HOBART and WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES

LEADERSHIP PROFILE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

AND SENIOR DEAN OF FACULTY

HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES:

An Overview

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MISSION “Hobart and William Smith Colleges are a student-centered learning environment, globally focused, grounded in the values of equity and service, developing citizens who will lead in the 21st century.”

LIVES OF CONSEQUENCE.

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Synopsis Hobart and William Smith are selective, residential,

liberal arts colleges defined by a focus on educating

across traditional academic disciplines and the close

work of research and creativity that connects faculty and

students. With a strong commitment to diversity, the Colleges have

a distinguished history of interdisciplinary teaching and

scholarship, curricular innovation and exceptional

outcomes. Sixty percent of HWS students study abroad

and all participate in community service.

Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region in

Geneva, N.Y., Hobart and William Smith enjoy a 320-

acre campus on the shore of Seneca Lake. With a

population of 13,000, Geneva was recently named an All-

America City. Founded as two separate colleges (Hobart for men in

1822 and William Smith for women in 1908), Hobart and

William Smith students share the same campus, faculty,

administration and curriculum. Each College maintains

its own traditions, deans, student government and

athletic department, providing students with innovative,

21st century construct to interrogate gender and difference.

“...students

share the same

campus, faculty,

administration

and curriculum.”

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History When John Henry Hobart, bishop of the Episcopal

Diocese of New York, visited Geneva in 1818 he

recognized that the bustling lakeside village was an ideal

place to build what he called an “outpost for civilized and

learned behavior”. Offering a classical education for men,

Geneva College opened in 1822 and was renamed in

Hobart’s honor in 1852, remaining strongly affiliated with

the Episcopal Church until the mid-20th century.

William Smith College was founded in 1908 by William

Smith, a Geneva nurseryman and philanthropist.

Considering how best to transform his wealth into

opportunity for others, Smith was influenced by his

friendships with local suffragists who encouraged him to

found a nondenominational, liberal arts college dedicated

to educating women broadly, not just vocationally.

By 1941, all students were taking classes together. In the

late 1960s, the curriculum changed significantly from an

intensive study of Western Civilization toward broad and

goal-oriented requirements. The Colleges were among

the first in the nation to offer programs in women’s

studies, African American studies and LGBT studies.

Bishop John Henry Hobart

William Smith

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HWS Today There is an entrepreneurial spirit at HWS that has existed for

generations and has gained momentum in the past two decades.

Through a series of five-year strategic plans and the recent

completion of a successful campaign, Hobart and William Smith

have made thoughtful and deliberate advances across key

objectives improving academic excellence, intensifying student

engagement, adding and improving facilities, advancing financial

stability and expanding access.

Faculty and staff alike have a strong ethic of piloting and scaling

innovative ideas in curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular

realms. Identifying, supporting and removing roadblocks to ideas

and implementation will be an important focus of the new Vice

President.

In an academic environment that cultivates strong partnerships

between faculty and students, and that prizes intellectual agility

and experiential learning, students are encouraged to see the

world from multiple perspectives. They learn to examine and

evaluate facts and phenomena, discern patterns and arguments,

and understand and form connections between ideas, issues and

values. By sharing discoveries, interpretations and analyses,

students become creative and critical thinkers and

communicators.

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Money Magazine (2016):

HWS named among the

“50 Best Liberal Arts

Colleges.”

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New President In July 2017, the Colleges welcomed its 27th President, Dr. Gregory J. Vincent.

Vincent is a 1983 graduate of Hobart College and a national expert in civil

rights, social justice and campus culture. Prior to joining HWS as president,

Vincent served at The University of Texas at Austin as vice president for

diversity and community engagement, W.K. Kellogg Professor of Community

College Leadership and Professor of Law. At UT-Austin, he presided over the

university’s division of diversity and community engagement. In 2016, Vincent

played a major role in the case of Fisher v. University of Texas, in which the

Supreme Court ruled to uphold the use of affirmative action in higher education.

In addition to a law degree, Vincent holds a doctorate in higher education

administration and served as assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at

the University of Wisconsin-Madison, vice provost for academic affairs and

campus diversity and law professor at Louisiana State University, and vice

provost for institutional equity and diversity and law professor at the University

of Oregon.

Vincent was charged by the Board of Trustees to bring bold and transformative

leadership to the Colleges. During his first year in office he has engaged in

administrative restructuring to improve collaboration and communication across

leadership, engaged in vigorous budget reallocation, and laid strategic

groundwork for the future development of the Colleges, including a robust

enrollment management strategy and coordinated focus on student success,

retention and graduation.

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Facts 10:1

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

46 majors and 68 minors

14 Number of Fulbright recipients in two years

16 Average Class Size

100% Of students participate in community service

60% Of students study abroad in 50 locations

80% Of the Classes of 2015 had an internship or

research opportunity

23 National athletic championships

22,000 Alumni and Alumnae

3 Degrees offered (B.A., B.S., M.A.T.)

45% Of enrolled students who applied Early Decision

96% Of students receive some form of financial aid

(need and merit)

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The Academic

Program Hobart and William Smith recently completed a

multiyear process to review and revise the curriculum.

