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The University of Utah is looking for a Senior Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment & Student Success

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Position Overview

The University of Utah seeks a dynamic strategic leader with proven ability, vision, and stellar execution to serve as the inaugural Senior Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success. This new position will be a catalyst throughout the institution, leading the development of our enrollment and student success strategy and implementing an integrated framework across online education; the university’s campus in Salt Lake City; and regional campuses throughout the state of Utah; and Asia Campus in Songdo, South Korea; and Ghana, West Africa. The role will have direct responsibility to integrate undergraduate, graduate, professional, and online education enrollment and student success strategies across the university.

The new Senior Vice Provost will bring together the larger enrollment community to inform, improve and support strategic enrollment and student success tactics that lead to increased enrollments, revenue, and use of data and technology, all in the service of an enhanced student experience ultimately improving graduation rates and student satisfaction. This leader will create and inform institution-wide enrollment and student success strategies that support senior leaders in prioritizing investments relative to student success, enrollment impact and revenue generation.

This leader will also engage senior leaders in designing cross-university enrollment and student success initiatives that will have the highest enrollment impact. The leader will explore traditional and online program opportunities for new revenue, including national and international markets. This role will be charged with developing a strategic direction that fully incorporates the principles of net tuition revenue (NTR) and will have administrative oversight of multiple areas within Academic Affairs, which includes more than 1,000 employees. Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the new Senior Vice Provost for University Enrollment and Student Success will be a senior member of the Provost’s leadership team.

As envisioned, this role will have six key areas of administrative responsibility:

  • Enrollment Management – encompassing all elements related to successful and integrated enrollment management including admissions, orientation, financial aid, registration, and the technology and data analytics that support a sophisticated and successful Enrollment Management enterprise.
  • Undergraduate Studies – encompassing student experience from admission to graduation through general education and curriculum management, student success coaching and experience initiatives; supporting faculty through the Center for Teaching Excellence, and Learning Analytics and Outcomes Assessment; and supporting students in Undergraduate Research.
  • Global Engagement – encompassing Learning Abroad, International Student & Scholar Services and global campus coordination and partnerships.
  • University Connected Learning – encompassing all online learning, certificate programs, continuing education, and lifelong learning programs throughout the university.
  • Utah Asia Campus – encompassing recruitment, admissions and student success programs. Coordinate with leadership on campus strategies that align with institutional goals.
  • Regional Campuses – encompassing strategic leadership and oversight for a comprehensive enrollment and student success operation at the regional campuses —University of Utah St. George Graduate Center in St. George, Utah; Russell C. Taylor Health Science Building in St. George, Utah; University Connected Learning Sandy Center in Sandy, Utah; Juniper Building at the Herriman campus in Herriman, Utah; and the Ensign College of Public Health in Kpong, Ghana — ensuring collaboration and integration with the university ecosystem for a seamless and mission-focused experience.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities

The successful candidate for this position will possess: 

  • Earned doctorate, preferred; Masters required, with at least 10-plus years of experience in managing enrollments and student success programs at a senior level
  • Demonstrated leadership in a large, complex university setting (public or private)
  • Demonstrated ability in developing and implementing a strategic enrollment and student success vision
  • Ability to lead large teams and execute on vision and mission priorities
  • Evidence of a dynamic and entrepreneurial leadership style, and record of embracing technology and innovation to achieve enrollment mission priorities
  • Ability to manage large and complex systems that function effectively across multi-campus environments at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels
  • Demonstrated strong leadership skills and sound fiscal management
  • Ability to build collaborative relationships among a wide range of constituents, including faculty, staff, academic deans, administrators, legislators, state officials, donors, and other key stakeholders
  • Direct understanding and experience utilizing a Net Tuition Revenue (NTR) framework
  • Experience working in international recruitment, admissions and managing international enrollments
  • Experience working with online education programs
  • Adept at strategic planning and able to effectively design and execute a strategic enrollment and student success plan across the institution; able to negotiate and collaborate across the institution at a strategic and implementation level
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to drive integrated strategic enrollment thinking throughout the campus
  • Knowledge of federal laws and regulations governing various enrollment affairs functions; knowledge or ability to acquire knowledge of Utah state laws and regulations governing various enrollment affairs functions

Procedure for Candidacy

All correspondence, including nominations should be directed to Dr. Lori McDonald, Vice President for Student Affairs and search committee chairman, at lmcdonald@sa.utah.edu.   Applications must include a letter of interest and resume or CV and can be submitted HERE. The search will remain open until an appointment is made, with full consideration being given to applications submitted prior to September 30, 2024.

Search Committee

Lori McDonald (Chair), Vice President for Student Affairs
Andrea Thomas, Chief Experience Officer
Anthony Jones, Executive Director of Scholarships & Financial Aid
Darryl Butt, Dean of the Graduate School
Deborah Keyek-Franssen, Associate Vice President & Dean for University Connected Learning
Jason Atuaia, Associate Vice President for Budget & Finance
Karen Paisley, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs
Laura Marks, Chief of Staff for Academic Affairs
Liz Conder, Director of University Analytics
Vahe Bandarian, Professor of Chemistry

About the University of UtahThe University of Utah logo

The University of Utah is the state’s flagship institution of higher education, with 18 schools and colleges, more than 100 undergraduate and 90 graduate degree programs, and an enrollment of more than 34,000 students. In November 2019, the university was selected as a new member of the Association of American Universities—an invitation-only, prestigious group of 65 leading research institutions in North America marked by excellence in academic expertise and research impact, student success and securing resources in support of core missions. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Utah as an R1: Doctoral University–Very High Research Institution.

The University of Utah’s success in achieving excellence in research and teaching reflects the values of Utah: An unparalleled work ethic and a spirit of entrepreneurship, collaboration and community service. These qualities have enabled the University of Utah to innovate across many fields and pioneer new programs with social impact, generate path-breaking discoveries, fuel critical research, and inspire innovative approaches to education. More facts, stats and data on the university are available here.

The U is the University for Utah just as it is the University of Utah. It strives to be a model public university in delivering unmatched value in higher education and health care while making social, economic and cultural contributions that improve the quality of life throughout the state, the nation and the world. The University of Utah’s reputation for excellence draws top-tier faculty and attracts motivated students from across the country and internationally. These students bring with them diverse experiences and outlooks—representing traditional and nontraditional students alike—thereby enhancing the exceptional educational experience the University of Utah offers.

The University of Utah honors the fact that its campus is located on the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute and Ute tribes, as stated in its Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement. The U also has a memorandum of understanding with the Ute Indian Tribe to use the Ute name for its sports programs.

Mission

The University of Utah fosters student success by preparing students from diverse backgrounds for lives of impact as leaders and citizens. We generate and share new knowledge, discoveries and innovations, and we engage local and global communities to promote education, health and quality of life. These contributions, in addition to responsible stewardship of our intellectual, physical and financial resources, ensure the long-term success and viability of the institution.

Strategic Vision

In 2020, the main and health campuses at the University of Utah launched a strategic roadmap that ensures a One U approach to the future—a blueprint designed to accelerate the university’s rise as it focuses on four overarching goals: student success, knowledge transfer, community engagement and institutional vitality. Strategy 2025 is the result of a process launched in spring 2019 that harnessed the creative power of our campus community and stakeholders to shape a new vision, with strategies and measurable outcomes to guide us for the next five years. More information about the University’s strategy plan is available at https://strategy.utah.edu/

Salt Lake City

To learn more about Salt Lake City visit VisitSaltLake.com