University of Illinois System

Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The University of Illinois System, established in 1867 and comprised of three universities at Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield, enrolls more than 94,000 students and has a sponsored research portfolio of more than $1.1 billion. The system is, in total, a $7.18 billion enterprise with an annual economic impact of more than $19 billion. The Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs (EVP & VPAA) is the senior academic and chief operating officer of the University of Illinois system, serving as advisor to the president on matters of educational policy; academic programs; enrollment; access; tuition, financial aid, and affordability; academic personnel actions; capital and operating budget developments, including the establishment of criteria for judgments as to priorities for resource allocation and multi-university initiatives; human resources; and on such other matters as the president may designate.  The EVP & VPAA is also responsible for the overall coordination of planning and budgeting across the University of Illinois system and works closely with academic and administrative leaders at each of the three universities and with University System officers.  As the senior academic and chief operating officer for the University of Illinois system, the EVP & VPAA leads the advancement of the academic enterprise, interacting frequently and substantively with system and university leaderships. The EVP & VPAA fosters shared governance by working closely with the University Senates Conference and representatives from each of the university faculty senates.  The EVP & VPAA serves as the president’s deputy and acts on behalf of the president when the president is not available, including interacting with the Board of Trustees and other external stakeholders on behalf of the president. Additional responsibilities include:

Academic and Strategic Planning

1. Develop and implement strategic academic priorities and directions for the University system, consistent with the University of Illinois System Strategic Framework, in partnership with the chancellors and provosts of the universities at Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield, and with other academic and administrative leaders.
2. Assist in the advancement of academic programs; foster communication and collaboration on academic matters among the universities; and support key academic initiatives in conjunction with academic leaders at each university and with other University officers. Act as primary liaison with the Board of Trustees for academic matters.
3. Develop, establish, and interpret University system-wide policies that affect the academic enterprise.
4. Coordinate the continuous development and implementation of processes for the review and assessment of academic programs and units across the University system.

Budget/Resource Management

5. Direct the strategic management of system-wide resources, in collaboration with the provosts and the chief financial officer, including academic resources such as faculty, academic staff and facilities, with the aim of making the best of the associated budgets across the University system and promoting their alignment with key academic priorities.
6. Responsible for the overall coordination of planning, budgeting, and human resources across the University system.
7. Coordinate annual operating and capital budget requests to the State
8. Administer the budget of all units directly reporting to the EVP & VPAA.

Student Access and Success

9. Coordinate enrollment management across the University system, working closely with each university and the University Senates Conference. This includes working with the Enrollment Management Policy Council (EMPC) and with each of the university enrollment managers to identify and share best practices, promote inter-university cooperation, and facilitate the initiatives of the EMPC.
10. Oversee the administration of system-wide programs, including the President’s Award Program and the University Scholars Program.

Administration

11. Provide leadership in several important areas that demand frequent interactions with the Board of Trustees and state government, such as the annual setting of tuition and fees, financial aid policy, distribution of the general revenue fund and income fund budgets, various presentations to the Board of Trustees, responses to government inquiries, legislative hearings, etc.
12. Oversee the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, the University Academic Programs and Services, University of Illinois Press, University Office for Planning and Budgeting, University Human Resources, Enterprise Risk Management, Chief Digital Risk Office (CDRO), and Administrative Information Technology Services.
13. Conduct administrative reviews pertaining to units in University Administration and external/outreach programs This may include administrative reorganizations, the assessment and repositioning of ongoing activities and programs, budget reviews, etc.
14. Maintain liaison with the faculty and university academic officers at each of the three universities, with Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) staff, with Board of Trustees office personnel, and with University Administration officers and staff members.  Represent the University of Illinois system to external constituents.
15. Respond to questions or concerns of students, parents, and other constituents, in conjunction with each university.
16. Prepare and present reports to the Board of Trustees and the IBHE concerning a range of academic issues.

Candidates must possess a Ph.D. and at least ten years of demonstrated success in academic administration at an institution of higher education. Other required qualifications include: strong record of research, teaching and professional service as a tenured faculty member; demonstrated success managing complex budgetary and administrative issues; experience working with a chief executive officer and a board of directors or trustees; appreciation and understanding of shared governance and the critical role of the faculty; excellent communications skills; ability to work with varied constituencies to reach consensus and drive change; an appetite for talent development, including knowing how to lead and motivate teams of people, and the ability to partner with and influence senior management, peers and others using a collaborative mentality and style; ability to act as a change agent in an academic setting; strong interpersonal skills with a variety of audiences including at the Board level; current or prior successful administrative experience in responding to challenges that have been resolved/managed successfully; and strong and broad understanding of the academic challenges and opportunities facing American higher education.

This is a full-time, 12-month Academic Professional position. For full consideration, candidates must apply and submit a letter of application, resume, and names/addresses/phone numbers of three professional references by July 17, 2022 at https://uajobs.hr.uillinois.edu/.

System Human Resource Services
(217) 333-2600
erhr@uillinois.edu

The System Office conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899

University of Illinois faculty, staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable University processes.

The System Office is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a community of excellence, equity and diversity. The System Offices welcome applications from women, underrepresented minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, sexual minority groups and other candidates who will lead and contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives.

As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.