President

President

Montana State University (MSU) seeks an innovative, dedicated and dynamic President to lead the university. This is a historic opportunity to serve as the 13th President of MSU, with the opportunity to build upon the significant legacy of President Waded Cruzado. MSU is renowned for its excellence in research, education, and community engagement. The new president will play a critical role in advancing MSU's mission of fostering innovation, supporting student success, and strengthening its impact on the state of Montana and beyond. This selection process reflects MSU's commitment to finding a candidate who embodies its values and who can inspire its diverse community to achieve even greater heights.

The President of Montana State University is the Chief Executive Officer of this Carnegie top-tier research land-grant institution, with record-setting enrollment, retention and philanthropic giving. This position reports directly to the Commissioner of Higher Education who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Montana University System (MUS). Within this structure the president will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of MSU and its affiliates, by providing visionary leadership, ensuring academic excellence, managing financial resources effectively, engaging with stakeholders, and fostering an inclusive campus environment.

As the land-grant institution of the Montana University System and the largest university in the state, MSU Bozeman is dedicated to providing a world-class education, conducting cutting-edge research, and fostering community engagement. With a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and sustainable development, MSU plays a central role in shaping the future of Montana. MSU offers over 250 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, agriculture, health sciences, business, education, the arts and humanities, and the natural and social sciences. The university is known for its strengths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and its emphasis on research that addresses real-world challenges in fields like agriculture, climate science, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

The university is particularly renowned for its research and innovation, with faculty and students actively engaged in research that not only advances academic knowledge but also benefits industry, government, and society. MSU ranks among the top universities in the nation for research and development funding, particularly in areas related to agriculture, engineering, and environmental sciences. The university is home to numerous research centers and institutes, including the MonArk Quantum Foundry, the Optical Technology Center, the Western Transportation Institute, the Montana Space Grant Consortium, the Ivan Doig Center for the Study of the Lands and Peoples of the North American West, and the Center for Biofilm Engineering which contribute significantly to the regional and global economy.

The successful candidate will be an experienced leader who is able to provide strategic leadership that positions MSU as a leader in student success, academic excellence, research innovation, and community engagement and who is able to set the vision for the future of MSU in alignment with its role as a land-grant university. The next President must also demonstrate engagement commitment to all students with a focus on access, achievement, retention, and success. They will be expected to promote a culture of academic rigor and student success by supporting faculty excellence in teaching, research, scholarship and creative arts. They must also lead efforts to advance MSU’s research enterprise, increasing external research funding and scholarship, promote interdisciplinary collaborations, increase graduate student enrollment, and enhancing MSU’s reputation as a national leader in research. They must also uphold MSU’s mission by fostering external partnerships as well as cultivating relationships with alumni, donors, and external stakeholders to enhance fundraising efforts.

How to Apply

Greenwood Asher & Associates is assisting Montana State University in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Confidential inquiries, nominations and application materials should be directed to Greenwood Asher and Associates. For a full application package, please submit a cover letter and CV. Submission of application materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made.

Please direct inquiries, nominations and application materials to:

Jim Johnsen, Vice President of Executive Search

Email: Jimjohnsen@greenwoodsearch.com

Julie Holley, Associate Vice President of Executive Search

E-mail: julieholley@greenwoodsearch.com

In compliance with the Montana Veteran's Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran's preference, please complete the veteran's preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Montana State University does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law

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