The updated curriculum, which has begun its

implementation phase with the classes of 2020, adopts

“Explore, Collaborate, Act” as an animating principle for

common and engaged discourse. With an emphasis on

writing enrichment, the revised curriculum also includes a

First Year Seminar experience and the requirement of a

capstone experience in every major.

Critical thinking and communication comprise the

foundation of the HWS education. All students develop

the ability to articulate a question, identify and gain

access to appropriate information, organize and present

evidence, and construct complex, elegant, and

persuasive arguments in written, oral and visual forms.

The 230-member faculty includes 186 tenure line and

approximately 40 visiting faculty members. The faculty is

strong and engaged in innovative interdisciplinary

teaching and high quality scholarship and creative work.

It is justifiably proud of its many successes in nationally

and internationally recognized research, its ability to

attract extramural funding, and its capacity to engage

students in scholarly projects. Ninety-seven percent of

HWS faculty members have a Ph.D. or terminal degree.

Princeton Review ranked the HWS faculty 18th in the

nation in 2018.

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Top Majors

Economics

Media & Society

Psychology

Political Science

Biology

Environmental Studies

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Distinctive Curricular and Co-

Curricular Programs Center for Teaching and Learning

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers a variety of support and

enrichment programs to students: Teaching Fellows support students’

coursework in 12 departments; the Quantitative Reasoning—or “Q”—Fellows

assist with mathematical processes in any course; the Writing Fellows guide

students through the writing process; and Study Mentors give support with

time management and study skills. CTL also has a wide array of enrichment

and support opportunities for faculty, including Faculty Learning Communities,

writing retreats, classroom observation and feedback, and one-on-one

consultations.

Centennial Center for Leadership

The Centennial Center for Leadership (CCL) provides a learning-centered

environment to develop global, community and entrepreneurial leaders who

are grounded in the Colleges’ core values of equity and service. Dedicated

in 2007 in conjunction with the William Smith Centennial, CCL has become a

point of distinction for the Colleges offering noted programs such as the annual

Stu Lieblein ‘90 Pitch Contest, HWS Leads leadership program, Beyond

Borders global leadership program, the two-day Leadership Institute, HWS

IdeaLab and most recently, the Hackathon, a 24-hour social innovation

workshop.

Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning HWS is

committed to learning through service, educating students who are civically

engaged, and graduating citizens who are active in their communities. The

Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL) focuses

on creating a sustained, engaged relationship with the Geneva community,

promoting positive community change and enhancing student learning.

Collectively, HWS students contribute more than 80,000 hours of service and

engagement annually to local, national and international communities, and

generating approximately $110,000 in fundraising efforts for non-profit organizations.

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The Finger Lakes Institute is dedicated to the promotion of

environmental research and education about

the Finger Lakes and surrounding

environments. In collaboration with regional

environmental partners, and state and local

government offices, the institute fosters

environmentally sound development

practices throughout the region, and

disseminates accumulated knowledge to the

public.

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Center for Global Education Center for Global Education

Delivering dynamic academic experiences around the world, Hobart and William Smith

are ranked first in the nation for study abroad opportunities and global programming by

Princeton Review. While the national average is 2%, at HWS, 60% of students study

abroad in more than 50 programs on six continents. The nationally recognized Center for

Global Education provides a range of abroad programs, including HWS faculty-led

abroad programs. The Colleges also offer programs like the Charles H. Salisbury

Summer International Internship Stipend, which enables students to explore their futures

through internships at leading companies and organizations worldwide.

Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education

The Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education

is an early pioneer in collaborating with internal and external partners to assist students

in realizing their career objectives. The Center offers a developmental approach called

Pathways that guides students as they assess their interests, values and skills. Through

Pathways, students research careers, spend time with professionals in the career they

are pursuing, take backstage tours of career fields and secure internships

and jobs. Because Hobart and William Smith recognize how important an internship is in

determining career direction, students of good academic and social standing who have

successfully completed the Pathways Program, are guaranteed one internship or

research opportunity.

The Fisher Center for the Study of Women and Men The Fisher Center brings

together faculty, students and experts in gender-related fields in the arts, humanities, and

social and natural sciences to foster mutual understanding and social justice in

contemporary society. The Center supports curricular, programmatic and scholarly

projects that address democratic ideals of equity, mutual respect and common interest in

relations between men and women.

The Peter Trias Residency

The Peter Trias Residency at Hobart and William Smith Colleges is designed to give

distinguished poets and fiction writers time to write. Academic expectations allow for

sustained interaction with the Colleges’ best students while providing the freedom

necessary to produce new work. Residents are active, working artists whose presence

contributes to the intellectual environment of the Colleges and Geneva. The Residency

includes a visiting writers’ series.

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Student Life

Students live and learn on campus in a vibrant environment that celebrates difference,

values collaboration and builds community. Shaped by students’ wide-ranging and

evolving interests, there are more than 90 student clubs with a variety of focus topics

including cultural, social justice and global awareness groups; the internationally ranked

Debate Team and the Koshare Dance Collective; and clubs dedicated to voter registration,

public affairs, space exploration, art appreciation and Ultimate Frisbee among many

others.

