President

This position represents an exceptional opportunity to lead a dynamic institution that holds an historically pivotal role in higher education.

The next president will be a bold, innovative, optimistic leader with a successful career arc.

• The next leader should have the capacity to lead an alternative educational institution toward academic excellence and student success, while upholding social justice, diversity, equity, environmental stewardship, and service in the public interest.
• The next leader should bring a distinguished record of professional achievement as well as the ability to connect with a diverse network of constituencies, with a view towards enhancing a common vision for the institution’s future.
• The next leader should have an inspiring and engaging communication style, someone who communicates and listens in ways that foster strong relationships, develop shared priorities, and inspire trust and action.
• The next leader should also have a demonstrated ability to provide executive leadership for an institution of Evergreen’s size.
• A terminal degree is preferred but not required.

 

ABOUT THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE

Evergreen, a public liberal arts and sciences college, didn’t wait for a pandemic to rethink the college experience. Since 1971, the College has been making a life-changing education accessible to all types
of learners and Washingtonians on a forested, 1,000-acre campus on the beautiful Puget Sound.

Evergreen students include high numbers of veterans, people of color, returning adults, LGBTQ+, tribal members, low-income and first-generation students, and students with disabilities. They thrive in the College’s flexible, affordable study programs that build community and get them to marketable degrees, fast.

With decades of demonstrable commitment to social justice, Evergreen helps Washingtonians with talent and potential, sometimes unrecognized by other colleges, break down barriers and achieve their goals. They graduate prepared to excel in high-demand jobs and forge their own futures in a world of shifting boundaries and unprecedented opportunities. Evergreen’s 45,000-plus alumni include the state’s lieutenant governor, many legislators, non-profit leaders, Academy-Award winners, leading entrepreneurs, two chiefs of staffs to Washington’s governors, globally successful artists, leading scientists, and local elected officials.

This is a time of transformative change. It’s a time to think boldly and inventively about what today’s world demands and what students need to embrace its complexity. An Evergreen education inspires student leadership and engagement that often culminates in a powerful spirit of activism, citizenship, and local presence that students carry beyond graduation.

With innovation in its DNA, Evergreen was built for times like these. Emphasizing a student-centered curriculum, the College is creating new areas of study that match growing student demand, and deepening support for student success. It is strengthening digital platforms for teaching and learning, and developing programs for sought-after certifications and credentials to help students achieve their career goals.

At this pivotal moment in the nation and in Evergreen’s history, the College is looking for its next president. This individual will lead and collaborate in the essential work to keep Evergreen vital—now and in the years to come. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should address to the presidential search committee:

• a reflective letter of interest discussing how your background meets the desirable qualifications and prepares you to address the challenges and opportunities;
• a current resume; and
• the names and current contact information for at least five professional references including supervisors, direct reports, and peers. References will be called at a later
  stage in the search and will not be contacted without prior release from candidates.

Letters of nomination are welcome but not required. Required materials should be submitted by visiting www.karrasconsulting.net and clicking on “view open positions.”

Applications received by February 19th, 2021 are ensured full consideration.
The search will remain open until filled.

The presidential search committee expects to conduct interviews in late March 2021.
The board of trustees hopes to conclude an appointment by the end of April 2021.

The successful candidate is expected to assume office during the summer of 2021.
Some flexibility on the start date is possible.

The board of trustees and presidential
search committee are assisted by Karras Consulting.
For confidential inquiries please contact:

Marissa Karras: marissa@karrasconsulting.net  
Phone: 360-956-1336

Dennis Karras: dennis@karrasconsulting.net
Phone: 360-867-1410

By Evergreen policy and presidential search committee affirmation, information from and about
all candidates will be kept in strict confidence, with the exception of finalists at the point when
each is invited for finalist interviews.

Evergreen is committed to prohibiting discrimination and to building a diverse faculty and staff. 
The College strongly encourages qualified persons of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations,
people with disabilities, persons over forty, women, Vietnam Era, and disabled veterans to apply.

Location

Evergreen is in the Pacific Northwest, in Washington’s capital city of Olympia. The main campus is located on ancestral lands of the Medicine Creek Treaty Tribes. The 1,000-acre forested campus extends to the shores of Puget Sound, which is part of the Salish Sea and connected to the Pacific Ocean. The College is an easy distance between two national parks, two mountain ranges, and the major cities of Seattle and Portland. The campus forest is home to beautiful winding trails that lead to Evergreen’s own beach on the banks of Eld Inlet. 

