- Presidential Search
- Position Announcement
- Profile
- Search Committee
- Timeline
- UIU at a Glance
- Mission, Vision, Diversity
- Strategic Plan / AQIP
- Updates
Profile: Presidential Search
Download the Presidential Search Profile (15 MB; pdf)
The Board of Trustees at Upper Iowa University (UIU) has begun the search for its 21st president and invites nominations and applications from persons with a track record of providing outstanding leadership. The search has been launched in response to Dr. Alan G. Walker's decision not to return to UIU following his sabbatical, which ends June 30, 2013. In eight years, Walker led the dedicated University faculty and staff into a period of unprecedented growth in enrollment, student profile, facilities and international footprint. The new President will lead a global University with a strong central campus of around 1,000 students in Fayette, Iowa, 19 domestic education centers across seven states, a growing online program, well-established independent study programs, and centers in both Hong Kong and Malaysia.
UIU's President will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for the institution and the leadership team and, working with the leadership team, will provide comprehensive oversight and accountability for academic, administrative, financial and all other operations. The President will take a prominent role in external relations with the University's stakeholders and in advancing the University's reputation and financial resources, including significant efforts in fundraising and alumni relations. Additionally, the new President will have the opportunity to shape UIU for years to come through the hiring of the institution's provost and academic deans and implementation of a new organizational structure to further the University's mission and strategy.
Upper Iowa University seeks a President who will continue to push the institution forward, while emphasizing academic integrity and quality, financial responsibility, transparency of communication, and a dedication to diversity and access.
ABOUT UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY
PROGRAM
Upper Iowa University was founded in Fayette, Iowa, in 1857 by Elizabeth Alexander as a co-ed college with a mission of providing access to reasonably priced, quality education. Affiliated with the Methodist Church, UIU was originally called the Fayette Seminary of the Upper Iowa Conference, but was almost immediately renamed Upper Iowa University. In 1928, the University separated from the Methodist Church and today is a not-for-profit, independent, comprehensive university built upon a strong tradition of liberal arts education. With some 6,200 students enrolled worldwide, UIU is the second-largest private university in Iowa. In 2012, UIU had a 22:1 student-to-faculty ratio University-wide (13:1 on the Fayette campus).
The stated mission of the University is to provide student-centered educational programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems in an environment that respects and nurtures diversity. Its vision statement includes a commitment to developing global citizens and lifelong learners prepared for leadership. The decision-making and actions of the University are guided by both the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) and a strategic plan, approved in 2008, that includes nine strategic initiatives that range from enhancing academic quality, creating a seamless University environment, ensuring student-centered excellence, and enhancing the economic development of the surrounding community. The University initiated a refreshment of the strategic plan in 2012.
UIU has been recognized for five consecutive years as a top military-friendly school by both GI Jobs and Military Advanced Education. In addition, UIU was ranked 47th for Online Bachelor's Programs and 134th for its Online MBA in the 2013 Best Online Education Programs survey by U.S. News & World Report. Several UIU online degrees have also been designated as "Best Buys" by GetEducated.com.
Accreditation: Upper Iowa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association and participates in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) of the HLC, which emphasizes continuous improvement. UIU is approved by the Louisiana Higher Education Board, the Wisconsin Educational Approval Board, and the Iowa Department of Education (for teacher education in Iowa only). Programs are approved by the states of Iowa, Kansas (restricted), Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin for veterans' benefits. (A complete list of approvals/affiliations is available online at www.uiu.edu/accreditation.)
Organizational Structure: Upper Iowa University has a traditional, residential campus in Fayette, Iowa, that offers coursework in more than 40 majors to undergraduates as well as a master's in education program. The International Program Office is located in Fayette, where it recruits and provides programs for international students on campus, administers the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, offers student and faculty opportunities abroad, and oversees two international education centers.
