Provost

The University of Denver (DU), a private, doctoral-granting university enrolling nearly 13,000 students from all regions of the United States and the world in its distinguished undergraduate liberal arts and sciences, graduate, and professional programs dedicated to the public good, invites nominations and applications for the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (EVC). 

It is an exciting time to join the University of Denver and build on its signature strengths. DU is known for intense engagement between faculty and students; a distinct array of programs that results in a rich, promising blend of liberal arts, research, and professional education; holistic and enriching education for students; and people who provide imagination, boldness, intellectual capital and resiliency in a vibrant, distinctive and beautiful place. Since January 2022, DU has been classified as a Research 1 (R1) university in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The DU community is excited about the reputational and material benefits of this classification while also maintaining the University’s commitment to the “teacher-scholar model.” The University is also embarking on a new strategic review effort, DU Forward, that will build upon the strategic imperatives of DU IMPACT 2025, further DU’s identity as a private institution dedicated to the public good, expand the University’s holistic 4-Dimensional (4D) Experience that aims to redefine the purpose of higher education and shape a new kind of humanistic, character-driven leader, and realize the opportunities of two campuses – the Denver campus and the recently opened James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus as integral to the DU student experience, among other things. The University has also embarked on a far-reaching and ambitious $1B fundraising campaign.

Working closely with the Chancellor and other university leaders in a community that values and celebrates a strong shared governance model, the Provost will play a decisive role in shaping and implementing the future of the University and inspiring and supporting faculty, students, and the broader DU community. The successful candidate will be a visionary, collaborative, and strategic leader committed to elevating DU’s reach and impact locally, nationally, and globally. The Provost will play an integral role in galvanizing a close-knit community dedicated to shared values of excellence, innovation, engagement, integrity, and inclusiveness. The Provost will also encourage DU to better distinguish itself as a preeminent university, leading the way through a rapidly changing higher education landscape and further fostering the University’s tradition of excellence in delivering a transformational education to students. Working in partnership with faculty and staff to drive these initiatives forward, the Provost leads a team of Vice Provosts and Deans, will take calculated risks, pursue ambitious projects and ideas, nurture creativity at its inception, and inspire the community in pursuit of its vision. The position requires a leader who is comfortable navigating complexity and ambiguity and who has the collaborative instincts, listening skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence necessary to bring together varied constituents across the community. The Provost will bring exceptional managerial skills to the task of leading and developing a leadership team and campus community with unique talents, academic specialties, and experiences. In addition to advancing academic excellence, the Provost will enhance DU’s distinctive and celebrated student experience through a commitment to inclusive excellence.

The Provost will successfully address several opportunities and challenges, which are outlined in greater detail beginning on page five of this document: 

• Provide strategic leadership, vision, and definition for the future of DU
• In concert with Student Affairs, align DU’s academic affairs mission with its deep-seated commitment to a holistic and enriching student experience
• Support, champion, and inspire faculty to maintain DU’s commitment to research at the highest levels while remaining true to the teacher-scholar model
• Judiciously steward finances and align resources with strategic investments in institutional priorities
• Foster increased partnerships and engagement in support of DU’s commitment to its vision of being a private university for the public good
• Champion a welcoming and inclusive climate in which community members from all backgrounds can thrive 
• Communicate openly, make decisions with fortitude, and explain those decisions to the DU community.

The salary range for this position is $550,000 - $700,000 and is commensurate with experience.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence electronically below. For priority consideration, submission of materials is requested by March 17th. 

Julie Filizetti is leading this search with Katie White, Cara Meyers, and Gabrielle Harrington. 

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university's complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non‑discrimination‑statement.