The Colleges offer single gender and co-ed traditional residence halls, townhouses,

fraternities and small themed houses where students share activities around a similar

interest or cause. Nearly all students live on campus with some exceptions made for

seniors, married couples and life-long learners. Some residence halls are in historic

buildings overlooking Seneca Lake while others are new and nationally recognized for

their impact on student life. Hobart and William Smith is a leader in residential solutions

for transgendered students.

As early as 1840, fraternities have been a part of campus life and played a role in Hobart

College’s development and growth. Today eight fraternities are officially recognized by the

Colleges, including Alpha Phi Alpha, which joined campus in 2017; HWS also launched its

first sorority in 2017.

Spiritual Engagement

At Hobart and William Smith, the life of the spirit and the life of the mind need not be

separate or mutually exclusive, but, in fact, may be profoundly interrelated and rewarding.

The Office for Spiritual Engagement works to promote engagement with that

interrelationship through services, programming and spiritual support that provide

hospitality and advocacy for students of all religions and cultures.

Student Governance

Hobart College and William Smith College have separate student governments— William

Smith Congress and the Hobart Student Association—each with its own jurisdiction.

Together, they fund clubs and student events, and maintain several joint committees (e.g.

planning committee). Student governments also elect representatives to some faculty

committees. Each government consists of a legislative and a judicial branch, as well as

representatives to other administrative bodies.

Each year two students – one Hobart and one William Smith – are elected by their peers

to represent the student body as voting members of the Colleges’ Board of Trustees.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

Title IX—In 2015, the Colleges significantly expanded its Office for Title IX Programs and

Compliance. The office now includes a Title IX coordinator, Deputy Title IX

Coordinator, and a Prevention and Education Coordinator, increasing its outreach to

students and facilitating the timely resolution of cases.

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Athletics With more than 80% of HWS students participating in varsity sports, intramurals, club

sports or outdoor programs, students are encouraged to live active lives. Over the course

of the past two decades, the number of scholar-athletes has increased significantly. From

1952 to 1999, HWS boasted 12 Academic All-Americans, one of the most prestigious and

select awards programs for scholar-athletes. Since then, 25 HWS students have earned

the recognition, including the Colleges’ first Academic All-America of the Year.

Approximately 25% of the student population competes on one of the 23 varsity athletic

teams at the Colleges, all of which are Division III with the exception of the Division I

Hobart lacrosse team. Sailing is the only coed varsity sport. Since 1999, the Colleges

have collectively won more than 82 conference championships and four National

Championships. In addition, 18 club teams and 16 intramural sports are supplemented by

extensive recreation and wellness programs.

The Colleges enjoy outstanding facilities including the Caird Center for Sports and

Recreation equipped with a weight room, racquetball courts, new international-

competition squash courts, an aerobics/multi-purpose workout space and a

200-meter competitive track. The Caird Center also houses the Outdoor Recreation

Adventure office and rental center, locker rooms, and 71,000 square feet of field house

space for basketball, tennis and indoor field sports.

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Sustainability Environmental sustainability is a core value at HWS. With a unique program that allows

students and faculty to use campus and Geneva community as a laboratory to explore

environmental impact mitigation strategies, the HWS Sustainability Program

encourages students to link classroom learning to real world applications that play a

direct role in the environmental performance of the Colleges.

On the recommendation of students, HWS signed the American College & University

Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007. This made HWS a charter member of a

national effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In order to achieve climate

neutrality by 2025, the Colleges have completed several comprehensive greenhouse

gas inventories, cut energy consumption by more than 10%, and created robust

recycling and composting programs. Today, 100% of the Colleges’ electricity comes

from wind. More recently, HWS took another meaningful step toward climate neutrality

with the construction of two local solar farms, which will deliver 50% of the Colleges’

power. Once completed, the combined arrays will provide five megawatts of power, the

largest solar installation at any institution of higher education in New York State.

Nationally, the combined solar farm will be one of the top 10 solar projects on

campuses, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher

Education.

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Diversity and Inclusion

Hillel included HWS in its list of “Top 20 Small and Mighty Campuses of

Excellence.”

Through a robust study abroad program, a campus community with strong cultural

affiliations, and a curriculum that prizes inclusion, students form an appreciation for the

vivid diversity of humanity as they also seek connections within that diversity.

In 2016, the Colleges appointed the first Interim Chief Diversity Officer and formed a

committee of faculty, staff, students and trustees that completed a Strategic Diversity

Plan in 2017. The committee articulated issues and created plans of work toward a

campus community in which all members are valued. The Colleges anticipate

appointing their first Chief Diversity Officer in 2018.

The campus community offers a wide variety of academic and social events that reflect

and promote the cultural diversity of campus. There are currently more than 15 culture

clubs including Pride Alliance, Hillel, Asian Student Union, Sankofa, Women’s

Collective, Latin American Organization, and Caribbean Student Association. Each of

these clubs celebrates its identity with annual campus events like Take Back the Night,

the Caribbean Student Association’s Celebrate Diversity Dinner and the Black Student

Union Charity Ball.

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Enrollment and

Financial Aid

Hobart and William Smith Colleges enroll 2,241 full-time

students of whom 49.6% are men and 50.4% are

women. Students come from 40 states and 35

countries; 6.4% are international students and 15.5%

identify as domestic students of color.