Through the UIU Academic Extension (AE) program, the University offers up to 18 majors to undergraduates at 19 off-site education centers in seven states, including five located on military bases. The centers are organized into regions, and each center has a full-time director. AE also includes the Center for Distance Education, which offers an online program and an independent study program. The online program includes three master's degrees: Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration and Master of Higher Education Administration. UIU also operates an education site in partnership with Northeast Iowa Community College and the city of Manchester, Iowa, which is known as the Manchester Regional Education Partnership. AE students account for about 85 percent of UIU enrollments.
University-wide, UIU currently has 83 full-time faculty (more than 70% with terminal degrees) and 307 full-time staff. In addition, there are 900 active adjunct faculty members, of whom about 450 are teaching at any given time.
There are four academic units, which have recently evolved into schools: the Andres School of Education, the School of Business, the School of Science & Mathematics, and the School of Liberal Arts. Each School is headed by a dean, and the support infrastructure is being developed.
The Acting President meets weekly with his Executive Leadership Team, made up of direct reports to the President. The Board of Trustees usually meets three times a year, and includes faculty and student representation.
Financial Environment: Upper Iowa has great diversity in its revenue streams, which are generated by the University's multiple learning experiences and six annual enrollment periods. This has resulted in a financial resilience that helped the University escape the financial setbacks inflicted on most colleges and universities by the recent recession. Rather than cut programs, salaries and staff during the recession period, the University was at the peak of its growth, adding educational centers, increasing the number of faculty, creating new academic programs, providing salary increases, and conducting UIU's largest-ever capital improvement program. One of the challenges for the new President will be growing the University's endowment, currently below $10 million, to add another level of financial resilience to the University's budget. Net assets grew from $28.5 million in 2006 to $50.1 million in 2011; total operating revenues more than doubled over those years from $28.5 million in 2006 to $59.2 million in 2011, reflecting the institution's rapid expansion during that time period.
After years of strong growth, enrollment growth in 2011 and 2012 slowed from most recent trends, resulting in a stagnation of enrollments on the Fayette campus and a decline in extended campus enrollments. Combined with significant increases in costs and other internal factors, UIU posted an operating loss in the 2011-12 budget year. Academic Extension and International Programs (IP) have already taken action that has resulted in a turnaround in their enrollment numbers, returning to positive growth.
Fundraising: The University expects to complete a $25 million capital campaign by the end of the calendar year, with $23.78 million raised to date. In addition, UIU financed a $100 million capital expansion project, which has resulted in six new buildings on campus since 2010. In the past two years, UIU has received several significant gifts from alumni donors, including $7.5 million from Steve Harms, which funded construction of the Harms-Eischeid Football Stadium; $4 million from Betty Andres and the William and Betty Andres Foundation for future capital projects; and $847,000 from Barbara Csomay, which was used to launch the University's Honors Program.
Other fundraising initiatives include a campaign to raise $250,000 to expand and enhance strength and conditioning facilities for athletes; the annual Team Peacock project, in which some 35 faculty, staff, students, and alumni participate in the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (more than $1.4 million raised since 2005); the annual phone-a-thons to solicit alumni giving; and the fundraising initiative with faculty and staff.
Current participation rates are 57% for faculty and staff, 5% for alumni, and 91% for Board members. The total raised in fiscal year 2011-12 was $3,947,325.10.
Multiple Learning Experiences: Throughout its history, UIU has been on the cutting edge of developing educational delivery options. The University's first foray into providing off-campus education began in 1920 with a systematic program of extension work throughout northeastern Iowa. In 1972, UIU launched an "external degree" program, which was one of the first in the United States, and which continues today as online education and a primarily traditional pen-and-paper correspondence course program, currently known as Independent Study.
From 1981-84, UIU began establishing off-campus educational centers, reaching Madison, Wis.; Des Moines, Iowa; Waterloo, Iowa; Prairie du Chien, Wis.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Wausau, Wis. Enrollments quadrupled as the University expanded and restructured. In the 1990s, UIU continued extended offerings and opened new centers in Fort Polk, La.; Janesville, Wis.; Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; and Jackson Barracks, La.