Evergreen’s Tacoma campus is located 30 minutes north of Olympia, in the historically Black neighborhood of Hilltop. Evergreen’s Native Pathways Program (NPP) offers degree-earning learning opportunities at the Tacoma and Olympia campuses, as well as place-based programs on the Quinault Indian Nation in Taholah and at the Peninsula College Longhouse in Port Angeles.

Degrees

Evergreen offers three undergraduate and three master’s degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Arts & Science
• Master of Environmental Studies
• Master of Public Administration

With concentrations in tribal governance, public policy, and public and nonprofit administration

• Master in Teaching

Each student has a tremendous amount of flexibility on the path to their degree, making Evergreen a top choice for independent learners who thrive in an open academic environment. 

Teaching and Learning

Since opening its doors, Evergreen has established a national reputation for team-taught, thematic learning communities. Serving a population of significant diversity that belies its size, the College maintains an exceptional interdisciplinary curriculum through:

• a student-centered approach to teaching and learning
• an encouraging culture where students take initiative
• narrative evaluations of student work instead of grades
• no faculty rank or disciplinary departments
• academic deans who rotate from and return to the faculty

At the forefront of innovation in higher education, Evergreen emphasizes collaborative, interdisciplinary learning across significant differences. Its academic community is built from the ground up to help students define and think critically about their learning while contributing to social justice, equity, environmental stewardship, and service in the public interest.

Evergreen ties with California Polytechnical Institute as the most innovative regional university in the West, according to the 2021 U.S. News and World Report rankings and the second-best master’s-granting university in the country according to the 2020 Washington Monthly rankings. These accolades are based on curriculum, quality of faculty, students, campus life, technology, and facilities, and on the College’s commitment to social mobility, research, and civic engagement.

Evergreen hopes to inspire within students a sense of responsibility and passion for global and local issues that they will carry throughout their lives. In its strategic planning, the College has particularly intensified its focus on two longstanding, broad concerns: diversity and sustainability. Addressing these issues in a collaborative and dynamic manner is paramount to Evergreen’s efforts at creating a better world. 

Strategic Goals

Goals as articulated in the College’s 2020-2023 strategic plan are to:

• Achieve unprecedented levels of student academic success and personal development in a manner responsive to students’ unique career goals, talents, identities, and diverse perspectives
• Significantly expand support for the local community, region, state, and nation during an unprecedented period of social and economic turbulence
• Become a much stronger, more resilient, and adaptive College by expanding capacities to serve a much wider range of students and achieve a vision of contributing fully to the larger society

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Evergreen believes significant differences among students, faculty, and staff can bring profound benefits to the learning community that strengthen bonds and increase resolve to face challenges together. A focus on the power of mutual learning extends far beyond the classroom. Evergreen applies lessons of allyship and solidarity in the real world through hands-on curriculum and other opportunities.

The College strives to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented full participation by historically-underserved and underrepresented groups. As Evergreen seeks to bring traditionally excluded people into higher education, it also promotes equal access to opportunities and resources
to better prepare each person for a satisfying future.

Students

Evergreen’s students are curious, thoughtful, engaged, and create a culture of compassionate learning unlike that of any other college. With the guidance and support of faculty, staff, and peers of many backgrounds and perspectives, they become inspired to take control of their education. Equipping students to excel in Evergreen’s rigorous setting requires constant innovation and comprehensive support.

Most enrolling students describe Evergreen as their first choice. For some, Evergreen is their only choice. The College’s interdisciplinary education accounts for one part
of the attraction.

Students come to Evergreen with a spirit of enthusiasm, eager to learn in an environment that encourages them to think creatively and critically. Many students are attracted by how Evergreen has rethought traditional academic conventions such as grades and majors, knowing they learn better when they feel trusted to pursue their interests from the start.

A core component of the student experience at Evergreen is honest, open discussion. Regular seminars occur in virtually every program, giving opening students a window into each other’s lives and perspectives while the door for fruitful collaborations.

