Provost Search

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

The University of Arkansas is seeking a visionary and collaborative leader to serve as the next Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs . The Provost will have the opportunity to help lead the university’s continued upward trajectory in national reputation and regional impact. By helping to shape the university’s teaching, research and scholarly mission, the  Provost will serve as a catalyst for enhancing excellence among students, faculty and academic staff. The Provost will also work closely with the leadership of each of the university’s colleges and schools, as part of the overall strategic vision.

University of Arkansas

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land-grant institution with approximately 1,500 faculty and 3,500 staff supporting more than 33,600 students across 103 undergraduate majors, 95 master's degree offerings and 36 doctoral and specialist programs. The undergraduate class of 2028 entered with an average high school GPA of 3.82/4. The first-to-second year retention rate is above 86% and the six-year graduation rate is 70%.

The U of A is a Carnegie-classified Research 1 (R1) institution, placing it among the nation’s top three percent of universities, with a record $221.5 million in research conducted in fiscal year 2023. Consistently ranked among the top public universities in the country, U of A’s academic programs have been recognized among the nation’s best in business, economics, computer science, engineering, nursing and psychology.

Under the leadership of Chancellor Charles F. Robinson, the university is guided by its 150 Forward Strategic Plan, which focuses on three pillars – student success, research excellence and enhancing the university's status as an employer of choice. With strong enrollment from Arkansas and from out of state, broad financial support from alumni and friends of the university and a $1.6 billion endowment, the U of A is poised to grow its innovative research enterprise while serving as an economic driver for the state and the region.

Academics

As one of the country’s leading public research universities, the U of A’s academic programs are aligned with its institutional core values: curiosity, creativity, character and shared humanity. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, with the next reaffirmation scheduled for the 2026-2027 academic year, the U of A has more than 200 academic programs through 10 colleges:

Research and Innovation

Central to U of A’s identity is its mission to drive global change and innovation through research. The University’s research success is supported by recent investments in three leading-edge applied research facilities – the Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I³R), the Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility (MUSiC), and the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation.

A core part of the U of A’s strategic plan, research objectives include the following:

  • Increasing research expenditures, particularly in signature and federal priority areas;
  • Increasing scholarly productivity percentile, an algorithm that combines citations, books, chapters, patents and trials among other measures relative to the size of the faculty;
  • Regularly attaining highly prestigious faculty awards;
  • Increasing patent production-to-expenditure ratio and technology transfer;
  • Improving retention of faculty; and
  • Increasing the number of graduate and doctoral students

The University aims is to continue to produce strong research outcomes, in line with its R1 status, and potentially become a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).

The Role

Reporting to Chancellor Robinson, the Provost will oversee all academic affairs of the University, including the administration of programs of instruction, mentoring, student life, and promoting goals of academic excellence for faculty and students. The Provost will continue to advance student success, augment the research enterprise, and ensure that the university is an employer of choice, serving the state of Arkansas as a partner and resource.

The Provost’s direct reports include the following:

  • Associate Vice Provost and Director for Student Success
  • Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions
  • Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
  • Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
  • Vice Provost for Planning
  • Vice Provost of Distance Education
  • The deans of each college
  • Air Force ROTC
  • Army ROTC
  • Office for Faculty Affairs
  • Academic Initiatives and Integrity
  • Office of Strategic Analytics and Insights
  • Student Success Center

Other key roles of the Provost include directing academic planning, serving as the chief personnel officer for academic faculty, overseeing global academic activities, representing the University externally as needed, helping to secure external funding, and acting in place of the chancellor.

