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The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System has launched a comprehensive national search for the 30^th president of The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ and appointed a Presidential Search Advisory Committee to guide the process. The committee members represent UA faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members, as well as the Board of Trustees and UA System leadership.

The committee, chaired by Tuscaloosa native and Trustee Karen P. Brooks, will be responsible for soliciting input from stakeholders, developing the presidential profile and position criteria, and recruiting and assessing candidates. All members of the UA community will be invited to share feedback and comments on characteristics, qualifications and credentials they believe are essential for the next president.

Academic Search consultants Ann Die Hasselmo and Christopher N. Butler will support the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. With over four decades of experience in higher education recruitment and more than 2,600 successful searches completed, Academic Search is renowned for its expertise in identifying exceptional leaders. The consultants have partnered with UA on several successful searches, including the hiring of former president Dr. Robert E. Witt and the hiring of current president Dr. Stuart R. Bell.

Upon the completion of the search, Chancellor Sid J. Trant will recommend a final presidential candidate to the UA System Board of Trustees for approval.

Interested parties can stay informed about the progress of the search by visiting the UA Presidential Search website. This website will serve as the official information source and will be updated throughout the search process.

UA Presidential Search Advisory Committee

Chair

• Karen P. Brooks, Board of Trustees

Committee Members

• William S. Brewbaker III, Dean and Professor, The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ School of Law
• Mike Brock, Board of Trustees
• Samad Gillani, President, UA Student Government Association
• Dr. Matthew Hudnall, President, UA Faculty Senate; Associate Professor, Culverhouse College of Business
• Barbara Humphrey, Board of Trustees
• Dr. Tonjanita Johnson, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Students Affairs, The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System
• Dr. James King, Jr., Associate Dean for Culture and Success and Miles-Rose Professor of Leadership, Culverhouse College of Business
• Shane Lyons, Executive Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer
• Evelyn VanSant Mauldin, Board of Trustees
• Dr. Matt McLendon, Associate Vice President and Executive Director for Enrollment Management
• Sid J. Trant, Chancellor, The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System
• Jimmy Warren, Associate Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of the National Alumni Association
• Jackie Wuska Wear, Alumna; President and CEO, United Way of West ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½

Committee Support Staff

• Mark D. Foley, Jr., Secretary of the Board of Trustees and System Counsel
• Lynn L. Cole, Vice Chancellor for System Communications

Listening Sessions

The UA Presidential Search Advisory Committee held listening sessions for campus community members and supporters to share feedback and comments on characteristics, qualifications and credentials they believe are essential for the next president of The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½. The committee hosted listening sessions focused on faculty, staff, students, alumni and the local community. In addition, the committee held a session open to all UA community members and supporters. More than 500 individuals attended the listening sessions.

The one-hour listening sessions were conducted via Zoom, with a maximum capacity of 1,000 attendees per session due to licensing restrictions. Participants were required to register to reserve a spot and receive the meeting credentials.

The listening session schedule is as follows:

• Alumni: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CST
• Faculty: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 4 – 5 p.m. CST
• Community: Thursday, Jan. 30, 9 – 10 a.m. CST
• Staff: Thursday, Jan. 30, 12 – 1 p.m. CST
• Students: Friday, Jan. 31, 9 – 10 a.m. CST
• Open: Monday, Feb. 3, 3 – 4 p.m. CST

The committee asked listening session participants to respond to questions about essential presidential characteristics, qualifications and credentials, as well as current University strengths and future opportunities that the next UA president can build upon and advance. The search consultants and committee members synthesized feedback and used it as the basis for the presidential profile and position criteria.

UA Presidential Profile and Criteria

The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ (UA) invites applications from and nominations of outstanding individuals to serve as the institution’s next President.

UA is in the city of Tuscaloosa, a college town of more than 100,000 with thriving civic, cultural, restaurant, and arts amenities. As one of the nation’s premier public universities, it boasts 12 academic colleges and schools and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 200 fields of study. The Carnegie Foundation lists UA as an R1 institution, placing it among the top doctoral research universities in the United States.