For entrance in the fall of 2017 (the Classes of 2021),

the Colleges received 4,407 applications and accepted

64% of students to enroll a class of 636 new students.

Yield on acceptances was 23%. Almost 46% of the

class was enrolled through the Early Decision program,

and 29% of those students were rated for athletics.

Average SAT scores were 1220-1380 and the average

ACT was 27-31.

In the past two decades, Early Decision numbers have

gone from 17% to 45% today. One out of every five

current students hails from a legacy family, meaning

that a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin

also attended the Colleges.

Enrollment

2,241 full-time students

49.6% are men

50.4% are women

From 40 states and

35 countries

6.4% are international

students

15.5% identify as

domestic students

of color

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Advancement and Alumni

Relations

When students graduate from Hobart and William Smith, they join a network of more

than 20,000 alumni and alumnae across the United States and living in nearly every

country in the world. Concentrations of graduates in urban areas like New York City,

Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago offer

opportunities for HWS to translate the sense of community that students feel on

campus to post-graduation life. Approximately 24% of all HWS alums are graduates of

the last decade.

In a 2015 survey of alums 9 out of 10 would recommend the Colleges to a friend or

family member and 9 out of 10 alums say that the Colleges are “Effective” or “Extremely

Effective” at preparing students for the future, demonstrating the deep ties and abiding

satisfaction among the alum body.

Parents and alum constituencies are represented with robust volunteer structures that

include the Parents Executive Committee, the Hobart College Alumni Association and

William Smith Alumnae Association.

Campaign for the Colleges, which concluded in 2012, raised more than $205 million,

making it the largest fundraising effort in the Colleges’ history and impacting every

aspect of life at HWS including the academic program, student life, the endowment,

annual giving and facilities.

The 2016 fiscal year was among the best on record with the largest number of alumni

and alumnae donors in the past 15 years and record breaking attendance at Reunion

Weekend (June) and at Homecoming and Family Weekend (September). In total,

members of 76 classes, going as far back as 1934, made a gift during the 2016 fiscal

year.

Kiplinger Personal Finance (2016): HWS named to Kiplinger’s list of 100 Best

College Values.

Advancement Totals FY 15-16

Annual Fund Budget Relieving Total $3,752,094

Annual Fund Total Commitments $4,478,188

Donor Total 5,955

Alum Participation Rate 28.94%

Total Gift Income Received $12.01M

Total Cash and Commitments $26.77M

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Accreditation

In 2014, the Colleges received an outstanding accreditation report from the Middle

States Commission on Higher Education indicating that HWS fulfilled all standards and

characteristics of excellence. The last Middle States team reported that Hobart and

William Smith “have enhanced academic quality, expanded the faculty, improved

campus resources and facilities, strengthened its competitive position, completed a

successful $205 million campaign, contributed creatively to Geneva, developed

signature programs in co-curricular learning, and nurtured its tradition and engagement

of alums – all while weathering extremely well the national financial difficulties of the

past six years.”

In particular, the report praised the Colleges’ responsiveness to their last decennial

report and to the Periodic Review Report, citing progress in developing and fostering a

culture of assessment, noteworthy advancement in creating greater equity in student

council and judicial processes, success in offering students significant learning

opportunities outside the classroom, the exceptional investment in its relationship with

the city of Geneva, and a genuine culture of respect and appreciation among and

across key constituencies.

As we approach the mid-point of the Middle States accreditation process, an initial task

of the new Vice President will be to guide the preparation of the Periodic Review

Report.

Princeton Review (2015): The Colleges were named one of the nation’s 50 best

colleges and universities for providing students with outstanding outcomes in its

guide Colleges That Create Futures: 50 Schools That Launch Careers by Going

Beyond the Classroom.

The Colleges were cited for excellence in academics and faculty engagement.

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Finances and Operating Budget

In August 2016, Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) affirmed its “A” long-term

rating and underlying rating on Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ outstanding fixed

rate bonds and its AA+ rating on the Colleges’ variable rate bonds. The report cited a

very strong enterprise profile characterized by historically stable enrollment and

moderate selectivity, sound student quality, and a strong financial profile.

In addition, S&P maintained its stable outlook for HWS reflecting their assessment of

the Colleges’ ability to successfully manage their finances and operations. S&P

explains: “The stable outlook reflects our expectation that management will maintain at

least break-even GAAP operating performance, continue to increase financial resource

ratios, and stabilize demand in the next two years.”

The operating budget for fiscal year 2017 is $104 million.

Net tuition revenue funds more than 60% of the operating budget.

At the close of the 2016 fiscal year, the fair value of Hobart and William Smith Colleges’

endowment investments was approximately $187.2 million.

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Governance and Administration

The Colleges are governed by a 36-member Board of Trustees, most of whom are

alumni and alumnae. The Board includes the President and four student Trustees, two

with voting privileges. In addition, 19 honorary trustees provide historical knowledge and

guidance. The Board of Trustees is engaged deeply in the success of the Colleges and

meets three times a year, typically on campus. The Board of Trustees has fiduciary

responsibility for the Colleges, oversees matters of policy and strategic vision, selects

and reviews the performance of the President of the Colleges and is empowered to

appoint board committees and to elect board officers.

