Provost Academic Affairs

Utah Valley University•Main Campus - Orem, UT

About The Position

Utah Valley University seeks a collaborative, student-centered academic leader to serve as Provost/Vice President – Academic Affairs. As a member of the President’s executive leadership team, the Provost provides vision and strategic leadership for Academic Affairs and advances UVU’s mission as an integrated regional comprehensive university and community college. The role guides the academic enterprise through changes in higher education while ensuring programs remain rigorous, relevant, responsive, and aligned with UVU’s distinctive mission. The Provost is expected to be visible, accessible, and trusted, valuing faculty expertise and meaningful shared governance while building collaboration across the university and strengthening connections between academic programs and student success. The Provost directly supervises Academic Affairs leadership, including associate and deputy provosts, deans, and other direct reports. The role leads academic planning, program development and review, accreditation, assessment, student-success initiatives, educational support services, and continuous improvement. It supports faculty recruitment, retention, tenure, promotion, scholarship, creative work, professional development, and recognition. The Provost also oversees academic resource allocation and stewardship, aligns capacity and budgets with enrollment and university priorities, and works with university leaders, the Board of Trustees, faculty, students, staff, and external stakeholders. The position will help UVU navigate artificial intelligence and technological change, workforce needs, and changing expectations for higher education. It will advance engaged and applied learning, workforce partnerships, community engagement, educational pathways, and collaboration with regional community and technical colleges, K–12 districts, and other Utah System of Higher Education institutions. The Provost builds institutional trust through transparent communication, active listening, open dialogue, visible leadership, and sustained engagement; supports a safe and supportive learning environment; leads academic continuity and recovery during crises; and represents the President and university as assigned. The position serves at the pleasure of the President and is exempt from standard employment appointment provisions. Continued employment depends on the President’s discretion and the needs of the University. The successful candidate should be available to start in January 2027. Applications received by November 9, 2026, can be assured full consideration; the position remains open until filled.

Requirements

Earned terminal degree from an accredited institution.
At least five years of senior academic leadership experience, such as dean, associate provost, or higher, in increasingly complex roles.
At least seven years of full-time teaching experience at a four-year college or university.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and consensus-building skills.
Demonstrated academic leadership and credibility in increasingly complex higher education roles, including experience as a faculty member and academic administrator.
Reputation for personal integrity and ethical leadership, demonstrated through fairness, accountability, and consistency between words and actions.
Strong understanding of faculty roles in teaching, scholarship, service, tenure, and promotion.
Demonstrated commitment to student success, academic excellence, teaching excellence, and faculty achievement.
Track record of building faculty-driven partnerships between higher education and industry that produce aligned curricula and innovative, experiential collaborations supporting student success and workforce needs.
Ability to foster industry connections leading to student internships, faculty externships, financial support, and placements for graduating students.
Understanding of public higher education governance and ability to work effectively with institutional and system-level stakeholders.
Understanding of the evolving higher education landscape and ability to lead systemic change related to artificial intelligence, technology, student needs, workforce expectations, and public higher education.
Ability to balance innovation and responsiveness with academic rigor, faculty expertise, and the long-term quality and integrity of the academic enterprise.
Ability to align strategy, budgets, other resources, and academic priorities while exercising responsible stewardship.
Demonstrated ability to build trust, listen actively, and communicate transparently to bring people together around a shared academic vision.
Demonstrated record of listening to and acting on student input and improving access and support for students from diverse backgrounds.
Availability to start in January 2027.

Nice To Haves

PhD.
At least seven years of senior academic leadership experience, such as dean, associate provost, or higher, in increasingly complex roles.

Responsibilities

Provide vision and strategic leadership for Academic Affairs while advancing UVU’s mission, academic identity, and commitment to student success.
Directly supervise Academic Affairs leaders, including associate and deputy provosts, deans, and other direct reports.
Use data-driven analysis and continuous improvement to ensure academic programs remain rigorous, relevant, innovative, and responsive.
Advance student success, retention, completion, engaged learning, and applied learning across UVU’s integrated university and community college mission.
Support faculty scholarship and creative work that enrich teaching, including industry engagement and applied research opportunities for students.
Work with faculty and the Faculty Senate through shared governance on curriculum, academic standards, teaching, scholarship, and faculty success.
Support faculty recruitment, retention, tenure, promotion, professional development, recognition, and continued growth.
Support campus strategic enrollment management efforts to meet the educational needs of the service region.
Lead academic planning, program development and review, accreditation, assessment, and continuous improvement using evidence and student outcomes.
Lead academic student-success initiatives and educational support services; develop experiential and engaged learning and encourage high-impact practices for undergraduate and graduate students.
Strengthen partnerships with regional community and technical colleges, local K–12 districts, other Utah System of Higher Education institutions, and the system office to expand pathways and support student success.
Guide the academic enterprise through opportunities and challenges related to artificial intelligence and technology, including pedagogy, academic integrity, faculty development, and workforce preparation.
Foster teaching excellence, innovation, collaboration, and intellectual inquiry.
Support and develop Academic Affairs staff through clear expectations, professional development, recognition, and growth opportunities.
Build institutional trust through transparent communication, active listening, open dialogue, visible leadership, and sustained engagement with faculty, staff, and students.
Oversee academic resource allocation and stewardship, aligning resources with university priorities and planning for faculty and staff capacity, space, and budgets as enrollment changes.
Partner with university leaders, the Board of Trustees, and external stakeholders to advance UVU’s mission and strategic goals.
Foster collaboration, responsiveness, and service in partnerships with industry, alumni, donors, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
Partner with campus leaders to sustain a safe, supportive learning environment and lead academic continuity and recovery during crises.
Represent the President and the university in internal and external settings as assigned.
In coordination with the President, set academic strategy and thoughtfully guide organizational and institutional change.