What are the responsibilities and job description for the Provost position at DeSales University?
PROVOST
OVERVIEW:
DeSales University, in Center Valley, PA, is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts Salesian, Catholic university, under the leadership of the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales. Founded in 1965, the 550-acre suburban campus is located 50 miles north of Philadelphia and about 90 miles southwest of New York City. A total enrollment of nearly 3,500 includes undergraduate day and evening students, and graduate students. DeSales has approximately 135 full-time faculty members and offers more than 40 bachelor's degrees, twelve graduate programs, and over 20 certificate programs in a wide range of disciplines; many of these can be completed fully online.
In 2024, the University transitioned to a new academic structure featuring a four-college/school model, which includes the Kathleen Waterbury and J.B. Reilly School of Business; a College of Arts, Education, and Humanities with a School of Education and a School of Performing Arts; a College of Sciences; and a College of Healthcare Professions with a designated School of Nursing. For further information, visit www.desales.edu. EOE
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Provost serves as the chief academic officer of DeSales University, reports to the President, and is a member of the President’s Cabinet. The Provost provides strategic leadership for Academic Affairs, advancing academic excellence, student success, faculty development, program innovation, institutional effectiveness, and responsible stewardship of resources in alignment with the University’s Catholic, Salesian mission.
The Provost leads through a collaborative, transparent, and data-informed approach, using evidence related to academic quality, enrollment, student outcomes, program demand, financial performance, and post-graduate outcomes to guide planning and resource allocation. The Provost also plays a central role in advancing the University’s strategic priorities and assessing progress toward measurable goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Academic Leadership and Strategic Planning
- Provide a clear academic vision aligned with the University’s Catholic, Salesian mission and strategic priorities.
- Translate institutional strategy into measurable Academic Affairs goals that advance academic quality, student success, enrollment strength, innovation, and financial sustainability.
- Lead and hold accountable the academic deans and administrative leaders, while fostering collaboration across academic units and the University.
- Anticipate emerging opportunities and challenges in higher education and guide appropriate institutional responses.
2. Catholic and Salesian Mission
- Ensure DeSales’ Catholic, Salesian identity is integrated into academic planning, curriculum, teaching, faculty development, and decision-making.
- Advance the Catholic intellectual tradition and the integration of faith, reason, professional preparation, and liberal learning.
- Model the Salesian values of gentleness, humility, gratitude, hospitality, and wisdom while fostering rigorous inquiry, intellectual freedom, ethical reflection, and respect for the University’s mission.
3. Data-Informed Decision-Making and Institutional Effectiveness
- Use institutional, enrollment, student-success, workload, and financial data to evaluate academic performance and guide decisions.
- Establish key performance indicators for Academic Affairs and regularly assess progress toward strategic objectives.
- Partner with Institutional Research to ensure leaders have timely, accurate, and actionable information.
- Lead systematic academic program review that considers enrollment, student outcomes, learning assessment, costs and revenues, faculty capacity, market demand, accreditation, and mission alignment.
- Communicate academic performance, priorities, and trends clearly to faculty, University leadership, and the Board of Trustees.
4. Academic Programs, Innovation, and Enrollment
- Lead the development, evaluation, improvement, and, when appropriate, sunsetting of academic programs.
- Ensure new programs are supported by market analysis, enrollment and financial projections, academic resources, and assessment plans.
- Identify growth opportunities across undergraduate, graduate, adult, online, certificate, international, and partnership-based programs.
- Collaborate with Enrollment Management, Finance, and Marketing to align the academic portfolio, course capacity, and scheduling with student demand, workforce trends, timely degree completion, and financial sustainability.
- Encourage interdisciplinary programs, innovative pedagogy, appropriate uses of technology, experiential learning, and external partnerships while preserving the distinctive quality of a DeSales education.
5. Faculty Leadership and Academic Culture
- Provide leadership for faculty recruitment, appointment, development, evaluation, promotion, tenure, and retention.
- Promote excellence in teaching, scholarship, creative activity, advising, professional engagement, and service.
- Support shared governance and productive collaboration among faculty, academic leaders, and administration.
