The President's Role

• A passionate advocate for higher education.
• A forward-thinking visionary and positive risk taker with a strong sense of urgency.
• An economic driver — appreciating the impact that the university has on the economic climate of the city, state and nation. An integrator of the university with the community.
• Knowledgeable about key issues affecting public universities, including enrollment and retention strategies and innovations in education.
• An astute listener who makes it a priority to know the faculty, staff, students, and needs of the students and institution.
• An inspiring communicator with the skill and intuition necessary to hear, understand and unify multiple perspectives of the complex issues facing students, campuses, and public higher education and to help advance the university’s mission now and into the future.
• An engaging and visible presence on campus and in the community — approachable by students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, the local community, and other friends of the university.
• A motivator who leads by inspiring commitment to the institution and its objectives.
• A collaborative leader and team player who can bring together varied constituencies for a common vision and purpose. A supporter of shared governance and decision-making.
• An individual with the highest personal integrity, ethics, and an executive presence demonstrating a strong moral compass with kindness, humility, and a sense of humor.
• Willing to advance the university’s vision and mission while embracing transparency and accountability.
• A change agent and experienced manager of change, who is industrious and resourceful, with an understanding of where resources exist and how to access and leverage them.
• Willing to foster and promote creativity and innovation, and recognize failure as a part of the growth process.
• Effective at delegating and working at a high strategic level, engendering trust in the leaders surrounding the President to perform with excellence and accountability.
• Compelling and energetic with a demonstrated history of strategizing, charting a course and engaging multiple stakeholders.
• Willing to engage in, and skilled at, fundraising; has knowledge of large capital campaigns.
• A strong leader with the business acumen to oversee and orchestrate a large complex enterprise along with understanding of how business supports higher education.
• An individual who possesses the financial sophistication required to manage a financially complex institution, ensuring proper administration of the financial affairs of the university, including accounting, financial oversight and financial report preparation functions.

---

The next President of WSU will possess:

• Strong interpersonal skills, with an open communication style, both written and spoken.
• The ability to build deep and lasting relationships with donors and the philanthropic community, articulating the case for supporting WSU with enthusiasm.
• A record of successful leadership experience in a complex environment, such as a research university.
• Clear evidence of creative problem solving, innovation and successful entrepreneurial activities and initiatives.
• A record of successful resource generation through means such as private and foundation fundraising, enrollment growth and the creation of new programs.
• A track record of creating distinctiveness within an organization.
• An earned doctorate, a comparable terminal degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience. 

---

Key Attractors:

• An active, growing community with a rich history and great sense of pride and diversity. A place where the people are friendly and welcoming, where cost of living is low and where you will find something for everyone.
• A vibrant, innovative city strong in education, engineering, health care, aviation, agriculture and oil and gas. A city that is a university “city” not a college “town.” Simply meaning that there are opportunities beyond imagination waiting here.
• This is a career-defining opportunity to serve as Chief Executive Officer for a financially sound, forward-thinking, prominent higher education institution to help position the university for even greater levels of achievement and innovation.
• Grasp the opportunity to lead a distinctive university that follows its own path rather than modeling another institution.
• The culture of the university and the community is one of a hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up work ethic characterized by competent students, staff and faculty who are committed to quality, creativity, innovation and efficiency in all endeavors. Here students go above and beyond and graduate with amazing success, in close partnership with WSU leaders who do the same.
• Faculty are talented, collegial and cooperative, are personally invested in the institution and community, know their students by name, and create an environment where they have a definitive positive impact on the lives of students.
• Enjoy a caring community, a renowned urban public research university, excellent healthcare, education, amenities and entertainment options that reflect the values of a family focused community. This is a community that celebrates tradition while looking to the future. Family members of all ages will find the elements that contribute to a safe and enjoyable lifestyle.