Editor's Note: The following message was sent to UI faculty, staff, and students on Wednesday, May 13, in a mass email.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

As you may know, the University of Iowa Presidential Search and Screen Committee met on Friday, May 8, to continue our work in the search for our next President.

During this meeting, the committee approved the job description that will be used by the search firm as it places advertisements and recruits on behalf of the university and Board of Regents. You can review the job description at the bottom of this email or by going to http://president.uiowa.edu/ui-president-search/university-iowa-president-job-description.

I am pleased that our campus, through its representatives on the committee, had the opportunity to shape and develop this document in order to reflect our dynamic and engaged university. It is also vital that our community be actively engaged in this entire process, so please feel free to use this document.

I want to assure you that your opinion is valued, and I look forward to hearing from many of you over the next several months. You can also review information and provide comments or suggestions via our website at http://president.uiowa.edu/ui-president-search.

Sincerely,
Jean Robillard
VP for Medical Affairs
University of Iowa

To see the job description, visit the UI Office of the President's website or see the description below:

Opportunity

The next President of the University of Iowa will have an unparalleled opportunity to take one of the nation’s top comprehensive research universities to the next level with the support of outstanding faculty, students, staff, and external constituencies. Building on a 168-year foundation of innovative thinking, Midwestern values, and a spirit of collegiality, the campus boasts many nationally and internationally recognized programs across undergraduate, graduate, and professional disciplines. We are searching for a principled leader who can harness the University’s dual strengths of rich traditions and innovative thinking, while inspiring and championing a collective vision. Although our institutional reach is far beyond Iowa City, the campus is anchored in a true college town that is frequently praised for its quality of life as well as its educational and cultural vibrancy. 

About the University

Founded in 1847, the University of Iowa is Iowa's flagship university and a world-class teaching and research institution. A member of the Association of American Universities since 1909 and the Big Ten Conference since 1899, the University has outstanding business, dental, education, engineering, law, liberal arts and sciences, medical, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and graduate colleges. It is also tremendously proud of its more than 31,000 students and hundreds of thousands of loyal alumni.

The University is nationally and internationally recognized for high-quality programs across a variety of disciplines. US News recently ranked twenty-five of the University's graduate programs in the Top 25, from Law to Social Psychology to Nursing to Physicians Assistant to Public Health programs. With particular strength in the health sciences, the University boasts one of the nation's largest and most prestigious academic medical centers, including the Carver College of Medicine and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. UI Hospitals and Clinics is not only on the cutting edge of patient care, but was also recently ranked the number one health care employer in the country by Forbes magazine. Moreover, the University is a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. With the dynamic Tippie College of Business, a growing College of Engineering, and an expanding research park, the University is poised to transform today's nascent ideas into tomorrow's successful companies.

A pioneer in higher education, the University was the first public university in the United States to admit men and women on an equal basis and regardless of race. It also led the country in inventing the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. The renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop and International Writing Program remain the most respected and competitive in the world. In addition, the University is the proud recipient of the 2015 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, the gold standard of recognition for community engagement efforts at institutions of higher education.

The University of Iowa values teaching and research excellence, academic freedom, diversity, and shared governance. Central to the University’s mission is a distinguished faculty of more than 1,600 tenured and tenure-track faculty and 1,100 clinical-track and other faculty across all colleges. Expert staff, including more than 12,600 in the University and 11,000 in the hospital and UI Health Care, provide outstanding support services.

Situated on the picturesque Iowa River, the campus spans 1,700 acres and more than 500 major buildings. It is well-poised for future growth, with many new buildings recently or soon-to-be completed, including impressive residence halls, a state-of-the-art children’s hospital, biomedical research and public health buildings, and spectacular fine and performing arts venues. The campus is located in Iowa City, a UNESCO City of Literature, within a short driving distance to major metropolitan areas. With a diverse community, excellent schools and libraries, and a vibrant cultural life, Iowa City is casual, comfortable, and cosmopolitan.

Moving Beyond: Creating the Future through Transformative Leadership

Mission Statement

In pursuing its missions of teaching, research, and service, the University seeks to advance scholarly and creative endeavor through leading-edge research and artistic production; to use this research and creativity to enhance undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, health care, and other services to the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world; and to educate students for success and personal fulfillment in a diverse world.

Responsibilities

As the University’s chief executive officer, the President reports to the Board of Regents and is responsible for:

• Articulating the University’s vision, mission, and values with internal and external stakeholders
• Supporting and enhancing the institution’s academic mission and overall operations
• Building upon the existing traditions, distinctiveness, and strengths of the University
• Approving and overseeing a $3.5 billion institutional budget (including UIHC) and securing external funding support
• Working with the Board of Regents, Governor, elected officials, alumni, donors, and the broader community to advance the mission of the University

Qualifications Preferred

Education and Experience

• An earned doctorate or terminal degree
• Administrative experience demonstrating the ability to lead a complex academic research institution and medical center

Values and Principles

• A commitment to the development of faculty, staff, and students, and a proven track record of inspiring people and organizations through principled leadership
• A commitment to the institution’s academic quality and to the role of scholarship, research, and creative works in the mission of the University
• A commitment to the student-centered mission of the University and an understanding of undergraduate, graduate, and professional student interests
• A commitment to academic freedom, tenure, and shared governance and an understanding of their importance to sustaining the quality of the University
• A commitment to equal opportunity and access and to the important role that diversity must play in educational institutions
• A commitment to student safety and welfare and a sensitivity to issues related to campus culture
• A commitment to and understanding of the value of a strong Division I intercollegiate athletic program
• A commitment to external constituencies including alumni, the Foundation, and the broader community

Skills

• Excellent communication skills
• Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with the various constituencies of the University, alumni, Foundation, media, and community at large
• Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with elected officials, governmental bodies, and the Board of Regents
• Ability to hire and build an effective administrative team
• Ability to foster an innovative environment that attracts high-quality faculty, students, and staff by stimulating creativity, research, teaching, and learning
• Ability to identify opportunities and to convert challenges into innovative solutions and programs that will advance the future of the institution
• Ability to promote a shared vision to address challenges and create opportunities, especially in the areas of student recruitment, research support, finances, and improvements to facilities and technology
• Ability to raise funds from private, state, and national sources and to articulate to external audiences the value of supporting the University
• Strong leadership skills in strategic planning and fiscal planning and management

The Board of Regents and the University of Iowa invite letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to July 28, 2015.

Laurie C. Wilder, President
Porsha L. Williams, Vice President
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2900
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
770-804-1996 ext: 102 and 109
lwilder@parkersearch.com | pwilliams@parkersearch.com