As UIU's focus shifted to becoming an entrepreneurial university to meet educational needs of learners worldwide, it began to open programs on the Pacific Rim, including Hong Kong and Malaysia.
In 2001, UIU received programmatic accreditation and opened additional centers through its Academic Extension program, including facilities in Ankeny, Iowa; Elkhorn, Wis.; Alexandria, La.; Rockford, Ill.; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Des Moines and Ankeny centers consolidated into a single facility in 2011, when the University also opened centers at Fort Sill, Okla., and in the Quad Cities (Iowa) and fully reopened its center at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans, which had been closed by Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, centers were opened in Baton Rouge, La., and Mesa, Ariz.
Enrollment: On the Fayette campus, UIU maintains an enrollment of about 1,000 students each academic year (938 in 2012-13). As of the 2012 fall census day, other UIU enrollments were:
|
AE Centers |
2,671 |
|
Asian centers |
974 |
|
Graduate students |
533 |
|
Independent study |
198 |
|
Online |
838 |
UIU also offers an ESL program on the Fayette campus. Although these students are not counted in official enrollment, they increase the headcount on campus and numbered 30 in fall 2012.
Total UIU enrollment on census day was 6,182 - down from 6,822 the previous year; however, this was the first enrollment decline after seven consecutive years of growth. Enrollment on the Fayette campus increased 48 percent from 2005 through 2011. Enrollment of international students on the Fayette campus nearly doubled from 2007 to 2011, and enrollment at the international centers had been increasing steadily. Although enrollment was down somewhat in AE programs on Fall Census Day, enrollment in each term since September has been trending upward. Looking at enrollment across all six UIU terms shows as many as 10,000 unduplicated students enrolled throughout any given calendar year.
Seamlessness: Due to the compatibility of its coursework University-wide, students may take courses through any learning experiences and graduate with a single UIU transcript. This is especially effective for military students, who can take UIU face-to-face classes while on base, switch to online classes when stationed elsewhere, or switch to independent study courses when deployed where reliable computer access is challenging.
UIU is committed to improving the seamlessness of its courses by ensuring consistent academic quality and employing technology to enhance communication and learning. UIU uses interactive live broadcasts of faculty meetings, prospective employee forums, budget forums, and other events to help inform the University-wide community.
UIU also fosters seamlessness by holding two employee orientations on campus each year, which include new employees from the U.S. and international centers as well as the other programs. Exchange of faculty from U.S. programs to international programs and vice versa is encouraged. Many UIU-Malaysia students complete their degrees on the Fayette campus. Although UIU holds joint graduation ceremonies at its centers on military bases and international commencement ceremonies, all students are invited to participate in the spring commencement on the Fayette campus.
Academics: UIU offers courses on an eight-week schedule, except for at its Malaysia Center, which operates on the traditional semester system. On the Fayette campus, there are four eight-week terms (two each semester) and a May term. At the centers, online and through independent study, there are six eight-week terms each year. AE also offers one-week accelerated courses in the summer for students willing to come to the Fayette campus. These courses also require pre- and post-work.
The Andres School of Education offers programs in early childhood, elementary, secondary and middle school education, instructional strategist I: mild/moderate, instructional strategist II: LD/BD, English as a second language (ESL), physical education, health, athletic training, coaching, and exercise and sport studies with emphases in sports administration, fitness and wellness, recreation, and sports studies. Graduate programs are available: a Masters in Education (MEd) and a Masters of Higher Education Administration (MHEA). Teaching licensure is available in American government, American history, art, economics, English/language arts, journalism, psychology, reading, social studies, sociology, Spanish, speech communications, business, marketing/management, earth science, economics, biology, chemistry, general science, mathematics and physical science. Graduates can be certified to teach at preK-K, special education, elementary, middle and secondary levels. Through a unique partnership with Northeast Iowa Community College, Upper Iowa offers a program that can lead to a teaching career in secondary industrial technology. The School of Education is also the contact for coaching certification. Teacher education is offered at select off-campus centers.