Many programs also leverage the central location to strengthen students’ understanding of a given topic and offer hands-on experience they wouldn’t get anywhere else. For example, the Organic Farm and field studies on campus and in the region support themes of sustainability and social justice in the curriculum.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT EVERGREEN STUDENTS:

• Student enrollment is currently 2,281
  (2,209 full-time equivalent)
• Median age is 24
• Approximately 88 percent are from Washington state
• 62 percent identify as female
• 32 percent identify as students of color
• A significant number are working adults
• 29 percent identify as first-generation college students
• 66 percent of first-time, first-year students identify as LGBTQ+
• *21 percent of first-time, first-year students and *16 percent of seniors identify as a gender other than man or woman
• 40 percent meet the federal definition of low income
• 15 percent have documented disabilities
• 6 percent are veterans

*Gender identity data from NSSE 

Faculty and Staff

Evergreen is a singular place with extraordinarily engaged faculty and staff who believe in the values and purpose of the College.

Faculty sustain lively conversations about the meaning and value of a liberal arts and sciences education, are passionate about its value in the public domain, and have a deep appreciation for the diverse experiences students bring to their learning.

Faculty are non-ranked, with a uniform pay scale across all disciplines. Curriculum is developed by the faculty as a whole, with team teaching as the primary mode of instruction. There are no departments or majors. Instead, faculty meet in Curricular Area Teams (CATs) to plan curriculum and support Paths of Study, a program that provides guideposts for students to navigate the curriculum and advance from breadth to depth in key interdisciplinary areas.

The work of planning the curriculum is facilitated by the academic deans, who are members of the faculty and rotate through the deanery for four-year terms. Evergreen’s innovation is deeply linked to the faculty’s curricular freedom and responsibility.

Among the College’s strengths is the diversity of the faculty. During the 2019-2020 academic year, there were 186 full-time and part-time faculty members. About 28 percent are persons of color and 55 percent identify as female.

A faculty that reflects the diversity of the students they serve is important to success in recruiting and retaining students. Evergreen gives thoughtful attention to recruiting a diverse pool of candidates for open faculty positions in a fair and equitable process. A significant number of faculty are comparatively new to the College. Since the curricular model depends upon the creation of strong teaching teams, the College emphasizes orientation programs for new faculty, and promotes teaching across widely divergent academic disciplines to continue strengthening its unique pedagogy.

Staff diversity is also key to Evergreen’s success. There are 456 full-time and part-time staff members. About 24 percent are staff of color and 59 percent identify as female. Staff members are fundamental to everything—from educating students, to maintaining essential business operations, to keeping campus clean and safe. Staff serve with integrity as mentors, coaches, leaders, and guides in all aspects of a student’s time at Evergreen. They contribute to the success of each person on campus and help form the enduring relationships that define an Evergreen education.

Board of Trustees

The Evergreen Board of Trustees consists of eight members who are appointed by the governor
and confirmed by the state Senate. One trustee is a current Evergreen student. Regular trustees  serve six-year terms. The student trustee serves a one-year term.

Senior Leadership Team

Evergreen’s senior leadership team are subject-matter experts who work closely with the president to advance the mission of the College. The team includes the following positions:

• the provost and vice president for student and academic life
• the vice president for advancement and executive director of The Evergreen State College Foundation
• the vice president for
  college relations
• the vice president for finance
  and operations
• the vice president for inclusive excellence and student success
• the vice president of
  Indigenous arts, education
  and tribal relations
• the associate dean of student affairs and engagement
• the chief enrollment officer
• the director of
  government relations
• the executive associate
  to the president and secretary
  to the board of trustees 

Finances

The College’s education and general (E&G) expenditures for the most recent year were $112 million. The College benefits from significant state support that includes direct funding and financial aid for state residents. Approximately 65 percent of the operating budget this year comes from the state’s General Fund.

Among the College’s major fiscal challenges are declining enrollment levels, a smaller proportion of students paying non-resident fees, and the possibility of reduced state support. Each of these challenges has become more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Facilities

College facilities work is guided by the Campus Master Plan, which is grounded in principles of learning, community, and sustainability. Construction of a new carving studio, funded by a grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies to support Indigenous arts programs, was completed in 2019.  The College recently completed state-funded renovations and seismic upgrades to many key buildings and systems. Evergreen has taken significant steps to improve energy efficiency to reduce operating costs while advancing sustainability programs, using a $1.5 million grant for this work.

