Elizabeth City State University

CHANCELLOR

Elizabeth City, NC

The Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Search Committee, on behalf of its Board of Trustees, the University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors, and the President of the UNC system, seeks in its next Chancellor a strategic and transformational leader ready to grow enrollment, close the achievement gap, and continue to position Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) to compete aggressively in a rapidly changing world. In addition to galvanizing the ECSU community around a distinctive course for the University’s future, the next Chancellor will be charged with attracting broad philanthropic support, building strong partnerships, enhancing student success, and continuing a rich legacy of producing academically superior, morally conscious, service-oriented leaders.

Located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and founded in 1891 when House Bill 383 established a normal school for “teaching and training teachers of the colored race to teach in the common schools of North Carolina,” ECSU has served as a beacon of educational excellence and has brought over 125 years of valued impact to the community. ECSU provides an academically rigorous, stimulating learning environment and a faculty and staff committed to the education of each student. With an operating budget of $17M, ECSU enrolls approximately 1,670 students across 27 undergraduate and four programs of graduate study. This is the second consecutive year of enrollment growth and the largest freshman class in five years at the University. The University offers programs in three distinct areas: Liberal and Fine Arts; Professional Studies; and Technology and Science. Although international students can study in any of our thirty-one degree programs, ECSU offers certain programs not available at most other universities. ECSU is particularly proud of several programs including Emergency Management, Biology, Pharmaceutical Science, Aviation Science, Business Administration, and Accounting degree programs. Notably, ECSU is home to the only four-year aviation education program offered in North Carolina. As a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, Elizabeth City State University is a proud NC Promise campus committed to providing an affordable, high-quality education.  That means a commitment to access for students from low income and rural families. The University’s overarching mission is to promote economic, social, and environmental progress for the people of northeastern North Carolina, the state, and the nation.

In its next Chancellor, the entire ECSU community, including the UNC system, the ECSU Board of Trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and partners require a dynamic leader who is an outcome-oriented thinker and producer to champion ECSU’s historical legacy. This individual must effectively manage the University’s assets, articulate a leadership vision, and execute tenaciously on that vision with resolve, integrity, and entrepreneurship with a moral compass. The next Chancellor must foster a philosophy of accountability that supports the values and goals of the University.  The overarching mandate is to lead the organization and set ECSU on a financial course that guarantees promise for all current and future students.

This leader will bring a keen sense of the landscape of higher education and the trends impacting its future.  She or he will elevate the climate of collaboration across the campus, be an inspiring team builder, powerful communicator and fundraiser, effective problem solver, and adroit fiscal manager. Candidates must possess a distinguished record of senior leadership experience and achievement in higher education or an equivalent level of responsibility in business, government, or not for profit enterprises. A sophisticated sense of the opportunities and challenges facing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and a passion for their missions are essential. The Chancellor will be expected to champion ECSU priorities and serve as a persuasive and dynamic ambassador locally, nationally, and internationally.  

Isaacson, Miller has been retained to assist the search committee in this search. Confidential inquiries, nominations, referrals, and resumes with cover letters may be sent in confidence to: https://www.imsearch.com/search-detail/S6-746

Elizabeth City State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.