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Job Description

University of the District of Columbia
President
Washington, DC

The Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is seeking an outstanding leader as the next President of the University.

Chartered in 1974 from three predecessor institutions of higher learning--District of Columbia Teachers College, Federal City College and the Washington Technical Institute, the University of the District of Columbia is the only public institution of higher education in the nation's capital. Today, with an enrollment of over 5,000 students, and an annual operating budget of more than $100 million, UDC offers 75 undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs through the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Public Administration, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Additionally, UDC's public service arm, the Division of Community Outreach and Extension Services, offers a variety of practical, nonacademic educational programs and training to the citizens of the District of Columbia. UDC participates in the NCAA at the Division II level. Men's sports teams include basketball, cross-country, soccer and tennis, and women's teams include basketball, cross-country, volleyball and tennis. Additional information about UDC can be found on its website: http://www.udc.edu.

The Board of Trustees is seeking candidates who possess the following personal and professional skills, attributes, and experience in the following areas:

• Strategic Vision and Leadership--have a broad understanding of current trends in higher education; a clear vision and capable of providing effective leadership in the context of those trends and of UDC's particular circumstances as the urban land-grant university of the District of Columbia; capable of providing strong, visible academic leadership; willing to attend to the continuing development of the University's physical infrastructure; able to provide credible leadership in the development of comprehensive academic programs that meet the current and future of UDC's students and faculty; bring highly refined relationship-building and advocacy skills, with experience in promoting an organization, and effective in interacting formally and informally with public policy leaders, business leaders and the community.
• Student Focus--maintain a focus on the academic and socio-economic needs of UDC's students and continue to build the quality of the faculty as the primary locus of UDC's academic excellence; foster faculty engagement with the art and science of teaching and learning; build a strong system for advising and supporting students, and for assessing student growth and accomplishment with the objective of strengthening student progress and achievement.
• Communication--establish a leadership role as the face and voice of UDC and of public higher education in the District of Columbia; develop and maintain effective, open and honest communication channels to all of UDC's internal and external stakeholders; and place particular emphasis on the public media. The selected candidate must be capable of creating common ground among diverse constituencies. In addition to the community and the general public at-large, UDC's target audiences include UDC's students, faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees, and externally--the Mayor, members of the City Council, Federal agencies, alumni, the business and civic communities and other local and national institutions of higher education.
• Management and Accountability--build and maintain an effective and efficient administrative structure led by a high-quality leadership team; exercise consistent financial and business acumen with a focus on performance accountability appropriate to a university.
• Fundraising--advance UDC's capability for attracting financial support from sources other than the District of Columbia, particularly from alumni and friends of UDC, from the business community and philanthropic support from foundations and other sectors.
• Partnerships--build partnerships with other organizations serving the needs of the District of Columbia and its citizens, including the District of Columbia Public Schools, other government agencies and businesses throughout the Washington, D.C. area.

The successful candidate will be someone who demonstrates leadership and academic achievement in his/her discipline; has the wisdom and ability to take informed and decisive action when required; has high ethical standards; understands and has sufficient knowledge and/or experience with public higher education, and has a particular appreciation for the role of public land-grant institutions. The selected individual also will possess characteristics that inspire the confidence and respect of others, exude enthusiasm and passion for the mission of UDC.

Expressions of interest by applicants and/or nominations should be sent (email preferred) with a curriculum vitae, a brief letter of interest outlining how his or her background and experience can contribute to the mission of the University of the District of Columbia, and the names of five references with contact information to:

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