Myers McRae Leads Provost Search for Eastern Kentucky University
October 4, 2018 – Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) has launched a national search for provost and SVP for academic affairs.
The school has retained Kenny Daugherty, president of Myers McRae, to lead the assignment.
“The search for a SVP for academic affairs is one of the most important hiring processes our campus community ever undertakes,” said Michael Benson, president of EKU. “As our chief academic officer, the provost is a key member of the president’s council and plays a central role in the aspirations of the university.”
The Role
Reporting to the president, the provost is expected to provide visionary leadership, promote academic excellence for the institution and ensure that the university offers an inclusive environment that celebrates and promotes understanding and respect within a diverse community of faculty, students, and staff. This executive officer provides leadership and counsel to the dean of each college and directs the development and implementation of EKU’s academic plans and policies, said Myers McRae.
Candidates must have a doctorate or other terminal degree from a regionally accredited college or university, said the search firm. A strong record of progressively responsible higher education administrative experience in senior academic leadership roles at regionally accredited institutions is also required. “The candidate must have a distinguished record of teaching, research and scholarship, service, and student engagement,” the firm said.
In addition, candidates should have extensive expertise in program and curriculum development, program review and enhancement, continuous quality improvement processes, and experience with budget and fiscal management. “Demonstrated knowledge of trends in higher education and a vision for how EKU’s leadership will navigate those trends and emerge even stronger and better equipped for the future,” is essential for candidates applying for this position, said Myers McRae.
Related: Higher Education Leadership Search Finds New Provost for Northeastern State University
“I would like to thank in advance the members of the search committee for their time and service,” said Mr. Benson. “As the committee begins its work of building the candidate pool, nominations of candidates are welcome from the EKU community, and may be submitted in confidence to Dr. Matt Winslow or Dr. Shirley O’Brien (search committee co-chairs).”
Recruitment for Higher Education Leaders Heats Up and Shifts
Executive search for higher education and academia is undergoing a tremendous transformation. Technology is having a big impact. Diversity is also making its impact felt. Even certain roles are not the same as they were just a short time ago.
Founded in 1874, Eastern Kentucky University offers general and liberal arts programs and pre-professional and professional training in education and various other fields at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. About 17,000 students are enrolled in more than 160 academic programs across EKU’s six colleges: business and technology; education; health sciences; justice and safety; letters, arts and social sciences; and science.
Education Recruiters
“Executive search in higher education is experiencing huge changes, just like it is in other sectors,” said Emily Parker Myers, CEO of Myers McRae. “Searching for leaders at colleges and universities traditionally has had many policies and historical processes to follow. It is hard for institutions to break with that tradition. What is forcing institutions to re-think those processes is often related to their bottom line coupled with today’s technology.”
Related: Storbeck/Pimentel Seeks Provost for Colorado School of Mines
Myers McRae serves colleges, universities, independent schools and other not-for-profit institutions. Nearly all of its search professionals have a minimum of 20 years of experience in higher education. The majority of the firm’s searches have been for presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans and other senior academic and administrative leaders. Myers McRae recently placed presidents at Carthage College, Carroll University and Northwest Florida State College.
Mr. Daugherty has an extensive background in higher education administration, having served 28 years in public and independent institutions. Throughout his career in higher education, he had personnel responsibilities and served on numerous search committees for professional staff and administrators for the institution. He has conducted hundreds of searches for schools across the nation, including presidential searches for the University of Montana Western, Northwest Missouri State University, McDaniel College, Oakwood University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pierpont Community and Technical College, Wichita Area Technical College and the Georgia Independent College Association.
Related: Diversified Search Lands Provost for John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