UA is among the nation’s fastest-growing flagship universities with more than 40,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, attracting more than half of its students from out of state. 1,173 students in Fall 2024 were National Merit Scholars. With more than 600 registered student organizations, every student has an opportunity to be involved outside of the classroom. Since Fall 2011, UA has been home to the nation’s largest fraternity and sorority community.

The University is nationally recognized for the beauty of its campus. UA has over 1,000 acres of tree-lined pathways and state-of-the-art facilities that are a source of inspiration for students, faculty, and staff. Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas, and a growing number of partnerships with industry and state and federal agencies. In addition, UA’s capital campaign – the Rising Tide 2.0 – has raised nearly $1.7 billion to support this strategic growth.

UA employs more than 2,100 faculty and was recognized in 2024 by Forbes magazine as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers and Best Employers for New Graduates. Faculty members work closely with students and routinely involve students at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels in basic and applied research.

As the Crimson Tide, UA’s athletes participate in 21 NCAA Division I women’s and men’s sports in the Southeastern Conference, which is continuously recognized as the premier collegiate athletic conference. The Crimson Tide holds 28 national championships, including 18 football championships, and competes in some of the nation’s finest athletic facilities.

UA is part of the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System (UA System), which was established in 1969 and includes UA, The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ at Birmingham (UAB), The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ in Huntsville (UAH), and the UAB Health System. The self-nominating Board of Trustees is comprised of 15 members representing ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½â€™s seven congressional districts — including three from the district encompassing UA — and the Governor of ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ as an ex-officio member. Non-ex-officio members are elected by the Board, confirmed by the State Senate, and may serve up to three consecutive six-year terms. The Board ensures the effective leadership, management, and control over the activities of the three doctoral research universities in the UA System and the UAB Health System. This structure provides for a definitive, orderly form of governance, and secures and continues responsive and superior institutions of higher education.

The UA Presidential Search Advisory Committee is committed to assisting the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees in the recruitment of an outstanding President who will continue the institution’s trajectory as one of America’s premier public universities. The successful candidate will have the distinct opportunity to lead a thriving institution that has earned global distinction for rapid and sustained enrollment growth, ever-increasing academic excellence, a growing research enterprise, and state-of-the-art physical facilities.

The Committee is seeking a candidate with:

• A distinguished record of leadership at the presidential or senior executive level at an R1 institution or an equivalent record outside the academy with a demonstrated understanding of the nation’s higher education milieu.
• An impeccable character, mature judgment, and personal and professional integrity.
• A respect for the traditions and culture of the University, while embracing innovation to lead the University to unprecedented achievements.
• The ability to develop a vision for the next decade of the University through coordination with and input from faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, donors, Trustees, the community, and other constituencies.
• A willingness to actively engage in the recruitment of students from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, academic accomplishments, and career interests.
• The ability to grow and sustain exemplary academic and research achievements and maintain forward progress through an energetic and transformational leadership style and a talent for setting forth a clear vision through plans that are ambitious, inspiring, and sustainable.
• The ability to guide a large and successful Division I athletic program amid a changing intercollegiate athletic landscape.
• A proven ability to build and sustain an empowered leadership team in an environment where shared governance and academic freedom are priorities.
• The documented ability to successfully lead a very complex, fiscally sound, and robust institution.
• A proven commitment to a student-centered university for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with a strong record of improving student success metrics.
• A commitment to develop and maintain the University’s premier facilities, landscaping, and grounds, within UA’s nationally acclaimed campus beautification program.
• A record of success in fundraising and the willingness to engage donors, alumni, parents, and the community.
• The ability to work with multiple constituencies, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, UA System leaders, fellow UA System Presidents, and Trustees.
• The interest in and commitment to engage with the community and the state in advancing the lives of citizens and the economic vitality of the region.

View the full job posting .

Contact

UA is being assisted by Academic Search. Applications should consist of a substantive cover letter, a current CV, and a list of at least five professional references with full contact information. No references will be contacted without explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The position is open until filled but only applications received by Wednesday, April 2, 2025, can be assured full consideration. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultants Ann Die Hasselmo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Chris Butler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Further information about UA may be found at and an institutional opportunity profile may be found at .

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