The president’s residence, the Leavelle House, was built in 1961. The house is a four-bedroom, waterfront property of approximately 4,200 square feet, on a high bank overlooking Budd Inlet, with scenic views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. It provides private space for the president and public space for Evergreen functions. The residence is a five-minute drive from campus.

House of Welcome Longhouse Education and Cultural Center

Over the decades, Evergreen has supported the work of Indigenous artists who carry on important traditions as they teach cultural art forms across time. These art works become touchstones for future generations, reminding them of who they are as citizens of their unique and diverse tribal nations. Evergreen’s grantmaking program supports artists in customary art forms and those who express themselves in glass, digital imaging, and other contemporary media.

Evergreen profoundly respects the sovereign status of tribes. At the heart of this work is an affirmation of Native American presence, heritage, and culture and a commitment to Indigenous art to heal the damages of colonialism and promote Indigenous resurgence. The Longhouse provides the infrastructure and grantmaking support to artists to enable them to carry out this important cultural work at individual and community-based levels.

The Indigenous Arts Campus studios have allowed the Longhouse to greatly expand its capacity to offer academic classes,  residencies, and workshops in traditional and contemporary Native arts. The Indigenous Arts Campus has added new and acclaimed dimensions to Evergreen’s educational leadership as an interdisciplinary liberal arts and sciences college, which is visible in the College’s government-to-government relationships with tribal nations. 

Public Service Centers

Evergreen is strongly committed to public service, believing colleges should provide students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to give back to their communities. Its renowned public service centers connect Evergreen with community, enriching the exchange of knowledge and expanding partnerships in an ever-widening circle. In addition to the Longhouse, described above, public service centers at Evergreen include:

• Center for Community-Based Learning and Action
• Sustainability in Prisons Project
• Washington Center for Undergraduate Education
• Washington State Institute for Public Policy

Accreditation

Evergreen has been accredited continuously by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since initial accreditation in 1974. The Commission most recently reaffirmed Evergreen’s accreditation in 2019. 

Advancement

The Evergreen State College Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting the College, is led by an 18-member board of governors. Evergreen’s president serves as an ex-officio governor of the foundation. Other governors include alumni, parents, friends of the College, and representatives from the faculty, staff, and board of trustees. The foundation is the primary fundraising vehicle for the College.

Advancement activities have been highly successful in recent years. For example, during the last five years, the amount of direct student aid funded through the foundation has doubled. During the last decade, following the design and implementation of a long-range strategy for advancement, the net assets of the foundation tripled (for fiscal year 2020, $22 million).

In 2019, the College and the foundation together launched an historic, comprehensive fundraising campaign after conducting a feasibility study involving broad and deep consultation with faculty, staff, students, donors, and alumni. Approximately 80 percent of those interviewed during the campaign feasibility study affirmed that the campaign represents an important and necessary next step in building Evergreen’s future. As of November 2020, almost $19 million has been raised during the advance, silent phase of the campaign. By the end of the advance phase (June 2021), Evergreen will be positioned to set a working goal for the remaining silent and public phases of the campaign.

“For me, the scholarships that I’ve received have made the biggest difference in my ability to succeed here at Evergreen. I was able to study computer science and completely dive deep into those studies without worrying about having to work a full-time job. I was able to study abroad in Mexico, and I was able to really engage in my community. Had I not received those scholarships, those opportunities may have been more limited.” 

— Lucera Cox, class of ‘20, former Student Trustee

Alumni

Evergreen’s remarkable alumni carry the College’s spirit of collaboration, innovation, and creative problem solving into the world. In all areas of society, from pop culture to government to science, technology, and medicine, the College’s alumni create enduring landmarks large and small.

Evergreen alumni number more than 45,000. Alumni events are designed to build community, encourage involvement in the college, and engage alumni from the local region and further afield. The annual alumni reunion, Return to Evergreen, attracts people from around the state, nation, and beyond.