Like most liberal arts colleges and universities, Hobart and William Smith work under a

shared governance system in which the faculty actively participate in decision-making,

weighing in on issues from the adoption and assessment of new academic programs to

information technology resources, library services, faculty hiring and the tenure

process. To undertake this work, the faculty at Hobart and William Smith use a

committee structure that, although revised over the decades to meet the changing

needs of the Colleges, can be traced back to at least the 1930s.

The faculty follow bylaws to govern themselves. Principal faculty committees include

the Committee on the Faculty, Committee on Academic Affairs, Committee on Tenure

and Promotion, and Committee on Standards. Of the 11 standing committees that make

up the backbone of faculty governance at HWS, the Committee on the Faculty has what

is arguably the broadest mandate: oversight of the policies and practices associated

with academic freedom, research, faculty workload, faculty working conditions and

faculty compensation. The committee also provides input on the budget, policy, faculty

recruitment, retention, and tenure and promotion policy, although promotion reviews are

heard by a separate Committee on Tenure and Promotion.

Facilities |

Hobart and William Smith Colleges sit in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the

country. A carefully designed campus master plan and the efforts of talented grounds

keeping staff create a campus of incomparable beauty, with modern facilities nestled

near structures that have served faculty and students for nearly two centuries. Over the

past two decades and guided by the strategic planning process, Hobart and William

Smith have experienced a period of unprecedented growth and expansion of the

physical plant, constructing six new buildings and renovating dozens of others.

In January 2016, the Colleges celebrated the grand opening of the Gearan Center for

the Performing Arts, an extraordinary 65,000-square-foot facility named in honor of

outgoing President Mark D. Gearan and Mary Herlihy Gearan that brings together

music, dance, theatre, and media and society in a unified academic space. Made

possible thanks to the generosity of countless alumni, alumnae and friends of the

Colleges, the facility is the largest capital project in the history of HWS.

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Geneva, N.Y.

A city of 13,000 in the heart of the Finger Lakes,

Geneva is experiencing a renaissance due in

large part to increased tourism and a growing

number of highly regarded regional wineries. In

a geographic area known for its natural

splendor, the region played important roles in

the Women’s Rights Movement and the

Underground Railroad.

Rich in history and natural beauty, Geneva’s

size, location, diversity and opportunities make

it big enough for students to examine the real-

world applications of a variety of fields of study yet small enough to propose solutions

and put them in action. Under the guidance of faculty and community partners, students

create meaningful change and learn how to scale that change to advance the common

good in other communities around the nation and the world.

The City of Geneva and Town of Geneva team with the Colleges on projects important to

the future of the area. For example, in 2015 and in partnership with the Colleges,

Geneva was named an All-America City and in 2016 won a competitive $10M grant as

part of New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

HWS has also partnered with the Geneva City School District on an initiative called

Geneva 2020 which seeks to harness the resources of the Colleges and the entire

Geneva community to provide assistance in key areas identified by the school district

as being critical to the future of Geneva’s children. With the goal of ensuring that

students in the local community graduate from high school with the skills needed to

effectively pursue college and careers, the program has helped move the local high

school graduation rate from 70.7% in 2010 to 87.6% in 2016.

Dotted with eye-catching historic structures, Geneva’s downtown district is home to

many unique shops, services and cafés. At the heart of downtown Geneva is The Smith

Opera House, among the oldest operating theatres in the United States. Throughout the

year, The Smith hosts music, theater, dance and other cultural events. Hobart and

William Smith is a proud sponsor of Geneva Concerts, a concert series that annually

brings esteemed dance and music performers to the region.

Geneva is located approximately one hour’s drive from Rochester, Syracuse and Ithaca,

N.Y.

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The Opportunity

Hobart and William Smith Colleges invite nominations and expressions of

interest for the position of:

Vice President of Academic Affairs and Senior Dean of Faculty

Overview |

Hobart and William Smith Colleges is an institution with the momentum, energy and

drive to build on a record of success. The Colleges’ history of effective strategic

planning and execution informed by community-wide engagement has enabled HWS to

focus on critical issues during a time of unprecedented change in higher education. The

2005 strategic plan evolved into Campaign for the Colleges and mapped growth of the

student body to more than 2,000 students while maintaining the student-to-faculty ratio,

supported the completion of new and renovated capital projects, an increased

endowment, and sustained annual giving. The planned growth of the student body was

achieved one year in advance of the five-year goal, and the growth in new faculty

achieved two years in advance. Its most recent strategic plan, HWS 2015, revisited the

Colleges’ campus master plan and identified a new set of capital priorities, along with

three main theme areas: Liberal Arts in the 21st Century, Community, and Inclusive

Excellence.