Key priorities for the Provost include the following:

  • Providing vision and leadership to enhance the academic quality of the university and its faculty and students and to advance national and international reputation and rankings;
  • Operationalizing strategic initiatives outlined in the 150 Forward plan;
  • Recruiting and retaining the best faculty and staff and investing in their career development;
  • Bolstering the financial model to support the academic enterprise, in conjunction with the executive vice chancellor for finance and administration;
  • Supporting the growth of research and innovation by the campus community and external stakeholders, in coordination with the vice chancellor for research and innovation;
  • Overseeing the development of a strategic enrollment plan;
  • Spearheading the growth and development of the university’s tenured and tenure-track faculty to advance student success, research and scholarship;
  • Leading and supporting innovative programs to enhance a culture of belonging for faculty, staff and students;
  • Creating infrastructure to further interdisciplinary collaboration across schools and colleges;
  • Continuing to infuse the campus with a global mindset and enhance the university’s global partnerships, recognition and impact;
  • Serving as key communicator of academic priorities and initiatives to university faculty, students, staff, Trustees, alumni and donors, fostering a culture of openness, transparency and trust;
  • Assessing and fostering the appropriate use of technology in the delivery of a 21st century education; and
  • Building and managing strong, collaborative relationships with faculty, students, senior leadership, trustees, the Board of Governors, staff, alumni and donors, and state and local community officials.

Candidate Profile

The next provost must have a distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and service in their academic discipline, and have the credentials to be a tenured full professor at the university. The ideal candidate will have a background in research and progressively responsible administrative and managerial experience. Ideal candidates will be collaborative and have a history of leading successfully through persuasion and the power of their ideas to achieve common goals and consensus among diverse stakeholders. While no one individual will possess these attributes in equal measure, strong candidates should demonstrate excellence in most of the following areas:

  • Exceptional leadership, communication, interpersonal, budget and strategic planning skills;
  • Commitment to enhancing the quality of student learning and personal/professional development at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, in line with the university’s students-first philosophy;
  • Ability to organize and effectively manage teams and organizational structures to optimize faculty retention and development;
  • Strong preference for candidates with experience working at a Carnegie-classified R-1 institution;
  • Fiscal leadership with an understanding of budgets and budget models;
  • Experience managing research grants, ensuring effective allocation of resources, and fostering a supportive ecosystem for innovative research initiatives within the institution;
  • Appreciation for the process of external research funding;
  • Develop a strong vision for the future of research at the U of A and strategically guide the university’s research priorities in line with emerging trends;
  • Demonstrate an appreciation and willingness to enforce the U of A’s guiding principles – Curiosity, Character, Creativity and Our Shared Humanity;
  • Commitment to the principles of shared governance along with vision, tact, and judgment to set priorities, ability to make tough decisions and allocate limited resources, and courage of conviction;
  • Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills, characterized by honesty, transparency and the genuine desire to listen to others; and
  • Impeccable personal and professional integrity.

Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas

The U of A is located in Fayetteville (population of more than 100,000). Consistently ranked as one of the most affordable and best places to live in the nation, the city provides all the resources and culture of a large city while maintaining a quality of life that remains true to its distinctive heritage. Fayetteville boasts boutique shopping, a diverse culinary scene, historic neighborhoods, exciting nightlife, live music, and fine arts, a nationally recognized public library, community as well as national touring and Broadway theatre productions. The region is known for its outdoor amenities, including 500+ miles of bike trails and the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Northwest Arkansas is also one of the nation's dynamic economic regions. Industry leaders such as Walmart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt started in the region. The presence of those companies, a burgeoning startup culture, and the university drive Northwest Arkansas’ economic growth.

The university is a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), widely regarded as the nation’s elite athletic conference at the collegiate level. The U of A prides itself on its longstanding success and achievements in athletics. The university’s 19 intercollegiate teams are dedicated to excellence in the classroom and on the field. Razorbacks and home games are well attended with broad support from the campus community, alumni and fans from around the state.

Contact

Inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest should be directed to arkansas.provost@russellreynolds.com.

Though all materials received will be reviewed, for priority consideration, submission of a CV by November 8 is suggested.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University welcomes

applications without regard to age, race, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, religion, marital

or parental status, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sexual orientation or gender

identity.

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