Faculty Positions
Position Title / Rank: Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Office of the Provost
Date Posted: December 15, 2020
Please reference AD#20-40
Position Description:
The University of Guelph invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of Provost and Vice-President (Academic) with the appointment to be effective summer 2021, or sooner if mutually agreeable. This is an opportunity to join the University's recently appointed ninth President and Vice-Chancellor and her team in leading, inspiring, and articulating the vision that charts an exciting and innovative future, building upon the University of Guelph's history of excellence and innovation, and Improves Life.
Research-intensive and learner-centred, the University of Guelph has achieved prominence in Canada and around the world for its commitment to developing exceptional thinkers and engaged citizens. The University plays an integral role in the educational, business, and cultural life of the province of Ontario, through the impact of its teaching, research, and community service, and through its special mandate to serve the province in support of the agri-food sector and veterinary medicine. Guelph's seven colleges, as well as the Guelph-Humber and Ridgetown campuses, conduct leading edge interdisciplinary teaching, experiential education, and innovative research in the physical and life sciences, arts, business, social sciences, and agricultural and veterinary sciences. Dedicated to improving life in the areas of food, water, environment, animal and human health, community, commerce, culture, and learning, the University of Guelph community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, an obligation to address local and global issues, and a concern for sustainable development. Nearly 27,000 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students attend the University of Guelph, with additional students located at its Ridgetown Campus and the University of Guelph-Humber. The University is a significant employer with over 830 full-time faculty, more than 3,100 full-time staff and an annual operating budget exceeding $500 million. Further information about the University may be found at www.uoguelph.ca.
Reporting to the President and a key member of her executive team, the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) is the chief academic officer and the principal advisor to the President on all academic affairs and plays a leading role in determining the use of resources for the University of Guelph. The Provost is instrumental in leading the academic mission of the University by recruiting the best and brightest faculty and students, advancing curricular transformation and program development, including quality assurance processes and advancing strategic enrolment management. Responsible for aligning and allocating the University's academic budget with its academic mission and vision, the Provost collaborates closely with the other Vice Presidents and the Colleges' Deans, plays a major role in faculty and academic staff relations, and advises on overall University spending and priorities. Supported by a number of Associate and Assistant Vice-Presidents, the portfolio also includes responsibility for Student Affairs, Graduate Studies, Registrarial Services, Institutional Research, Planning and Budgeting, International Strategy and Partnerships, Computing and Communications Services, and the Library. The Provost and Vice-President (Academic) champions the University's vision to Improve Life through teaching, research, and experiential learning by supporting innovation, connecting communities, building leaders, and advancing the health and wellbeing of the campus. The Provost will courageously and wisely lead the University's academic community through the period of pandemic uncertainty and increasing demands for equity and social responsibility in higher education, while guiding the adoption of future innovative changes.
The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar in both research and teaching, and an exemplary leader with a strong commitment to collegial governance, fiscal responsibility, and to meeting the diverse needs of faculty, staff, and students. An experienced senior academic administrator and future-oriented innovative thinker with a demonstrated ability to advance and transform academic programmes, goals, and priorities, the provost will possess an open and collegial style, outstanding management, communication, and interperonal skills, and a creative approach to problem solving. With a proven track record of promoting excellence, championing indigenization, anti-racism, and equity, and supporting meaningful community engagement, the Provost will have the capacity to build and sustain positive working relationships with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, including University Senate, the Board of Governors, and the President.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Guelph and Laverne Smith & Associates will provide support in the recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant's accessibility needs. The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.
At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. Acknowledging the University's diverse population and ensuring that every member of an inclusive campus is a valued contributor is a foundational pillar of success. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our institution.
The search committee will begin consideration of candidates immediately and will continue until the role is successfully filled. Applications should include a letter of introduction, curriculum vitae and the names of three references (who will not be contacted without the consent of the candidate), and be submitted electronicaly, in confidence, to:
Laverne Smith & Associates Inc. Email: GuelphProvost@lavernesmith.com
The University of Guelph campuses reside on the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and lands that the Anishinaabe, Hodinohso:ni, Lūnaapéewak and Wendat peoples have inhabited for centuries and we are committed to indigenization and reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and lands.