The Role of the Vice President/Senior Dean of Faculty |

Hobart and William Smith seeks an inspiring leader who will work in partnership with the

Colleges’ new president, leadership and faculty to develop and implement a clear,

innovative and distinctive academic vision for liberal arts education that serves society

and advances the Colleges’ pursuit of excellence. The Vice President of Academic

Affairs is the chief academic officer of the Colleges, providing intellectual leadership for

all academic departments and multi-disciplinary programs and for the Colleges as a

whole. The Vice President is the chief advocate for academic excellence on behalf of

the faculty and the Colleges to both internal and external constituents. In the joint role of

Senior Dean of Faculty, this leader supports faculty, other academic personnel, and

academic budgets. Areas reporting to this position include the Warren Hunting Smith

Library, Sponsored Programs, Office of the Registrar, and Institutional Research and

Planning.

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Appointed by and responsible to the President, the Vice President is a member of the

President’s senior leadership team and works collaboratively across the institution to

ensure implementation of long- and short-range institutional plans and policies. Working

with the Colleges’ 230 faculty, the Colleges’ leadership and staff, the Vice President

ensures the Colleges’ academic programs are appropriately supported, funded, and

delivered. In addition, the Vice President is responsible for:

• Developing and administering the academic budget

• Articulating and advocating for academic excellence

• Supporting and overseeing curriculum development, review and

implementation

• Collaborating with and supporting faculty members on departmental,

curricular, academic, and personnel matters

• Providing support and leadership in faculty development in all areas of faculty

work including scholarship, teaching and community leadership

• Working effectively and collaboratively with faculty governance

• Ensuring excellence in evaluating and hiring new faculty colleagues

• Providing mentoring and support for Departmental/Program chairs

• Overseeing the promotion and tenure process, and making decisions within that

process

• Ensuring effective collection and communication of institutional data

• Overseeing and ensuring effective assessment and accreditation processes

• Providing academic connection and support to Office of Information Technology,

Digital Learning Center, Office of Admissions, Office of Advancement

• Collaborating with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to support and model the

Colleges’ values

• Collaborating with the Dean of the Colleges to ensure integration across all areas

of the student experience

• Working effectively with the academic leadership team and faculty to ensure

smooth scheduling, registration and enrollment processes

• Developing and implementing academic and faculty policies, and striking an

effective appropriate balance between policy, process and efficiency

• Ensuring appropriate compliance of the Colleges’ academic programs, policies,

and practices

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Opportunities and Expectations

for Leadership

Hobart and William Smith Colleges claim a distinctive niche in higher education. The

Colleges’ proud, progressive history provides a strong foundation for leadership in the

national conversation on the future of the liberal arts and on the role of education in our

society and the value of educated adults in our world. Its historic commitment to equity,

social justice and stewardship of human and environmental resources provides a robust

framework for imagining an HWS education for the 21st Century that is relevant for the

most pressing issues of our times. The Colleges seek a Vice President who can work

with the President, Dean of the Colleges, Vice President of Campus Life, Chief Diversity

Officer, faculty, staff and other constituents to carry out a bold, innovative plan for the

Colleges’ future.

The new Vice President will be asked to address the following critical leadership issues,

among others:

Strategic

Leading change – The unprecedented changes impacting Hobart and William Smith,

the entire higher education sector and society at large are forcing leadership teams to

cope with new variables and scrutinize choices or commitments once thought

unassailable. This dynamic environment requires an academic leader who can engage

all stakeholders in evaluating data, examining options and making decisions for the

long-term benefit of the institution. Given their strong academic reputation, stable

enrollment, beautiful location and unique characteristics, Hobart and William Smith

Colleges are in a better position than many to weather today’s unpredictable

environment. Nonetheless, visionary leadership will be required to make bold moves

that will attract outstanding students and faculty and refine the mission of providing

excellent liberal arts education for the 21st Century. The Colleges seek a Vice President

who can lead change, strengthen the organization to withstand and succeed in a

shifting landscape, and embrace the future with courage, creativity and conviction.

Modeling inclusive culture – Cultural mobility is the new normal in our global society

and at the Colleges. The Colleges seek in all their leaders the ability to help the

community think and plan strategically about what it means to be a socially engaged,

diverse, and inclusive institution in a world increasingly defined by policy, rules and

regulations. A Diversity and Inclusion Task force was formed in 2015 to elevate and

focus campus-wide discussions about race, gender identity, inclusion, equity,

socioeconomics and empowerment so that the Colleges can visibly and substantially

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reflect their values in their programs, policies and structures. A Chief Diversity Officer

will be appointed in 2018. The next Vice President will be expected collaborate closely

with the CDO and to join and lead these and other conversations as they accelerate

and broaden this work with the community with the goal of integrating diversity and

inclusiveness in academics and all areas of the Colleges.

Programmatic/Academic

Academic excellence – The Colleges’ future must be defined, first and foremost, by

academic strength and outstanding education. The new Vice President will play a

critical role in promoting and encouraging a culture of intellectual and academic inquiry

and engagement that anticipates and responds to the evolving challenges of the 21st

Century. Building on the Colleges’ intellectual and artistic strengths and with a clear

commitment to liberal arts education, the Vice President is responsible for supporting,

valuing, enhancing and celebrating excellence in teaching and scholarship. Long

serving faculty are keenly interested in ways the Colleges’ can expand their continued

intellectual development, and the Colleges’ substantial investment in faculty recruitment

over the past decade has introduced a large cadre of newly tenured or about to be

tenured faculty with ambitious, innovative ideas that need financial, intellectual, and

professional support. The new Vice President needs to engage faculty across the

institution in their expectations and needs for development, as well as to lead efforts to

connect faculty effectively to each other to encourage new ways of thinking.