The School of Business offers undergraduate degree programs in accounting, agricultural business, business administration, financial management, health care administration, international business, management, marketing, and management information systems. Minors are offered in some of these programs as well as in human resources management. There is also a special teaching major in general business, designed for those who are pursuing teacher licensure in business and/or management.
The School of Liberal Arts offers majors in art, communications, criminology, English, graphic design, history, human services, psychology, social science, and sociology. Minors are offered in journalism, political science, psychology, sociology and Spanish. An associate of arts degree is offered in liberal arts as well. The Art Department is also curator of the Bing-Davis Gallery on campus.
The School of Science & Mathematics offers majors in biology, chemistry, conservation management, earth science, environmental science, forensic science, information technology, mathematics, mortuary science and physics. A 2+2 applied plant science program with area community colleges leads to turf management careers. In addition, the School has an RN to BSN degree, which is offered on campus and at select off-campus centers, and also partners with the Mayo Clinic on a clinical laboratory science program. The latest addition to its programs is actuary science.
Pre-professional advising is available in law, medicine, physician's assistant, physical therapy, optometry, podiatry, radiology, osteopathic, chiropractic, dentistry, pharmacy, clinical laboratory science, veterinary science, mortuary science, pre-engineering, art therapy, counseling, psychology, and social work programs.
Although the requirements for the degrees may differ slightly from campus-taught majors and the variety of majors may differ by learning experience, AE offers 18 majors, as well as associate degrees, certificate programs and the three online masters' degrees. The 18 majors are accounting, business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, emergency disaster and management, financial management, general business, health services administration, human resources management, human services, management, management information systems, marketing, preK-grade three, psychology, public administration, RN-BSN, and social science.
As of fall 2012, the majors with the greatest number of students University-wide are psychology, business administration, human services, criminal justice, accounting, management, communications, human resources management, marketing and social science.
Student Services: The University Office of Student Development (OSD) provides programming and services to the Fayette campus community, and is working to extend appropriate services to off-campus locations. The programs target student recruitment and retention as well as student success.
The Office of Student Development provides the following: career development, counseling, campus safety and security, campus ministry, health and wellness, intramurals, leadership opportunities, outdoor pursuits, residence life, service learning, and student activities.
The University offers six residence hall options on campus, including three new suite-style residence halls. About 50% of Fayette students live in residence halls currently.
The Student Government Association (SGA) is very active and works to ensure the needs of students are met. The SGA includes a representative for Academic Extension.
The SGA president sits on the UIU Board of Trustees.
The Henderson-Wilder Library is available to all students worldwide through internet access, and the IT Department supports the entire global network of computers.
Athletics: UIU is the only NCAA Division II school in the state of Iowa and is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The official athletic mascot is Pete the Peacock.
Upper Iowa University sponsors 13 intercollegiate athletic programs (six men/seven women), including basketball (M/W), soccer (M/W), golf (M/W), football, wrestling, baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, and women's cross country.
Since joining the NSIC in 2007, the Peacocks have won six conference championships, and three UIU athletes have won individual national championships since 2008. The UIU wrestling team, for example, has finished third and fourth in the last two NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Athletics facilities include the new Harms-Eischeid Football Stadium, Dorman Memorial Gymnasium, Pattison Soccer Field (named 2012 Iowa Soccer Field of the Year by Iowa Sports Turf Managers Association), Robertson Woods Field (baseball), the Eischeid Softball Complex, and the tennis complex.