- Advance faculty development and evidence-based teaching practices through the Center for Teaching Excellence and other initiatives.
6. Student Learning and Success
- Keep student learning, retention, achievement, and graduation central to academic planning and decision-making.
- Use longitudinal and, where appropriate, disaggregated data to identify barriers and guide interventions that improve student success.
- Provide strategic oversight for academic advising, student support, accessibility, and early-intervention efforts.
- Collaborate across colleges and appropriate academic offices to strengthen connections among academic achievement, student engagement, career preparation, and post-graduate success.
7. Budget and Resource Stewardship
- Develop and oversee the Academic Affairs budget in collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer and academic leaders.
- Allocate faculty positions, technology, facilities, equipment, and program investments strategically and transparently, balancing academic quality with long-term financial sustainability.
- Establish expectations for responsible fiscal management and evaluate investments based on institutional priorities and demonstrated or expected outcomes.
8. Accreditation, Assessment, and Compliance
- Provide executive leadership for institutional and program accreditation, assessment of student learning, and academic regulatory compliance.
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, Middle States, professional accreditation, and University requirements.
- Use assessment findings to promote continuous improvement and keep the President and Board informed of significant academic compliance matters.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP:
The Provost reports directly to the President of DeSales University and serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
The Provost reports directly to the President of DeSales University and serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
Direct Reports
- Dean, College of Sciences
- Dean, College of Arts, Education, and Humanities
- Dean, College of Healthcare Professions
- Dean, Waterbury-Reilly School of Business
- Associate Provost for Academics
- University Registrar
- Director, Trexler Library
- Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Research
- Director, Center for Teaching Excellence
- Director, Center for Educational Resource and Technology
Reporting Through the Associate Provost for Academics
- Director, Office of Accessibility
- Director, Academic Success Center
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required
- Earned terminal degree from an accredited institution, with credentials and accomplishments appropriate for appointment at the senior faculty level.
- Experience as a provost, associate provost, dean, or comparable senior academic administrator.
- Significant, progressively responsible academic administrative experience, including leadership in academic planning, faculty affairs, curriculum, assessment, accreditation, and resource allocation.
- Demonstrated ability to use institutional and financial data to inform strategic academic decisions.
- Experience developing and evaluating academic programs.
- Strong record of collaborative leadership, shared governance, and commitment to student learning and success.
- Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
- Commitment to the Catholic, Salesian mission and values of DeSales University.
Preferred
- Experience in a tuition-dependent private university environment.
- Experience with enrollment planning, academic portfolio management, and data-informed organizational improvement.
- Experience leading institutional or specialized accreditation.
- Possess a vision of moving forward at a time of major technologic change
- Success developing innovative academic programs and external partnerships.
- Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change while building consensus and maintaining trust.
Leadership Competencies
Strategic Vision • Mission-Centered Leadership • Academic Excellence • Data-Informed Decision Making • Fiscal Stewardship • Shared Governance • Faculty and Staff Development • Innovation and Change Leadership • Collaboration and Relationship Building • Commitment to Student Success
Applications accepted through December 15, 2026. The new provost will be expected to begin work at the University in the 2027-2028 academic year. Candidates should provide a curriculum vita, a cover letter describing their experience as relevant to the position, the names and contact information for three to five references (references will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates), and copies of educational transcripts.
DeSales University is an EEO employer - M/F/Vets/Disabled
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. DeSales University is unable to sponsor any employment visas at this time.
Strategic Vision • Mission-Centered Leadership • Academic Excellence • Data-Informed Decision Making • Fiscal Stewardship • Shared Governance • Faculty and Staff Development • Innovation and Change Leadership • Collaboration and Relationship Building • Commitment to Student Success
Applications accepted through December 15, 2026. The new provost will be expected to begin work at the University in the 2027-2028 academic year. Candidates should provide a curriculum vita, a cover letter describing their experience as relevant to the position, the names and contact information for three to five references (references will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates), and copies of educational transcripts.
DeSales University is an EEO employer - M/F/Vets/Disabled
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. DeSales University is unable to sponsor any employment visas at this time.