Qualities and Qualifications

Effective leadership is the key to success for the next President of the University, who must personify a future for Valpo that is ambitious, aspirational, and optimistic.  The new President will articulate and lead the execution of an ambitious strategic plan, a process that will require a deep understanding of higher education, resonance with the University’s Lutheran traditions and ethos, and the executive skills necessary to the task.

The new President of the University will possess the deep theological and spiritual insights necessary to lead an institution in which conversations about the confluence of faith and intellect are frequent, passionate, and intrinsically valued.  The new President will be a person who believes in and lives the central values and tenets of Lutheranism.

That the new President will be a person of unquestioned integrity is a sine qua non.  The new President must possess considerable interpersonal skills as evidenced by a track record as a relationship-builder both internally and externally.  Outstanding communications skills are critical, including strong listening skills and the ability to advocate appropriately and successfully in both private and public settings.  The new President will be a person of excellent judgment, with decisiveness, the courage of convictions, substantial creativity (especially in problem solving), and a personal and professional outlook that includes a sense of humor.

An absolute requirement is significant knowledge of, personal connection to, and profound respect for the vocation and the work of faculty and their partnership with students in the academic and scholarly process.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• a record of progressively responsible management and leadership experience, preferably in higher education, combined with a strong team orientation and the proven ability to enlist and to delegate to high-performing personnel;
• personal familiarity – and preferably direct, personal experience – with the work of a tenured faculty, including an appreciation for academic freedom and the traditional requirements for tenure and promotion;
• experience in raising funds from individual donors, private and non-profit sources, government, corporations and foundations;
• a student-centered approach to higher education;
• an earned terminal degree and a personal history of teaching and scholarship;
• experience building a visionary strategic plan and linking that plan successfully to tactics and financial resources;
• an abiding commitment to a highly integrated and mutually-supportive campus environment;
• a track record of direct, personal involvement in enrollment management and alumni affairs; and
• knowledge of best practices in higher education.

Candidates whose professional background and personal qualities reflect a less traditional path to the presidency of a university will be considered.