Athletics is an integral part of the University mission, with over 360 student-athletes - more than one-third of the Fayette student body. The Athletics Department supports and embraces the philosophy of Division II athletics, which calls for a comprehensive program of learning and development with growth opportunities through academic achievement, high-level athletics competition, and service to community. DII emphasizes that each student-athlete must find a balance by integrating all three areas in his or her life. Student-athletes are expected to achieve both academic and athletic goals. UIU prides itself on building student athletes, and UIU students consistently achieve the conference All-Academic Teams, which requires they maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 while competing on a varsity traveling team. Equally important is an emphasis on leadership development, and UIU provides opportunities for both coaches and student-athletes.
PEOPLE
Fayette campus students are primarily traditional students, with about half of them living in UIU residential housing and half living off campus and commuting. On the AE side, enrollment is primarily nontraditional, older students. In 2012, UIU was listed as seventh in the United States for the greatest number of students over age 25 (65%) by U.S. News & World Report.
In Hong Kong, 70% of UIU students are nontraditional, part-time learners, so the center offers mostly evening and weekend courses. Most students major in business and psychology. However, in Malaysia, where UIU partners with SEGi University College on five SEGi campuses, nearly 70% of the students are traditional, college-age students. They take their first two years of general studies with SEGi and then complete upper-level courses with UIU.
On the Fayette campus, the academic profile has been improving. The Fayette freshmen cohort has seen its average ACT score increase from 20.45 in 2010 to 22.01 in 2012. Likewise, there has been an average increase in the Fayette freshmen cohort grade point average, rising from 3.02 in 2010 to 3.14 in 2012. The average ACT score is above the national average and matches the Iowa average.
As reported to IPEDS, the first-time, full-time cohort retention rates and graduation rates on the Fayette campus are on the upswing. Retention among the 2009 cohort was 59.83% but was 67.77% for the 2011 cohort. The graduation rate for the 2004 cohort was 37.67%, but was 41.18% for the 2006 cohort.
Upper Iowa University has a strong emphasis on diversity that is reflected in its students. Domestically, more than 20% of UIU students are non-white. On the Fayette campus, there are more than 170 international students from 35 different nations. In Malaysia, about 10% of UIU students come from outside Malaysia.
UIU draws the majority of its domestic students from Iowa and Wisconsin. However, UIU had representation from every state except Vermont and Delaware in fall 2012.
Overall, the University has maintained about a 60% (female) to 40% (male) ratio, although internationally and for AE programs, the ratio is 70:30 and 80:20 for ESL students.
Nearly 80% of the first-time, full-time cohort received some sort of financial aid, as the University reported to IPEDS in 2012-13. UIU works with students to maximize their access to financial aid. Students who graduate from the Fayette campus continue to graduate with less indebtedness than graduates from other private colleges in Iowa. The average Fayette graduate's indebtedness is less than the average of his or her peers from any of Iowa's public universities.
UIU has nearly 32,000 alumni worldwide.
PLACE
University-wide, some Upper Iowa University facilities are located in large urban areas (Hong Kong, Mesa, New Orleans, Milwaukee) as well as in smaller locations (Wausau, Prairie du Chien), but its home campus - where it has been located for more than 155 years - is in the city of Fayette, Iowa (pop. 1,336).
Fayette is located in Fayette County, a rural area about eight miles south of West Union (the county seat) and about one hour from Waterloo (pop. 68,000). The county is about an hour from the Wisconsin and Minnesota borders. Fayette is about 180 miles from Iowa's capital city of Des Moines, 188 miles from the Twin Cities, and 265 miles from Chicago. The following statistical profile of Fayette County is drawn from the 2010 Census.
