Higher Education Leadership Search Seeks Provost for Northeastern State University
February 21, 2018 – The hunt for university leadership has been heating up, especially with searches for provosts and chancellors. Among the latest, Higher Education Leadership Search has been selected by Northeastern State University in Oklahoma to help find a new provost and vice president of academic affairs. Consultants Bill Meehan and Alan Medders are leading the assignment.
The provost is the chief academic officer for Northeastern State. As such, the school wants someone who is a vibrant, creative and engaged leader to guide the leadership team in all areas relating to academic affairs, said the search firm. The provost will report directly to the university president. The individual will be expected to work collaboratively to set the academic vision and provide creative and adaptable leadership and direction for all aspects of Northeastern State’s academic programs.
Candidates must hold a doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree and will have a distinguished record of scholarship and teaching, said Higher Education Leadership Search. They must also have eligibility for a tenured appointment at the rank of full professor, as well as successful experience in higher education at senior management and leadership levels. Prospects should have a record of successful and innovative experience in higher education leadership, administration and teaching.
They must also demonstrate working knowledge of academic program review to ensure that all academic offerings are relevant to the needs of the region, said the search firm. Lastly, the new provost is expected to demonstrate commitment to building a strong learning environment for students that stresses academic quality, student engagement, experiential learning, healthy community relationships, and multicultural and global perspectives
Founded in 1909 on the educational heritage of the Cherokee Nation, Northeastern State University is the fourth-largest public and also oldest institution of higher education in Oklahoma. It provides its diverse communities with lifelong learning through a broad array of undergraduate, graduate and professional doctoral degree programs.
Recruiting University Leadership
Higher Education Leadership Search is an Anniston, AL-based recruiting firm that offers what it describes as a new model of higher education search: matching talented candidates with distinguished positions in the most cost-effective, streamlined and efficient manner. With search consultants from a variety of academic and administrative positions, the firm offers universities and candidates a variety of services: profile development, position advertising, candidate support and recruiting, facilitation of the interview process, as well as complete Internet and social-media vetting.
The firm recently formed a strategic partnership with Collegiate Consulting, a solutions-based consulting company focused exclusively on the collegiate athletics marketplace. By combining their academic, administrative and athletic higher education experience, the partners provide clients with full turnkey searches in all three areas.
Provost Recruiting
Other schools have turned to executive search firms to find new provosts. Here’s a look at a few from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Academic Search has placed Michael J. Lane as the new provost and VP of academic affairs for Savannah State University. Senior consultants Mac A. Stewart and Maya Kirkhope led the assignment. He comes to the school from Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, where he served as dean and professor over the college of arts and sciences since 2012.
Heidrick & Struggles’ higher education specialty team recruited Dwight McBride as the provost and chief academic officer of Emory University. Mr. McBride was previously the dean of the graduate school and associate provost for graduate education at Northwestern University. The provost search advisory committee was co-chaired by professors Carol Anderson and Carlos del Rio.
Witt/Kieffer recruited Andreas Cangellaris as the provost of the University of Illinois’ Urbana campus. The recruiting firm, one of nine under contract by the Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative to perform administrative, academic and medical searches, was paid $121,600 plus expenses to conduct the assignment.
Wheless Partners has placed Michael Galvean as provost and SVP of academic affairs at Texas Tech University. Mike (JR) Wheless led the assignment. Previously, Dr. Galvean served as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. Past provost Lawrence Schovanec left the post to become the 17th president of the university.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
