Qualities and Qualifications for Chancellor
Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities
The successful candidate will possess most, if not all, of the following professional and personal qualities or abilities:
Commitment to scholarly values, academic excellence, academic freedom and tenure, and an understanding of the diverse mission of public higher education institution.
Experience leading an organization through institutional transformation in an evolving educational environment. This includes nurturing change where needed in instructional and work modalities, and in student education and student services.
- Commitment to recruiting and retaining diverse top talent in all facets of university employment.
- Commitment to repurposing resources where needed to assure both efficient and effective administrative services.
- Academic or equivalent professional accomplishments, including:
- Academic scholarship and teaching and/or research credentials, and accomplishments, or equivalent professional credentials and accomplishments
- A successful record of leadership, including experience in higher education or equivalent professional administration.
- Exhibit financial acumen including:
- Financial acumen to strengthen the university’s finances and ensure that it operates sustainably and proactively;
- An ability to communicate effectively and build transparency with respect to budgeting processes, principles, and decisions;
- Ability to manage and strengthen resource allocation within the university.
- Work with alumni, business leaders, foundations, and others constituencies to support fundraising.
- Possess strong financial aptitude and experience managing budgets, holding budget managers accountable, and setting expectations of fiscal responsibility throughout the campus community.
This position has the ultimate responsibility for the financial health of the institution and is directly accountable to the President of the UW System as well as community stakeholders for that financial health. The Chancellor must be able to effectively manage all major business aspects of the university, demonstrating the ability to lead the operations of a large organization and prioritizing limited resources.
Leadership Qualities
The successful candidate will possess most, if not all, of the following leadership qualities or abilities:
- Outstanding leadership qualities, including:
- Personal integrity, intellectual curiosity, compassion, resilience, and energy;
- A personal commitment to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
- A passion for the student experience demonstrated by continual direct student engagement;
- A collaborative leadership style that emphasizes openness, fairness, and excellence;
- Desire and ability to advance the university’s mission in undergraduate and graduate programs;
- Provide leadership and support to faculty in teaching, scholarship, and public service;
- Ability to provide leadership to faculty, staff, administrators, students, and other constituents in implementing the current and future strategic frameworks;
- Demonstrated leadership in national higher education or similar organizations;
- Data-driven decision-making with administrative and business acumen to understand the present and future of higher education.
- A commitment to continually improve the university experience for students, faculty, and staff including;
- Leadership and passion for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that impact the campus community;
- Commitment to expanding diversity among students, faculty, and staff, and broadly supporting their success.
Required Qualifications
Possess solid academic credentials, preferably with a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree, and a record of significant accomplishment. A candidate without an equivalent terminal degree, but with significant and successful executive-level experience leading a complex public or private organization will be considered if they demonstrate the qualities expected of any applicant: a deep-rooted understanding of and appreciation for the freedoms, responsibilities, and independence of the university and a thorough command of the forces and issues shaping the national higher educational landscape.