|
Fayette County, Iowa - Population, 2011 (estimate) |
20,973 |
|
Population, 2010 |
20,880 |
|
Population, percent change, April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011 |
0.4% |
|
Persons under 18 years, percent, 2011 |
22.2% |
|
Persons 65 years and over, percent, 2011 |
19.4% |
|
Female persons, percent, 2011 |
50.1% |
|
White persons, percent, 2011 |
97.3% |
|
Black persons, percent, 2011 |
1.0% |
|
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2011 |
0.9% |
|
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2011 |
2.0% |
|
White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2011 |
95.4% |
|
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-11 |
89.2% |
|
Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-11 |
16.9% |
|
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2007-11 |
21.2 |
|
Housing units, 2011 |
9,520 |
|
Homeownership rate, 2007-11 |
78.6% |
|
Housing units in multiunit structures, percent, 2007-11 |
10.6% |
|
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2007-11 |
$81,600 |
|
Per capita income in the past 12 months (2011 dollars), 2007-11 |
$21,897 |
|
Median household income, 2007-11 |
$42,108 |
|
Persons below poverty level, percent, 2007-11 |
11.7% |
|
Retail sales, 2007 ($1,000) |
$157,244 |
|
Land area in square miles, 2010 |
730.81 |
|
Persons per square mile, 2010 |
28.6 |
The city of Fayette is located along the beautiful Volga River, which flows into the Turkey River and eventually the Mississippi. The Volga is navigable by kayak and canoe nearly year-round and is regarded as an excellent location for fishing, wildlife viewing and eagle watching. Just outside the city is the Volga River State Recreation Area, a preferred destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Klock's Island Park is also on the Volga, offering quiet camping and hosting community events. The Big Rock Golf Club offers 18 holes of USGA-rated golf near downtown.
Downtown holds a variety of small businesses and restaurants, including a pharmacy with home delivery, a renovated opera house, a grocery store, a bank, a bridal store, etc. Several businesses have been launched in partnership with Upper Iowa University and the Upper Iowa Business Development (UIBD) grant. The grant, which has ranged from $15,000 to $100,000, is part of UIU's commitment to economic development of the Fayette area, as stated in the UIU Strategic Plan. The grant is awarded annually to an existing business that wants to expand or a new business that wants to open in Fayette. The endowed grant is made possible by a gift of $500,000 from alumnus and UIU Board of Trustees chair Bob Firth and his wife, Betty, who is also a trustee. To date, the UIBD grant has generated over $1.3 million in retail sales and created over 30 jobs in addition to bringing new property tax revenue to the city of Fayette.
UIU works closely with the city on a variety of economic development projects, including completion of the Fayette Downtown Master Plan. Recent collaborative projects include:
- A $700,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation for the enhancement of the Fayette Volga River Multiuse Trail. The money will extend the Fayette bike trail about 2.5 miles. An engineer has been chosen for the project and bids will be let in March. The extension is slated to be complete in October 2013. Upper Iowa University is also working to develop attractive interactive signage that will be a part of the trail project.
- A $500,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for façade improvement in the downtown area. As part of the grant agreement, Upper Iowa University provided funding for the architectural drawings, while the city committed funds to the project. Business owners in the downtown area also pledged a 20 percent buy-in for the grant.
- A land exchange initiative that resulted in development of eight condominium units, which are all currently occupied. An additional five condos are in the works, with construction to begin this year as part of the ongoing University/city partnership to improve housing in the community.
The 100-acre Fayette campus is a quick walk from downtown Fayette. The most iconic campus feature is Alexander-Dickman Hall (topped by "the Green Goddess"), which was originally known as College Hall when it was built as the institution's first and only building in 1857. Down the street is the Carnegie-funded Henderson-Wilder Library, fronted by a statue of David B. Henderson, who attended UIU in its earliest years and was the first U.S. Speaker of the House from west of the Mississippi. Edgar Hall, which houses the Bing-Davis Art Gallery, also is home to the oldest indoor swimming pool on a college campus west of the Mississippi River. Parker-Fox, current location of the Admissions Office and President's Office, is a former chemistry building and former museum. Colgrove-Walker, which formerly housed the performing arts programs, is still home to the campus ghost, an alumna turned stage actress. Science and math programs are primarily in Baker-Hebron Hall.
