Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Summary: 

Lawrence University (LU), a nationally ranked private liberal arts university and Conservatory of Music, seeks an accomplished and strategic leader for the position of Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (VP-DEI). It is a critical moment as LU with new presidential leadership and a vision to strengthen its community, culture, and climate on its mission to be an equity-minded and antiracist institution. In recognition of the importance of this work and its centrality to Lawrence’s identity and mission, several initiatives have been implemented from all levels of the institution. In 2020, after the Board of Trustees made its public statement affirming our anti-racist values, it created an Anti-Racism Board Task Force that concluded with a set of priorities to move Lawrence towards becoming a more inclusive, equity-minded, and anti-racist institution, including the creation of a standing Board Committee on EDI.

The VP-DEI will partner with several committees, programs, and offices ensuring the DEI work and organizational structure are aligned to maximize impact and facilitate the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty and staff. Examples of impact will include creating and implementing strategies, training, and messaging on DEI for the campus community with the ultimate goal of building a more understanding and empathetic community. The VP-DEI must be the advocate as well as the trusted resource/educator for the community.

Responsibilities:

• Leads the university in implementing strategic initiatives, including the creation of a culture for Partners with leaders, faculty, students, and staff to ensure initiatives and programming supports the university’s values and strategic goals.
• Focuses on developing and enhancing institutional policies, procedures, and processes that positively impact DEI and Leads the implementation of the university’s DEI
• Engages wholeheartedly with the campus community to build a culture of belonging; provide a strong, visible presence and active participation in a range of events and
• Leads, strengthens, and strategically cultivates a common vision of the university’s commitment to DEI that can be championed by the entire LU community and the university’s external constituency. Serves as spokesperson and advocate for the university’s commitment to a climate of DEI through the university’s stakeholders.
• Leads the development and implementation of DEI education training and initiatives, acts as a subject matter expert to partners on DEI programming and educational
• Assesses policies and practices, including business and procurement, with a DEI lens that supports commitment to diversity and equity goals, diversity strategy for suppliers and vendors, accountabilities, metrics and accomplishments.
• Works with the Human Resources and the Provost to improve DEI, related to the enhancement of our talent acquisition and retention policies and procedures through continual assessment of recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
• Forges and maintains effective working partnerships across the Build and maintain community partnerships, particularly with various multicultural communities in the greater Fox Valley area and be engaged with local diversity initiatives.
• Maintains currency on new and evolving legislation and regulations to provide guidance for university leadership on policy and
• Establishes and maintains an internal audit and reporting system to allow for effective measurement of university initiatives and assess DEI program effectiveness and provide periodic updates to
• Analyzes and makes sound recommendations on complex management and administrative issues, including identifying alternative solutions, projecting consequences of proposed actions, and making recommendations in support of goals to guide institutional decisions through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion.
• Chairs the President’s Committee on Diversity Affairs and partners with the Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Dir. of the Diversity and Intercultural Center. Serve as a member of other committees, including faculty committees, to ensure procedures, curriculum, et al. accurately reflect
• Manages the office budget, including developing budget proposals, justifying expenses and monitoring
• Teaches courses on occasion, if appropriate and desirable.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, awareness of and commitment to contemporary issues of inclusion, social justice, diversity, access, equity, and specific emphasis on antiracism, including the current research and pedagogical approaches that inform and address these
• Demonstrated strategic vision and insight with the ability to conceptualize and analyze organizational issues, develop strategic plans, lead major institutional change initiatives.
• Exhibited openness to exploring different ideas, creating solutions where all parties can see success, and engaging colleagues across organizational
• Effective presentation and training
• Demonstrated emotional intelligence, transparent disposition, and habit of collaboration; strong interpersonal skills and diplomacy; superb listening and influencing skills; flexibility and an ability to embrace ambiguity; ability to cultivate and sustain trust and credibility with
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment in the development, implementation and evaluation of education programs and initiatives which address the needs of diverse
• Ability to recommend appropriate interventions, make referrals and provide information regarding university policies and procedures.

Education & Experience:

• Terminal degree with a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience leading DEI strategically and practically through initiatives and programming with a strong preference in higher education.

Contact:

Qualified candidates expressing interest in the opportunity, please submit a resume/CV and cover letter with Lawrence University VP-DEI in the subject line to Marian Carrington at LawrenceUniversity@carringtonandcarrington.com.