Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Excellence

Furman University seeks an outstanding and experienced leader to serve as their Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence. In partnership with the President and senior administrative staff, the VP will support the community through a broad, multilevel strategy to enrich and deepen the quality of the Furman experience.

Founded in 1826, Furman University is the oldest private university in South Carolina and among the 75 oldest institutions of higher education in operation nationally today. Furman consistently earns recognition for academic excellence, accessible professors, sustainability, innovation, and value and regularly ranks among the nation’s best colleges. Furman enrolls 2,441 students from 48 states and 29 countries. The residential student body is the ideal size to enhance scholarly activity, personal growth, and leadership development. Furman has 251 full-time faculty with 98% holding the doctoral or terminal degree in their field. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1. The university has approximately 820 full-time employees with approximately 580 administrative and staff employees. There are also approximately 105 part-time faculty and staff employees.

Greenville is a dynamic, vibrant, and international community. It is small enough to feel like a community and big enough to offer great amenities. The city has more than 450 acres of public parks and plentiful cultural and recreational opportunities including a performing arts center, art galleries, museums, a zoo, 600+ restaurants, malls, and hundreds of shops. Greenville is home to a minor league baseball team, the Greenville Drive, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits ice hockey team, the Greenville Triumph, and Liberty professional soccer teams. From the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Upstate to the beaches along the coastline, South Carolina is an attraction for outdoor enthusiasts including the local Swamp Rabbit Trail and Paris Mountain State Park.

The ideal candidate will have seven years of progressively more responsible leadership and administrative experience in higher education in social justice, equity, and inclusion work. A Master’s degree with a Ph.D., J.D., Ed.D., or other terminal degree is preferred. The ideal candidate will be a nationally recognized diversity practitioner steeped in the research and practice of anti-racism, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion and with proven success in articulating and executing Strategic DEIE priorities, staff and faculty professional development, student development, communication, and external relations. The ideal leader should possess a transformational leadership style that motivates and influences others to see themselves fulfilling Furman’s mission, vision, and diversity strategic plan priorities.

A complete position profile with instructions for application may be found above.

For more information about Furman University, please visit: www.furman.edu

Nominations and Applications

For fullest consideration, applications should be received by April 3, 2023.

To apply, please email the following to Jennifer.Ferrera@agbsearch.com:

• A letter of application in which they address specifically the qualifications outlined in the prospectus;
• A curriculum vita, and
• Contact information (names, phone numbers, and email addresses) for five references. References will not be contacted without the candidate's expressed permission.

Candidates are invited to speak with one of the consultants before submitting an application.

All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be held in the strictest confidence.

Inquiries and nominations should be directed to:

Loren Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Executive Search Consultant, loren.anderson@agbsearch.com / (253) 223-3566

Kim R. Bobby, Ed.D., Principal, kim.bobby@agbsearch.com / (253) 861-7738         

Furman University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and staff. The university aspires to create a community of people representing a multiplicity of identities including, but not limited to, gender, race, religion, spiritual belief, sexual orientation, geographic origin, socioeconomic background, ideology, world view, and varied abilities.