Job Description

The Provost, who is appointed by the President, is the chief academic officer of the University and is first among Vice Presidents in the absence of the President.  The Provost appropriately complements the President in the leadership of the University.  The Provost’s primary concern is with the educational program, with whatever may lead to the increased effectiveness and improvement of this program and with promoting among the various individual programs a union of action based on the common objectives of the University.  More specifically, the Provost develops an organizational plan and implements structures within the Provost’s office that provide the resources needed to respond to cross-divisional academic support concerns.  Some of these structures include the following:  accountability and accreditation of the University’s various programs with regular program review and assessment; faculty development with ongoing exploration of issues in teaching and learning, online instruction and use of information technologies to pedagogical advantage; entrepreneurial efforts that expand the University’s mission with the exploration of new academic offerings in both credit and non-credit, campus-based, distance learning and with partner institutions; providing students with rich co-curricular academic experiences to include career exploration with advising of undergraduates seeking to enter graduate school, special undergraduate preparation, research and presentation opportunities and expanding the “academic culture” of campus.

The Provost works with colleagues to achieve the University’s goals for the character of the Day Undergraduate Program.  Goals for the Day Undergraduate Program include ensuring that Chaminade graduates are fully prepared and competitive, career ready individuals; provide a rich and coherent educational experience in the Catholic, Marianist tradition; maintain upper quartile retention and graduation rates when compared to peers.  The Provost, in consultation with the other academic officers and the Registrar, coordinates the regular instructional offerings and academic calendar; coordinates future staffing and budgetary needs and arranges the annual Commencement Ceremony.

The Provost maintains an Academic Dossier for each faculty member; arranges convocations and general faculty meetings; participates in the evaluation of faculty in regard to promotion, tenure and salary increases; has the final decision prior to Presidential approval on all faculty employment and faculty development agreements, as well as academic staff employment agreements; is responsible for the University catalog in which University philosophy, policies and procedures are outlined as they concern the faculty and appoints the Divisional Deans and Graduate Program Directors.  The Provost is also responsible in cooperation with the Executive Director for Compliance and Personnel Services for keeping the Volume IV of the University Policy Manual (Faculty Handbook) up to date.  The Provost has the responsibility for the direction of those services which are common to the various academic programs.  Reporting to the Provost are the following:   Deans of the six academic divisions, Divisional Deans, Director of the Library, Graduate Program Directors, Dean of Information Technology, Associate Provost and Director of the Office of Student Opportunities, Assistant to the Provost and Director of Academic Advising and Retention. 
The Provost provides leadership to the faculty and, as appropriate, renews the structures of the academic governance and peer review.  With the Dean of Information Technology, the Provost provides leadership in the realization of the institution’s goals for the use of computing and technology enhanced learning.

The Provost maintains a flexible entrepreneurial orientation. The Provost works with and benefits from the contacts and resources of academic officers at other institutions, attempting to contribute to and benefit from various forms of inter-institutional cooperation, especially with our sister institutions, The University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University of San Antonio. 

The Provost participates in securing the support necessary to achieve the University’s educational goals.  The Provost identifies grant opportunities and participates in the preparation of proposals, as appropriate.  The Provost encourages and engages the deans, faculty and other members of the division of Academic Affairs in these activities.  The Provost represents Chaminade to its publics.

The Provost is a member of the President’s Leadership Council, chairs the Provost’s Cabinet and is a member of and acts as administrative advisor to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Regents.  See Chart 1.5.1 for university administrators and professional staff reporting to the Provost.