Since 2004, the campus has seen the completion of the Andres School of Education and Business, the Liberal Arts Building, the Student Center, the Harms-Eischeid Stadium, and three suite-style residence halls. The Student Center houses the campus bookstore, Office of Student Development, all dining services, and meeting spaces that are also available for rental by the community for conferences and even weddings. Dining options include the only on-campus Mongolian Grill in the area.
THE PRESIDENTIAL AGENDA
The past five years have been a period of remarkable growth and development for UIU, creating a platform from which the new President can launch a period of consolidating past gains and inspiring new hopes, dreams and initiatives. The current state of dynamic change in higher education, with alternative delivery systems, mass online open courses (MOOC), global movement of students, and coursework focused on careers, finds UIU exceptionally well positioned. UIU boasts a rich and successful history of online course delivery, geographically distributed educational centers throughout the U.S. and in strategic global settings, anchored to a strong physical campus community. The new President will be able to move forward and outward from a strong historical base to expand the reach and reputation of UIU in the region, nation, and world. Specific agenda opportunities will include, but not be limited to, the following:
Develop an Enhanced Administrative Structure: With the very substantial growth in programs and enrollment over the past five years, the UIU Board of Trustees has endorsed the opportunity for the new President to develop a more robust administrative structure appropriate for the expanded mission, program, budget and operations of the University. Trustees have expressed support for a new position of provost and moving current and future academic units to new schools and colleges led by new deans. These leaders will strengthen the University to provide, through close collaboration with the President, wide-ranging leadership for the internal operations of the University, and enable the President the opportunity to focus on overarching leadership, strategic issues, external relations, philanthropic support, financial base, reputation, and community relations appropriate for a globally oriented University with a multifaceted delivery system and a strong home campus.
Inspire a New Leadership Team: The University is fortunate to have a strong cadre of dedicated leaders in place with a passion for serving UIU and who are eager to welcome a new President. The new President will have an exceptional opportunity to build a team of leaders who will share the presidential vision for the future of UIU. With a blend of seasoned administrators familiar with the University, its core values, its unique characteristics and constituencies, the new President will have the opportunity to infuse the University with newly appointed leaders and together, inspire a new leadership team to build a great future for the University to serve the region, the nation and the world.
Refresh the Strategic Plan: On the accession of the past President, the Board worked with him to create a strong strategic plan to guide the development of the University. The current strategic plan served the University well and much of that plan has been achieved; now the Board desires for the new President to lead the charge to refresh the strategic plan to set goals for the further development of the University. The new President will have the exciting opportunity to lead a comprehensive review and analysis of the institution's mission, operations, accomplishments, and opportunities, with input from University constituencies, which will culminate in a Board-adopted refreshment of the strategic plan to guide the new President and leadership team in the years ahead.
Nurture a Culture of Transparency, Integrity, and Accountability: The new President should be a person of high character who will enthusiastically embrace leading the institution to more thoroughly adopt a culture of transparency, integrity, and accountability. The historic culture of UIU reflects these characteristics, and the rapid growth and diversification of the University provides the new President with an exceptional opportunity to reinvigorate these core heritage values through leadership style, by personal example, and by policies and procedures reflecting these core values. The new President can lead the University community and its constituencies to embrace UIU core values by: attracting quality students from diverse backgrounds reflective of society who have aspirations to excel and be highly effective global citizens; providing a faculty and staff strongly committed to high-quality education by investing themselves personally in the lives of students with their best teaching and service; and yielding graduates who are well educated, highly motivated, and committed to making a positive impact on their world as global citizens.
Envision a New Philanthropic Effort: UIU is currently wrapping up a successful $25 million campaign, the largest and most significant in the University's history. The campaign generated new donors, encouraged the alumni base, and produced several multimillion-dollar gifts. The successful completion of this campaign will provide a period of time for the new President to undertake the strategic planning work necessary to envision the University's next fundraising effort. The success of the concluding campaign will also be helpful to the new President in assessing the overall fundraising program and needs of the University as plans are made for launching a new campaign and expanded financial development efforts.