New Academic Directions

In June 2020, the College approved a conceptual plan called New Academic Directions. In consideration of Evergreen’s 50th year, this vision for Evergreen includes proposals for new or enhanced curriculum and assessing the feasibility of renaming the College to “Evergreen State University.”Renaming the College would require an act of both the Evergreen Board of Trustees and the Washington State Legislature. 

Evergreen State University would comprise an undergraduate college with several interdisciplinary schools built from existing and emergent paths of study and a college of graduate and professional studies. 

The plan includes an increased focus on advising, with support systems that offer students:

• Holistic advising throughout their experience at Evergreen
• An improved transcript with clear indications of certificates and capstones completed
• E-portfolios enabling students to construct an iterative, digital record of their learning

Evergreen plans to design a more strategic curriculum by developing and implementing more first-year programs, levels of study, capstones, and certificates. Work is underway to integrate curriculum across full-time, part-time, daytime, evening, weekend, and low-residency/online offerings. The College is actively exploring partnerships with local community colleges that will give more options to students seeking
a four-year degree.

As Evergreen creates these new academic directions, the College engages in regular equity assessment
of systems and practices, with adjustments and changes made through an equity lens.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERGREEN’S NEXT PRESIDENT

Evergreen has sustained itself for over fifty years as a distinctive, public, alternative institution of higher education. Many other higher education experiments have since disappeared or lost their distinguishing characteristics. Evergreen’s next president must provide the leadership required to sharpen the focus on serving students and help the College evolve in a rapidly changing higher education environment.

In addressing these challenges and opportunities, the College’s students, faculty, and staff need a president who will actively and visibly engage in the life of the College community. Areas of endeavor include:

A Comprehensive Vision for Evergreen’s Academic Offerings

Evergreen’s national reputation often focuses primarily on its core undergraduate curriculum. Yet it also sustains important and vibrant graduate and public service centers crucial to serving diverse audiences. These include tribal and Indigenous peoples’ programs, the Tacoma campus, evening and weekend studies, the Indigenous Arts Campus, graduate programs, and public service centers. This vision is a full expression
of the mission to serve a wide range of students, including underserved populations. Evergreen’s next president will be someone who engages consistently with all areas the College in order to affirm this comprehensive vision embracing the entire institution.

Racial and Social Justice

Evergreen strives to find more effective ways to understand and address systemic racism and closely related economic, educational, and social inequities. As an institution dedicated to addressing society’s most intractable problems, Evergreen recognizes that stereotyping and stigmatization of marginalized groups occurs on its own campuses. The president and the College must work to tackle these problems. In Evergreen’s recent campus climate survey, members of marginalized groups reported less satisfaction with the learning experience
and sense of belonging at the College than dominant groups. This includes students, staff, and faculty.

Commitment to Academic Excellence

The strength of any college is based in great part on the quality of its faculty, staff, and academic offerings. Evergreen’s reputation for interdisciplinary, team-taught, thematic learning communities is well established. However, it is in the founding ethos of the College to challenge the effectiveness and relevance of the curriculum. In that spirit, the College has charted a course toward new academic directions, reimagining its approach to meet the needs of a new generation of students.

Beyond Evergreen, this leader should effectively work to interpret and communicate the College’s rigorous and creative academic practices to the larger community.

“I chose Evergreen mainly for the academic style. In my earlier school, I didn’t really feel I was succeeding like I wanted to. Evergreen was more about process than outcomes, and that was a big draw for me.”

— Nelly Irwin, class of ‘17

Increasing Enrollment

Evergreen’s enrollment has dropped significantly over the last ten years. Several factors contribute
to the decline in applications, many of which are typical of small public liberal arts and sciences colleges, some of which are related to the well-recognized pandemic issues, and some of which
are unique to Evergreen.

Surveys of college-bound high school students across Washington indicate that general awareness of the College remains relatively low and that favorable impressions are lower for Evergreen than for most other four-year institutions in the state. While not dissimilar to other non-flagship institutions, concerns about academic rigor and lack of availability of desired majors were also expressed by some.

Evergreen’s next president will need to possess a solid understanding of the changing demographics affecting higher education and of the particular challenges facing incoming
students at Evergreen. It is important to strengthen relationships with community colleges and
other state institutions as well as with high schools where Evergreen’s visibility could be higher,
and to work toward a more widespread understanding of Evergreen’s strengths.

