PRESIDENT

Fitchburg State University seeks nominations for, and expressions of interest in, the position of president.

A public comprehensive institution with a strong and proud tradition of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and public service, the university is situated on a 60-acre traditional New England campus in North Central Massachusetts, 40 miles west of Boston. Fitchburg State offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and professional fields to more than 7,000 students annually, including approximately 3,000 graduate students, and is home to 200 full-time faculty members in the day division.  The president oversees an annual budget of $90 million, which includes state funding, federal grants, and gifts from alumni and friends.

Founded as a teachers’ college in 1894, Fitchburg State has developed into a highly-regarded institution that blends liberal arts and sciences and professional programs within a small college environment. The university prepares students to lead, serve, and succeed by fostering lifelong learning and civic and global responsibility. A Fitchburg State education extends beyond the classroom to include residential, professional, and co-curricular opportunities, with particular emphasis on internships. As a community resource, the university provides leadership and support for the economic, environmental, social, and cultural needs of North Central Massachusetts and beyond. More information about Fitchburg State may be found at www.fitchburgstate.edu.

Fitchburg State, one of 29 institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ system of public higher education, is governed by its Board of Trustees. The president, who reports to the trustees, will be responsible for leading the university to new levels of achievement, and must possess a proven record of successfully leading complex institutions and combining well-planned growth with strong fiscal responsibility. The president must possess the ability to attract and retain exceptional faculty and students, bring a record of fund-raising expertise, demonstrate success in implementing strategic plans, and present a commitment to diversity and international initiatives.

The president will be fully engaged with faculty, students, staff, alumni and the extended university family as he or she continues what has been a period of extraordinary growth. Other requirements include a strong commitment to public higher education and a compelling desire to further the mission and core values of the institution.

Minimum qualifications include an earned doctorate, coupled with substantial experience relevant to Fitchburg State’s mission and needs (in exceptional circumstances, an earned master’s degree coupled with the requisite experience may satisfy minimum educational requirements), and experience in a senior management position in higher education, or outside higher education where such experience is deemed relevant to, and provides a basis for judging, the candidate’s capacity to serve as a college or university president.

Nominations, applications and questions should be sent via email to Lucy Leske, Jane Courson, and Robert Smith, the Witt/Kieffer consultants assisting Fitchburg State University with this search, at FitchburgPresident@wittkieffer.com   The full position profile may also be viewed online at www.fitchburgstate.edu/presidentialsearch. Electronic submissions are required. Credential review will begin in early October. Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate's experiences match the position requirements; a curriculum vitae; and the names, titles, email and business addresses, and business and home telephone numbers of at least five (5) professional references. Fitchburg State University will protect the confidentiality of applicants in accordance with state law; candidates are advised that finalists will be required to participate in a public selection process.

Fitchburg State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity. Applications from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged.