Associate Vice Provost, Institute of Texan Cultures

Associate Vice Provost, Institute of Texan Cultures

University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX

Position Concept/The Opportunity

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) invites nominations, expressions of interest, and applications for the position of Associate Vice Provost of the Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC).

Our client seeks an experienced, innovative, and imaginative leader to envision and activate a strategy for ITC's next chapter, guiding a beloved organization into a sustainable future as a 21st century cultural resource for a thriving university and active community.

Beginning in 2021, UTSA formed the Museum of the Future Task Force, comprising 18 seasoned, diverse members, led by two chairs, and advised by an expert in museums and multidisciplinary studies with over 25 years' experience working with museums, galleries, and non-profit art spaces. The group convened to facilitate community conversations, develop evaluation criteria, and make recommendations for the future of ITC. The Committee members were charged with considering "how the ITC can provide engaging and distinctive learning experiences for both visitors to the San Antonio facility and K-12 school children throughout the state to enable better understanding of the rich tapestry of Texan cultures, as well as new thinking about our future as Texans."

The Committee considered the following key questions as starting points:
• How can we provide distinctive experiences in the ITC and beyond to enable learning and understanding of the rich tapestry of cultures?

• What is needed to create a new thinking about – and better understanding of – our future as Texans?

• Are there opportunities to strengthen the connection to UTSA faculty, staff, and students for the mutual benefit of the university, ITC, and the community?

• How can we best educate and engage the next generation of K-12 school children on the diversity of Texan culture?

• How can we support teachers by enabling access to collection materials for use in the curriculum?

• What are the best strategies to provide a rich ITC experience for school children in the far corners of the state?

The Associate Vice Provost for ITC will have the unique opportunity to guide the ITC team and collaborate with UTSA administration, faculty, and students to shape an organizational identity that reflects and serves the evolving needs of the community; functions as a national model for teaching and learning about the distinct cultures that have come together to form at times hidden histories of Texas; and probes how that complex past can impact and influence a promising future for a region that continues to define and re-define itself in the 21st century.

For more details about the Museum of the Future Task Force as the group's work continues, we encourage you to please explore the ITC Centennial website.

About ITC

The Institute of Texan Cultures opened as the Texas State Exhibits Pavilion, which was built for the 1968 HemisFair celebration. It opened at the height of the Civil Rights era, the Vietnam War, and a wave of civil unrest. Two days prior, on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. After the World's Fair, the museum was turned over to the University of Texas System to continue to serve as a platform for diversity, multiculturalism, and education. UTSA assumed administrative control of the museum in 1973 and designated the Institute as a campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1986.

In early 2010, the Institute formalized an affiliation agreement with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Affiliate status grants the Institute access to the Smithsonian's artifacts, education, and performing arts programs, expert speakers, teacher workshops, and resources to complement and broaden exhibitions. The Affiliation agreement marked a new era for the museum and was an important component of UTSA's attaining the prestigiousCarnegie R1 classification.

Upon celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, ITC looked forward to adapting to serve new generations of Texans and Texas visitors. This includes redeveloping classic exhibits, adding engaging new exhibits, developing new digital assets, and pursuing a long-term sustainability plan. In 2019, in order to take advantage of the synergies that exist between libraries and museums, the ITC was joined with UTSA Libraries. UTSA Libraries, Museums, and Collections works to advance the University's cultural programming that engages and encourages transformation and connection within our diverse community.

The vision for the next 50 years sees ITC continuing its role as the premier museum for learning about the history and culture of San Antonio and Texas, and the regions' relationships with the world. As ITC unveils new and renovated exhibits that will enhance the museum's role as a state hallmark and exemplar for what a museum and teaching institution should be, the organization will inspire children and adults to delve deeper into their own heritage and into the stories of Texas and Texans.

About UTSA

Under the leadership of President Dr. Taylor Eighmy and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, the campus has developed a bold and ambitious vision for UTSA's future and its pursuit of excellence as an urban-serving, Hispanic-thriving discovery enterprise (https://www.utsa.edu/strategicplan/).

As the third-largest of nine academic universities and six health institutions within The University of Texas System, UTSA is a leading public Hispanic Serving Institution Research University specializing in health, cybersecurity, fundamental futures, and human-social development, reflected in its urban-serving mission. With over 34,000 students supported by more than 1,400 faculty and 5,600 staff and student employees, both benefits- and non-benefits eligible, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region.

As one of the first universities in the US designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution Research University committed to learning and discovery, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and is highly focused on student success and meeting the educational needs of many first-generation, persons of color, transfer, DACA, Veteran, and international students. UTSA prides itself on its diverse student population, and 63% of its students come from San Antonio and South Texas. Approximately two-thirds are persons of color from backgrounds historically underrepresented in higher education (with more than half of the student body identifying as Hispanic) and nearly half (45%) of UTSA undergraduates will be the first in their family to earn a bachelor's degree. Additionally, about 40% of UTSA's total undergraduate population comprises transfer students. Further enhancing an already diverse student population is UTSA's military community, which makes up approximately 13% of total students and includes active-duty military members, veterans, reserves/guard, and their spouses and dependents.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no one candidate will bring every desired skill, characteristic, and experience, the following offers a reflection of the ideal candidate profile.

Education
• Advanced degree or equivalent knowledge in relevant fields, including but not limited to American History, American Studies, Anthropology, or Cultural Studies; Museum Studies; Nonprofit Management, Arts, or Business Administration; or other related and allied fields. Our client is also interested in candidates who have equivalent professional experience and a track record of accomplishment in the cultural sector.

Strategic and Visionary Leadership
• Depth of expertise and profound belief in the specific ways museums can dynamically engage a 21st century audience. Passion for history and understanding of how historic collections intersect with our contemporary world. The ideal candidate will possess and promote a deep appreciation for historic collections, cutting-edge research and scholarship, and will demonstrate a commitment to public engagement and the visitor experience.

• Appreciation, if not lived experience, of borderlands narratives, as well as the politics and history of the American South, Southwest, and Texas.

• Astute operational administrator with experience as a senior leader in museums and/or cultural institutions; knowledge of museum management and current best practices.

• Demonstrated experience working with audiences of varied backgrounds and objectives, with the ability to weave together a collection of needs and aspirations into a coherent and feasible plan for implementation.

Learning Agility
• Flexibility, tenacity, and patience; able to aim for bigger-picture goals while recognizing the incremental steps needed to attain those.

• Openness to new ideas, with an ability to embrace change, comfort with leading in an environment marked by ambiguity and nuance, and with the mindset to adapt to changing priorities as needed.

• Actively applies cross-cultural competency and embraces the value found in differences in all forms, finding novel ways to bring ideas, concepts, and people together by fostering understanding and identifying common purposes, acting as an effective thought leader in weaving these concepts directly into the work of an institution.

• Attuned to the evolving field of digital humanities, both for scholarly work as well to achieve broader educational outcomes and greater impact and outreach.

Authentic Internal and External Communicator and Relationship Builder
• An honest people person with well-honed communication skills to connect with a range of audiences and constituents. A demonstrated capacity to build bridges with staff, other internal constituents, audience members, community leaders, and engaged supporters.

• Readiness to advocate internally for and foster externally whatever the organization requires to thrive. Up-front and transparent regarding realities of achieving measurable goals in a systematic fashion.

• A person energized and engaged by the opportunity for dialogue, conversation, and communication with others. Dedicated to reaching out to people and serving as an ambassador in the community and for the community itself.

• Knowledge and desire to advocate effectively for both staff and the institution, embedding the team and organization for maximum impact within a large university system and with a broader group of community members.

• Familiar with the funding models and strategies of multifaceted cultural institutions, including private as well as public sources of support.

Inspiring and Supportive Manager/Culture Champion
• Dedicated to cultivating a positive working environment for the entire organization, enriching staff morale, and advancing an atmosphere of teamwork and mutual support among all staff.

• Trust in and willingness to learn from veteran staff, a person who encourages the engagement, growth, and achievement of others as an aspect of their leadership. Results-oriented with a collegial and collaborative working style.

• Capacity to build high-performing, diverse teams, guiding team members' growth and development while establishing clear priorities, delegating, and ensuring investment in people and systems.

• An open-door, inclusive leader and manager of the highest integrity, with the ability to motivate, inspire, and unite staff around a shared vision.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
• Genuine belief in and abiding commitment to the values of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

• Experience and success in advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion work in an organization or community context; ideally with material prior experience in DEAI work.

In addition, strong candidates will possess:
• Excellent organizational skills: a systematic, detail-oriented self-starter who works well under pressure.

• Efficient time management and decision-making skills; analyzes and solves problems collaboratively, and at times independently, as appropriate.

• Diplomatic skills and success adroitly navigating complex systems (e.g., multisite organizations, state university systems, and the like).

• A strong work ethic coupled with an assertive, polished manner; a highly energetic, hands-on individual. High emotional intelligence/EQ.

• A sense of humor, with evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth.


Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $165,000 with a generous benefits package.

Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Naree W. S. Viner and Tenley Bank of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express interest in this role please submit your materials here, or email Tenley Bank directly at tbank@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

UTSA is committed to providing equal employment and educational opportunities for all qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation. UTSA is further committed to hire the best-qualified person to fill each available position and reward each employee based on his or her job performance. UTSA will ensure that all personnel and academic actions will be administered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit our website.









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