Academic vision – The Colleges are strong across the full range of the liberal arts with

the most popular majors being economics, media & society, psychology, political

science, biology and environmental studies. In 2016, a revised curriculum was voted in

by the faculty that adopts the animating principle “Explore, Collaborate, Act.” This

curriculum requires all students to complete an interdisciplinary first-year seminar, a

major and minor, and address six aspirational goals that ensure a broad liberal arts

education for all graduates. This revised curriculum guides students to greater

intellectual agility by emphasizing critical reading, writing and thinking through key

components such as writing-enrichment and a capstone experience for all majors.

Students have the responsibility and flexibility to craft their own paths while

experiencing the power of thinking across traditional academic boundaries with faculty

committed to this transformation. The new Vice President will be asked to support the

development and delivery of this curriculum through implementation of the Writing

Enriched Curriculum initiative, reinvigoration of the First-Year program and refined

major and minor programs. The Vice President will also provide support for the faculty

who deliver it.

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Faculty engagement – The Colleges’ faculty believe deeply in the principles and

values of shared governance. They look for the Vice President to articulate the role of

faculty in shared governance and support ways that faculty can engage more effectively

with leadership on tackling the Colleges’ challenges and building on its strengths. The

Vice President will look for ways to encourage and support innovative teaching and

research. The Vice President must invest a significant amount of energy and effort into

getting to know this faculty and building respectful, trusting relationships.

External relationships

Constituent relations – Relationships with alums, parents, and the Geneva community

are extraordinarily productive and mutually rewarding. Alums and parents are deeply

engaged in the Colleges’ and expect its leaders to welcome and support their

engagement. The Colleges’ Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning is

a leader in the field promoting positive community change and enhanced student

learning. The Geneva Partnership between the Colleges and the City of Geneva was

created to increase community engagement and develop graduates who will be agents

for change in their own communities. This valued connection between the Colleges and

Geneva is a remarkable differentiator and offers potential for further exploration. Within

the region, the Colleges is one of the largest employers and an important cultural,

intellectual, social and economic asset. It is vital that the new Vice President be

engaged both on and off campus to represent the academic mission to all constituent

groups.

Strategic partnerships – Hobart and William Smith is a founding member of the New

York Six Liberal Arts Consortium, which also includes Colgate, Hamilton, Skidmore, St.

Lawrence and Union colleges. Established with the support of The Andrew W. Mellon

Foundation, the Consortium facilitates collaboration among its member institutions in

fulfilling their educational missions and serving the public good. Through the sharing of

expertise and resources, the Consortium enhances options for students, faculty and

staff, while reducing colleges’ individual and collective operating and capital costs.

Increasingly, colleges like Hobart and William Smith are seeking collaborative

partnerships and alliances with other colleges, universities and other organizations. The

Vice President must bring innovative ideas that will strengthen the consortium and

HWS’s place within it.

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Resources, Planning and Positioning

Planning – The past two decades have seen significant growth and success for the

Colleges. The institution has expanded its academic reach and advanced its reputation

as a prominent liberal arts institution. By strengthening the Colleges’ financial resources

and increasing its fund-raising range, Hobart and William Smith have transformed the

physical campus, adding and expanding facilities while also increasing access and

opportunity for students with an expansion of financial aid. The Colleges have made

significant commitments to diversity and inclusion, propelled the Colleges’

environmental sustainability efforts, and grown programming in civic engagement,

career services, leadership, study abroad and student services. Expanding

commitments coupled with planned new initiatives have increased demands on faculty,

staff, facilities and budget.

The Vice President will be expected to help guide the institution through thoughtful

discussions and decisions about academic and institutional priorities, resource

alignment and effective organizational systems, policies and infrastructure. Included in

the discussion will be how faculty can contribute more effectively to planning and

decision making. The institution seeks a Vice President who can lead more effective

data analytics, communication and engagement in strategic conversations and

decisions.

Enrollment and retention – Over the course of the past two decades, interest in an

HWS education has intensified, reflecting efforts by the Colleges to capitalize on

distinctive programs of global study, career development, service and leadership

programs. Enrollment has increased by 20 percent in eight years and net tuition reserve

has increased by 40 percent. Approximately 46 percent of applicants choose to apply

as Early Decision candidates. Of particular note is that approximately 25 percent of

each entering class is comprised of student athletes, a reflection of the critical role

athletics plays in outreach and recruitment for HWS as well as the significant presence

of athletics in student life. The Colleges’ partnerships with the Posse Foundation and

the New York State Higher Education Opportunities Program have resulted in an

increasingly diverse and high achieving student body. At the same time, the Colleges

are planning for changing national demographics and families’ concerns about

affordability and return on investment with their ability to meet institutional goals related

to student quality, diversity and increasing net revenue. The Colleges are successful in

retaining and graduating students at levels that outperform predictions, yet there is

room for improvement. An institutional strategy focused on recruiting students with

qualities most likely to make them successful at HWS and increased collaboration with

retention efforts will ensure successful progress. The new Vice President will need to

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support an inclusive, comprehensive data-driven strategy whose academic components

support enrollment and retention goals. The new Vice President will need to support

efforts to define and sharpen the distinctive advantages of a Hobart and William Smith

education, raising visibility and making the case for the substantial return on investment

afforded graduates through its particular approach to education.