Enhance Trusteeship: UIU has been fortunate through the years to have a governing Board populated with individuals who have a passionate love for the University and its mission to prepare students to be global citizens by providing outstanding educational programs at a reasonable cost. The current Board is composed of active members who support the University with their expertise, relationships, and financial support. The Board is particularly committed to shared governance and looks forward to the new President strengthening relationships with the University's various constituencies. The new President will also benefit from a Board that seeks a close working relationship with open and frequent communication, and encourages the new President to work with Board members to strengthen trusteeship.
Build the Academic Community: UIU graduates have experienced a long tradition of the home campus of the University and the Fayette community providing a wonderfully friendly, caring, close-knit and supportive community. With the growth and diversification of the University in recent years, the community tradition has been challenged with the expansion to 19 domestic off-campus sites, two international centers, and a variety of other programs. The new President will have an opportunity to strengthen ties with the Fayette community, and encourage the faculty, staff and students at all locations to join in with pride for their collective academic community as a part of a globally oriented University with a proud heritage of caring deeply for students. Through leadership with an infectious commitment to quality teaching and a robust, encouraging academic support system, the new President can inspire renewed commitment to a great academic community of learners - regardless of the place or the chosen learning experience.
Strengthen Financial Base: The rapid increase in the size and scope of the University's operations over the past few years has brought new challenges to the University's finances. The budget has grown dramatically and the University has correspondingly seen significant increases in its assets. But these increases in enrollment, budget and operations bring a new set of challenges for maintaining those levels or increasing them even more. The University has a modest endowment in comparison to its annual operating budget, a ratio often considered an important barometer of long-term financial health and stability. The new President will need to work closely with the governing Board to provide the financial stewardship required to strengthen the University's financial base.
Build the Reputation: Although the University was a very early adopter of distance education, extended campus sites, and online education, it has a more regional than national reputation and has significant opportunity to expand its international recognition. UIU has a large alumni base of more than 30,000 that can help to spread the good news about the University. Students on the Fayette campus, those studying at the 19 regional centers in the United States, and the students studying at the two international centers all consistently show enthusiasm for their University and provide a strong base for further outreach. The new President will have an opportunity to leverage these positive elements while taking aggressive leadership steps to promote the University within the
larger higher education community.
DESIRED ATTRIBUTES
A successful candidate is expected to have:
- A terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
- Significant previous executive experience in academia that includes successful development, management, and oversight of financial resources.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a team and with developing the human capital capabilities of the members of the team.
- Demonstrated commitment and support of intercollegiate athletics.
- Demonstrated ability to be effective in fundraising activities.
- A passion for working with higher education delivered across a variety of learning experiences (traditional residential, online, domestic centers, and international programs) and the ability to articulate such a mission to a broad audience.
Preference will be given to candidates who have experience:
- In private, nonprofit institutions;
- Working in a residential campus with traditional students;
- Working with institutions that have off-site programs (face-to-face and online) populated with many nontraditional students, including military students; and
- Working with international campuses.
PROCESS OF APPLICATION
The Upper Iowa University Search Committee will be accepting nominations and applications and evaluating the materials on a rolling basis through March, and will begin to narrow the pool very early in April. Although applications will be accepted until a selection is made, applications and materials should be submitted by March 30 to receive more favorable consideration.
The intention is to have the new President begin work on or about July 1, 2013.
AGB Search consultant Dr. Paul R. Corts is assisting with this search. Nominators and prospective candidates may contact him at PRC@AGBSearch.com or by phone at 571-243-8709.
Applications should include a letter of candidacy that responds to the agenda for the new President, a comprehensive CV or résumé, and the names and contact information (phone and email) for five references, none of whom will be contacted until a later stage of the search after the pool of candidates has been narrowed; no references will be contacted without the formal permission of the candidate.
The letter of candidacy should be addressed to:
Bill Cook
Chair, Search Committee,
Upper Iowa University
and submitted electronically to:
Upper Iowa University is an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action Employer.