Call for Nominations - Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

April 6, 2017

The University of California, Berkeley, invites nominations and applications for the position of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost.

Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost (EVCP) plays a critical role in developing and implementing UC Berkeley’s vision and priorities and is the Chancellor’s leading senior executive responsible for their execution and implementation.

The EVCP’s portfolio includes the campus’s 14 schools and colleges, and he/she has ultimate management authority for approximately 9,000 FTE and the $1.6 billion annual operating budget of the academic enterprise. The EVCP operates in partnership with the highest levels of campus and system-wide leadership, and represents Berkeley on academic issues on campus, to the community, and to a broad range of external constituents. In particular, the EVCP provides leadership on a wide variety of strategic and operational issues including the management of the campus-wide budget process, comprising in-year operating budget allocations and capital finance. The EVCP acts for the Chancellor in her absence.

As the Chief Academic Officer of the Berkeley campus, the EVCP has leadership responsibility for the planning, development, implementation, assessment and improvement of all academic programs, policies and supporting infrastructure. The EVCP has responsibility for ensuring Berkeley’s academic preeminence through planning for faculty recruitment, retention and renewal  as well as through rigorous review of key faculty personnel actions. The EVCP also has overall responsibility for the planning, quality and delivery of education provided to Berkeley’s 27,000 undergraduate students and 10,400 graduate students. These activities are carried out in consultation and cooperation with the Academic Senate under Berkeley’s shared governance model, and through ongoing interactions with student leaders.

The EVCP is a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and convenes the Council of Deans, and other important campus committees. The EVCP serves on the UC system-wide Council of Vice Chancellors. The EVCP plays a crucial lead role in managing campus crises, including protest activities, especially in the absence of the Chancellor. 

Ideal Experience

Applicants must be current members of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate and must hold the rank of Professor.  In addition, he/she will have experience: 

•        Leading the development of distinctive, multi-disciplinary academic programs;

•        Recruiting, developing and retaining faculty and academic leaders;

•        Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion;

•        Guiding strategic academic planning processes;

•        Managing complex budgets and developing strategies for long-term financial sustainability;

•        Interacting effectively with multiple internal and external stakeholders;

•        Working  successfully in close partnership with others, both one-on-one and in teams;

•        Navigating effectively in a highly decentralized environment.

Critical Competencies for Success

Academic vision and values: In an institution widely regarded as one of the world’s preeminent universities but one that, as a public university, faces a unique set of objectives and challenges, maintain comprehensive excellence by:

  • Leading the development of a renewed academic vision for Berkeley;
  • Challenging the status quo and encouraging academic innovation;
  • Providing leadership for the development of new academic programs and initiatives, while evaluating the sustainability, needs, and excellence of existing programs;
  • Supporting the recruitment and retention of faculty and a student body of the highest quality to Berkeley;
  • Developing appropriate positions on, and responses to, the seismic changes affecting public higher education.

Strategic decision making: In an institution with a unique set of intellectual and physical assets, challenges, and opportunities, position Berkeley to successfully compete for financial capital and excellent faculty, staff, and students by: 

  • Demonstrating the ability to listen and learn, gathering and synthesizing large amounts of information quickly;
  • Analyzing and integrating qualitative assessment and quantitative information and using them in decision making;
  • Allocating resources to their highest and best use;
  • Taking well-calculated risks to advance Berkeley’s mission and values.

Mission-driven: In an institution with a vital mission whose values are excellence, access, and affordability, demonstrate a commitment to Berkeley’s greatness by: 

  • Developing new, more effective approaches to advancing diversity within the University;
  • Pursuing programs that benefit Berkeley’s public mission;
  • Expanding the benefits of Berkeley’s intellectual capital beyond the campus-based community, including nationally and globally;
  • Maintaining the highest standards of excellence in teaching and research and shared governance;
  • Fostering a culture consonant with Berkeley’s mission, values, and principles.

Personal Characteristics 

  • Strong communication skills – listening, speaking, and writing.
  • Commitment to collaboration and transparency.
  • High integrity, strong moral compass.
  • Resilience, perseverance, and sense of proportion. 

Nominations and Applications 

•        Third-party nominations should include complete contact information and a brief statement of support.  Self-nominations should include a brief statement of interest and curriculum vitae.  An individual need not be nominated in order to apply; the search committee welcomes applications from all qualified individuals.  Electronic submissions are encouraged and should be sent to lgmorgan@berkeley.edu by April 28, 2017

•        The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  This position is a sensitive position and is subject to a criminal background check. This position is a member of the Senior Management Group (SMG). Questions may be referred to Lynn Geske-Morgan (lgmorgan@berkeley.edu; 642-9573).  All nominations and applications will be kept confidential.