The Vice President will be expected to help guide the institution through thoughtful

discussions and decisions about academic and institutional priorities, resource

alignment and effective organizational systems, policies and infrastructure. Included in

the discussion will be how faculty can contribute more effectively to planning and

decision making. The institution seeks a Vice President who can lead more effective

data utilization, communication and engagement in strategic conversations and

decisions.

Sustainable financial model – As a tuition-driven institution, Hobart and William Smith

rely considerably on robust enrollment and careful management of resources to fund

operations. Endowment income is modest compared to the Colleges’ peer group. An

extensive Campus Master Plan was developed in 2016 to guide investment in facilities.

A period of strong enrollment growth has taxed the institution’s capacity in residence

halls, classrooms and athletic fields. Deferred maintenance has been strategically

funded, yet some of the Colleges’ buildings need significant updating, renovation or

replacement to maintain competitive advantage and support the Colleges’ academic

programs. The Board, President and senior leadership team are deeply engaged in

evaluating current and new financial models that will support the 21st Century residential

liberal arts college while adapting to and embracing new ways of growing the

endowment and increasing net revenue. A major capital campaign will be launched

within the year to raise funds to support the Colleges’ aspirations and strategic

priorities. The new Vice President will play a key role in articulating those priorities to

both internal and external audiences.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities |

The next Vice President for Academic Affairs and Senior Dean of the Faculty must

demonstrate significant leadership capabilities and accomplishments; a distinguished

record of scholarship, teaching, and service; an earned doctoral (or disciplinarily

appropriate terminal) degree and qualifications for tenure in one of the Colleges’

departments. The successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding of and

commitment to excellence in undergraduate liberal arts education.

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess most if not all of the following professional

qualifications and personal characteristics:

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Qualifications

Record of exceptional leadership that indicates:

• Proven ability to engage the community in developing an academic vision that aligns

with capability, capacity and resources

• Ability to assess risk, make tough decisions and lead change with fiscal

sophistication and savvy, and the ability to innovate while working effectively and

efficiently within resource constraints

• Enthusiasm for and understanding of the academic enterprise, a commitment to

enhancing academic excellence, and knowledge of and appreciation for teaching,

learning and the life of the mind, research, scholarship and creative works, and

student life and success

• Inspiring communication skills effective with multiple audiences; ability to listen and

to lead authentic conversations

• A leadership and management style that utilizes positive influence, encouragement,

facilitation, and engagement to set direction and move forward

• A demonstrated commitment to and achievement in advancing diversity and

inclusion; ability to create and model an environment of respect for all voices

• A deep respect; ability to be a vigorous and effective spokesperson and advocate

for the Colleges and its faculty externally

• A commitment to and experience with developing and engaging faculty leaders,

facilitating collaboration in planning and problem solving

• Curiosity and genuine interest a broad range of disciplines

• Experience with assessment, program review, curricular development, faculty

hiring and evaluation

• The ability to encourage, support, and implement innovative ideas

• Facility in using data and assessment to inform institutional decision-making

• An understanding of and appreciation for technology and its ability to enhance

the academic enterprise and experience

• A commitment to the value of community engagement and meaningful local and

global participation

• A commitment to shared governance including direct experience successfully

moving agendas forward in collaboration with faculty governance; openness to

different viewpoints and disciplinary thinking

• Enthusiasm for the important role that athletics plays in the undergraduate liberal

arts educational experience

• Potential to be a national thought leader and institutional reputation builder

• Collaborative, engaged and solution-oriented leadership style with demonstrated

ability to be part of a team of equals

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Procedure for Candidacy

For fullest consideration, applications must be received by March 26, 2018 with

appointment to begin before the fall semester 2018. Nominations, expressions of

interest and requests for further information should be sent electronically to Lucy A.

Leske or Veena Abraham, J.D., the Witt/Kieffer consultants assisting the Colleges with

this search, at HWS_VPAA@wittkieffer.com. Phone inquiries may be directed to 630-

575-6122.

Documents that must be mailed may be sent to HWS_VPAA@wittkieffer.com.

Non Discrimination Statement

Hobart and William Smith Colleges are committed to providing a non-discriminatory and

harassment-free educational, living, and working environment for all members of the

HWS community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and visitors.

HWS prohibits discrimination and harassment in their programs and activities on the

basis of age, color, disability, domestic violence victim status, gender, gender

expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex,

sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law.

Discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual

assault, other forms of sexual misconduct including stalking and intimate partner

violence, and gender-based harassment that does not involve conduct of a sexual

nature.

The material presented in this leadership profile should be relied on for informational purposes only. This

material has been copied, compiled, or quoted in part from Hobart and William Smith Colleges documents

and personal interviews and is believed to be reliable. While every effort has been made to ensure the

accuracy of this information, the original source documents and factual situations govern.

All images and logos used in this leadership profile were attained from Hobart and William Smith

Colleges.