Dr. Owens, who joined AGB Search in 2011, previously worked as a senior consultant with another Washington, D.C.-based search and consulting firm. Since 2006, Dr. Owens has completed 60 searches for presidents, vice presidents, provosts and deans in public and private colleges and universities, as well as in church-affiliated schools, specialized colleges and the for-profit sector.
Ms. Templeton has 25 years of experience as an executive search professional in the higher education, non-profit, and legal sectors. She has also been an advancement leader and corporate attorney. Over her career, she has partnered with liberal arts colleges, leading public research universities, private universities and faith-based institutions, to identify institutional and senior leaders, including presidents/chancellors, chief financial officers, vice presidents for advancement/presidents of institutionally related foundations, deans for research, and center directors, among others.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media