Description
The University of California, Santa Cruz seeks a bold, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (CPEVC). The CPEVC will serve as chief academic officer of the University and partner closely with Chancellor Cynthia Larive to guide one of the nation's most distinctive research universities through a period of transformative opportunity and change.
Set within 2,000 acres of coastal redwood forest overlooking Monterey Bay, UC Santa Cruz is a top-tier public research university that combines academic excellence with a bold commitment to access, sustainability, and social impact. With a total enrollment of nearly 20,000 students—approximately 17,366 undergraduates and 1,888 graduate students—UC Santa Cruz is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and holds R1 status. The University boasts 650 Academic Senate faculty and 200 lecturers, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 22:1, fostering a collaborative and personalized learning environment. In fiscal year 2024, UC Santa Cruz secured over $250 million in extramural research funding, reflecting a dynamic research enterprise that spans climate resilience, genomics, astrophysics, and social justice. The University's annual operating budget exceeds $1 billion, with core funds supporting its mission of teaching, research, and public service. Guided by its strategic plan, Leading the Change, UC Santa Cruz is advancing student success, interdisciplinary innovation, and inclusive excellence. The next CPEVC will join a campus poised for transformative growth and impact where curiosity meets purpose, and scholarship drives change.
The next CPEVC will play a central role in shaping the future of UC Santa Cruz. This leader will drive the development and execution of a strategic academic vision that reflects the University's distinctive values and positions it for long-term success. They will contribute to efforts to address budgetary challenges by guiding academic programs toward financial sustainability and making thoughtful, forward-looking decisions about resource allocation. Building trust across the campus community will be essential through meaningful engagement with faculty, staff, and students, and a strong commitment to shared governance. The CPEVC will strengthen the campus climate by addressing the unique needs of faculty and staff, while enhancing student engagement and support. They will help further define UC Santa Cruz's research identity and elevate its impact through strategic investment. At the same time, they will cultivate a cohesive academic leadership team, foster a culture of collaboration and transparency, and ensure alignment around shared goals that advance the University's mission.
The CPEVC must be an accomplished academic leader with national or international distinction as a scholar and educator, qualified for appointment as a tenured full professor at UC Santa Cruz. The role requires substantial experience in managing both academic programs and operations within a research university, including comprehensive academic planning, resource allocation, and fiscal oversight of large budgets. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to lead and represent diverse academic units, communicate effectively in a shared governance environment, and make and explain difficult decisions with transparency. Essential qualities include commitment to collaboration, inclusivity, and long-term institutional success, as well as proven skill in supervising senior personnel and fostering team development. Preferred experience includes service at the dean or vice chancellor level, understanding of the complexities of high-intensity research universities, and experience in graduate and undergraduate education, strategic planning, and fundraising.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile, which can be found at wittkieffer.com.
WittKieffer is assisting UC Santa Cruz in this search. For full consideration, candidate materials should be received by January 8, 2026. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer, and Sarah Seavey at UCSCProvost@wittkieffer.com.
The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $470,000 to $530,000. Please visit UCnet to learn about the benefits of working at UC.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace
It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.
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