As Evergreen works to increase enrollment, the College will need to give additional attention
to the distinctive and often underrepresented communities the College strives to serve. 

Making a Strong Case for State Funding

The recent economic crisis driven by the pandemic presents other, ongoing challenges for the College.
Recent increases in state support have only partially offset cuts incurred during the Great Recession. Incremental increases in tuition have not kept pace with increases in the cost of salaries and benefits.

With a projected state budget shortfall of $4.2 billion through 2023, the long-term prospects for increased public funding of the College are uncertain. Higher education’s place in the discretionary portion of Washington’s state appropriations makes the College vulnerable during turbulent economic times. If new funding becomes available, it may be earmarked for specific programs of priority interest to policymakers, such as the production of graduates in equity, science, technology, engineering, math, and related areas
of perceived employer demand.

According to a 2018 economic impact study by the Thurston Economic Development Council, Evergreen’s total economic contribution to Thurston County is valued at more than $201 million annually, which includes more than $109 million in income and 1,637 jobs.  The economic output of the College across the state of Washington is estimated to be $535 million. Evergreen generates $4.68 in economic activity for every
state dollar spent. These facts are important content in the College’s outreach.

The next president of Evergreen must work to maintain or increase state funding by enhancing the College’s relationship with the legislature, strengthening relationships with the surrounding community, and further publicizing the many social, cultural, and economic contributions the College makes to the region. In particular, the next president will need to maintain existing relationships with legislators and forge new relationships as legislative turnover occurs.  

Strengthening Evergreen’s Place in the Community

Evergreen students volunteer, formally and informally, in credit- and noncredit-bearing ways with many local non-profit and government organizations. The College regularly sponsors community events and works closely with the local Chamber of Commerce and other partners to boost its presence. It recently inaugurated a series of lectures at a local historical landmark, the Lord Mansion, featuring faculty experts.

In the last three years, Evergreen has stepped up its media and marketing activity and is creating additional opportunities, such as a recent public event with activist George Takei, to cultivate more friends and partners in the community.  The College must continue to strengthen relationships with the Olympia and Tacoma communities in broader and more meaningful ways. Continuing and expanding strong relationships with tribal governments, the state legislature, and local governments and communities in the region is an important expectation of Evergreen’s next president. The next president should be ready to seize this momentum and work with alumni and partners to amplify understanding and support for Evergreen.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS,COMPETENCIES, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Here are some important additional qualifications and talents Evergreen seeks in its next president:

Visioning, Strategy, and Innovation

• An understanding of how to improve student enrollment
  and retention, and promote creative new approaches to
  meet these challenges
• The ability to lead at a time of transition in higher education,
  to embrace and work through change, and to guide and develop meaning from complex and charged discussions
• An understanding of higher education’s current circumstances, trends, and innovations
• Respect for the strong liberal arts and sciences tradition of the College and the ability to shape the future by learning from the past
• The ability to develop and advance a comprehensive vision, based on deep understanding of Evergreen and engaging all of its components, including the Tacoma campus, graduate programs, the Native Pathways Program, the Indigenous Arts Campus, and public service centers

Racial and Social Justice

• A commitment to academic freedom and an appreciation for the value brought by diverse perspectives which strengthen the College as a whole
• Experience building strong relationships with marginalized communities in the hiring and retention of diverse faculty and staff
• An understanding and belief in the value of diversity and inclusion, and the importance of having students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds where diverse views are encouraged in a reasoned search for
  truth and mutual understanding
• Core values and a leadership style that aligns with Evergreen’s culture of inclusion
• The ability to devise, articulate, and promote goals for a campus climate that is inclusive, affirming, supportive, and acknowledging of the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in institutional effectiveness
• Demonstrated and extensive experience working with diverse populations,
  particularly those historically underserved by higher education

