Details
Posted: 24-Apr-22
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Type: Full-time
Salary: Open
Internal Number: 22500432240216
Boston University seeks a creative, knowledgeable, strategic, and collaborative leader for the position of Associate Provost for Community and Inclusion. As a member of the Provost's senior leadership team, the Associate Provost will provide vision, leadership, management, and strategic planning for the BU Diversity & Inclusion team, as well as a portfolio of Community and Inclusion initiatives across the Charles River and Medical campuses, including the Newbury Center for first-generation students and the LGBTQIA+ Center for Faculty and Staff.
The Associate Provost will be a champion for the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in achieving institutional excellence and will play a leadership role in implementing the university's Strategic Plan , supporting initiatives that advance the strategic pillars of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Community: Big Yet Small. A successful candidate will demonstrate a strong track record in managing change and in developing and sustaining initiatives that promote and advance diversity, equity, access, community, and inclusion. The Associate Provost will build upon existing programs, envision and lead new programs, and measure program effectiveness. The Associate Provost will serve as a catalyst and resource for implementing effective practices and will add value to conversations at all levels to enhance the strength of Boston University. The Associate Provost for Community and Inclusion reports to the University Provost and Chief Academic Officer and serves as a member of Provost's Cabinet as well as the University Council.
The Associate Provost will partner with other university leaders working in this space, including the Senior Diversity Officer (liaison to the Board of Trustees and responsible for system-level oversight through the Antiracism Working Group) and the Vice President for Human Resources (responsible for staff hiring, retention, and training). The Associate Provost will also collaborate with all other members of the Provost's Cabinet, the Office of the Ombuds, and diversity and inclusion professionals across the schools and colleges.
Specific Responsibilities
The Associate Provost for Community and Inclusion will work closely and collaboratively with University leaders, faculty, staff, and students on the following portfolio of responsibilities:
Developing policies, procedures, programs, and initiatives - particularly those targeted at faculty recruitment, retention, and professional development - to ensure BU's inclusive excellence and attention to diversity among its academic appointees.
- Support faculty search and recruitment efforts in developing strategies and resources for enriching applicant pools, raising awareness of and minimizing implicit bias in building and assessing candidate pools, and work collaboratively with deans and departments to recruit outstanding underrepresented candidates to BU.
- Develop a long term mentoring vision and professional development program to increase the success and retention of underrepresented faculty at all ranks.
Nurturing a campus-wide culture of inclusion and positive climate.
- Establish programs and initiatives to foster campus-wide awareness of and commitment to the goals embodied in Boston University's Statement on Diversity , including programs that elevate the sensitivity of faculty to issues of racial and ethnic difference, diversity, and inclusion.
- Serve as a resource for faculty with concerns about inclusiveness and work with faculty, chairs, deans and the Provost to develop and sustain an inclusive culture within departments and schools.
Enhancing and expanding diversity pathways for students and emerging faculty.
- Work to develop, strengthen and initiate programs across the undergraduate and graduate curricula and experience to attract and retain underrepresented students at Boston University and explore collaborative efforts with other institutions.
Supporting meaningful curricular and co-curricular initiatives on issues related to campus climate, inclusion and student learning.
- Act as a resource and stimulus to ensure attention to the diversity objectives of the BU Hub , the University-wide general education program.
- Develop an understanding of student concerns about diversity and inclusion in the classroom and serve as a bridge to the faculty.
- Serve as an advisor and a vital link to faculty, staff and student groups that promote and explore diversity in all its forms.
Developing, maintaining and reporting on metrics of accountability toward goals.
- In partnership with the Senior Diversity Officer and Vice President for Human Resources, work closely with the Office of Institutional Research to maintain data on diversity, develop new metrics as needed, and prepare and deliver reports to campus stakeholders.
- Oversee Affirmative Action reporting and the dissemination and discussion of data for use in faculty recruitment.
Managing, supporting, and assessing the work carried out by staff in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and associated Community and Inclusion initiatives.
- Supervise the Diversity & Inclusion team and the Directors of related Community & Inclusion centers, including the Newbury Center for first-generation students, the LGBTQIA+ Center for Faculty and Staff, and the Arts Initiative.
- Establish a strategy and vision for the Community and Inclusion team and ensure progress toward those goals.
The Associate Provost will preferably possess an advanced degree (ideally, an earned doctorate, JD, or equivalent terminal degree) and a strong academic sensibility; it would be desirable to have an accomplished record of teaching and scholarship that may warrant an academic appointment.
The successful candidate will have:
- a deep knowledge of theory and practice with respect to organizational diversity and inclusion, identity development, training, institutional policy and procedure creation, and fostering change in a complex organizational setting;
- mastery of diversity issues specific to faculty recruitment and retention, access and equity, as well as the legal framework and best practices with regard to affirmative action and strategies designed to foster workplace and workforce diversity;
- knowledge of the culture of higher education, including shared governance, tenure and promotion, diversity in the curriculum, the nature of campus climate and politics, and the unique needs of different constituencies in the university community;
- an excellent track record in managing change and proven experience as an organizational leader and program builder, particularly around initiatives that promote diversity, equity, access, inclusion, community, and dialogue around social justice;
- sophisticated relational abilities and influencing skills, strong emotional intelligence, and superior communication skills, both verbal and written;
- a track record of engaging with a diverse set of stakeholders, and a commitment to working collaboratively to craft a shared vision and sense of common purpose. Must be able to coach, mentor, and inspire colleagues.
Application Process
Confidential review of applications will begin immediately. For consideration, applicants should submit a letter addressing their interests and qualifications as well as a current CV or resume. Please submit applications to: cisearch@bu.edu.
Candidates will be asked to provide references after preliminary review and screening; references will be contacted only with the expressed consent of the candidate. While nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials before March 21, 2022 to assure full consideration.
Boston University is committed to fostering a diverse University community within a supportive and respectful environment. We believe that the diversity of our faculty, students, and staff is essential to our success as a leading research university with a global reach, and that diversity is an integral component of institutional excellence. We strongly encourage nominations, applications, and expressions of interest from all qualified individuals who share our goals.
Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the employment application, please contact the BU Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796 or eoo@bu.edu.
Please note all newly hired staff and faculty, will need to be in compliance with Boston University's COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions). For further information on the University's response to COVID-19, please visit the Back2BU site.