Collaborative Leadership and Community Building

• A record of being supportive of all who work in their institution
• The ability to provide opportunities for professional development in teaching and research within a culture characterized by intellectual curiosity and academic freedom
• Knowledge of Indigenous peoples and tribal nations, including the ability to communicate and relate to a broad range of tribal organizations and members
• A clear understanding of and commitment to shared governance with students, faculty and staff
• The ability to build consensus, collaboration, and cooperation, including experience with constructive labor relations and collective bargaining
• Experience working productively with external stakeholders, including alumni, community leaders, and local, state, tribal, and federal governments, with an emphasis on building sustained relationships with the governor, legislators, and other state government officials
• Successful experience building broad coalitions among elected leaders
• A desire to work with all internal and external constituents at Evergreen to ensure the continued safety of the community through the COVID-19 era and its aftermath
• The ability to ensure a quality work environment for staff, including providing professional development opportunities, and encouraging the inclusion of staff voices in campus dialogue and decision-making processes
• The ability to empower student voices and strengthen their input in College governance, curriculum development, and other decisions 

Campus Leadership

• The ability to be a servant-leader and unifier, fostering a culture founded in trust
  and transparency through active listening and clear communications
• A record of communicative, collaborative, and transparent organizational leadership, including shaping the organizational structure to allow significant input, interdivisional teamwork, and influence from all voices in the Evergreen community
• A self-assured leader who is comfortable with the spirited dialogue and diverse
  opinions and lifestyles that are part of a highly engaged, multicultural environment
• A record of successfully leading crisis management responses to institutional,
  local, regional, or national episodes of stress or uncertainty
• A demonstrated ability to prevent and resolve conflicts through open and transparent processes that are clear and consistent to create a culture of trust and unity
• The ability to assure effective implementation of policy, routine assessment of
  progress, and continuous data-informed improvement

Advancement and Development

• A record of persuasive and enthusiastic fundraising skills, demonstrating the
  ability to connect successfully with public sector, private donor, and philanthropic foundation sources
• The ability to develop an ambitious strategy for pursuing fundraising goals,
  including working with senior staff to identify fundraising opportunities
• A demonstrated ability to engage with a deeply invested and resourceful
  alumni network and board of governors

Finance and Budget

• Financial acumen and successful experience in managing complex budgets,
  including allocating available resources among competing priorities within
  financial constraints
• Experience in successfully advocating for policy and budget outcomes
  with elected officials
• The ability to provide executive direction for human resources functions
• Experience with organizational strategies that reinforce the College’s strengths
  and grow capacity to expand offerings based on the 2020-2023 strategic plan
  and New Academic Directions
• The ability to improve the College’s finances by bolstering existing assets,
  identifying areas for further investment, and strategically allocating resources
  among competing priorities

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should address to the presidential search committee:

• a reflective letter of interest discussing how your background meets the desirable qualifications and prepares you to address the challenges and opportunities;
• a current resume; and
• the names and current contact information for at least five professional references including supervisors, direct reports, and peers. References will be called at a later
  stage in the search and will not be contacted without prior release from candidates.

Letters of nomination are welcome but not required.

Required materials should be submitted by visiting www.karrasconsulting.net
and clicking on “view open positions.”

Applications received by February 19th, 2021 are ensured full consideration.
The search will remain open until filled.

The presidential search committee expects to conduct interviews in late March 2021.
The board of trustees hopes to conclude an appointment by the end of April 2021.

The successful candidate is expected to assume office during the summer of 2021.
Some flexibility on the start date is possible.

The board of trustees and presidential
search committee are assisted by Karras Consulting.
For confidential inquiries please contact:

Marissa Karras: marissa@karrasconsulting.net  
Phone: 360-956-1336

Dennis Karras: dennis@karrasconsulting.net
Phone: 360-867-1410

By Evergreen policy and presidential search committee affirmation, information from and about
all candidates will be kept in strict confidence, with the exception of finalists at the point when
each is invited for finalist interviews.

Evergreen is committed to prohibiting discrimination and to building a diverse faculty and staff. 
The College strongly encourages qualified persons of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations,
people with disabilities, persons over forty, women, Vietnam Era, and disabled veterans to apply.

The Evergreen State College is committed to providing equal opportunity in education, employment, membership and contracts. Evergreen expressly prohibits discrimination in all student-related programming and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, breastfeeding mother status, use of a trained service animal, veteran status, or citizenship status. For inquiries concerning College non-discrimination policies, or to report discrimination, contact the affirmative action and equal opportunity officer, (360) 867-5371, evergreen.edu/equalopportunity. For inquiries concerning sexual harassment or misconduct, contact the Title IX Coordinator, (360) 867-5224, evergreen.edu/titleix.