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President

Employer
Southern Wesleyan University
Location
South Carolina, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
Sep 22, 2021

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Position Type
Executive, Chancellors & Presidents
Employment Level
Executive
Employment Type
Full Time

Southern Wesleyan University, an evangelical Christian institution located in the town of Central, South Carolina, welcomes applications and nominations in the search for its next President. The University is committed to liberal arts and professional education, and the Board of Trustees seeks a President who is an experienced, innovative, and visionary strategic leader and who demonstrates qualities that align with the University’s Core Values of Christ-centered purpose, scholarship, community, and transformation.

 

The Institution: Founded in 1906, Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) embraces its mission: “...to serve as a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ.” SWU abides by the belief that every individual has a God-given purpose, brought to fruition by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit and the challenge of scholarship. This belief is manifested in SWU’s Core Values of Purpose: A specific calling for a unique role in our world; Scholarship: Academic excellence in an innovative faith-centered environment; Community: Belonging to a connected and compassionate body of learners; and Transformation: Christ’s redemptive work in individual and corporate life. Southern Wesleyan University, as one of five colleges/universities operated by The Wesleyan Church, has historically held a high view of Scriptural authority, while affirming denominational distinctions such as racial and gender equality. The Wesleyan dynamic of holiness—personal piety and social justice expressed as love for God and others—is also foundational to the mission of the University. The next President will demonstrate a Wesleyan ethos aligned with this view of Scriptural authority and holiness.

 

Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, SWU serves nearly 1,400 students in approximately 40 areas of study, which include both undergraduate and graduate programs. The main campus consists of 350 beautiful acres in the town of Central, South Carolina, and offers students access to high quality learning and living facilities, many of which are newly constructed or recently renovated. The University employs 54 full-time faculty members and boasts a rigorous honors program, as well as a robust offering of online degrees, in addition to its on-campus offerings. It also offers 18 men’s and women’s sports programs, enjoys dual membership in the NCAA Division II and the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association), and, since 2007, it has won 17 NCCAA national championships. For more information about the University, please visit https://www.swu.edu/

 

The Position: Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the President serves as the chief administrator of the University with responsibility for the supervision of all officers, agents, faculty, and employees. The President will execute the policies and standards of the Board of Trustees and the General Board of Administration of The Wesleyan Church as they relate to the operation of the University. The President will participate in the Wesleyan Education Council. Additionally, the President will project and preserve the ideals of The Wesleyan Church and interpret the University program to the faculty, student body, Board of Trustees, constituency, and general public. As the chief administrative officer of the University, the President will coordinate the preparation of the annual budget for approval by the Board of Trustees and provide budgetary oversight on behalf of the Board once it has been approved. The President is also responsible for the administration and fiscal management of the University’s intercollegiate athletic programs. The President will develop strategic goals for the annual and long-term development of the University and its master plan and will provide oversight for the assessment of academic and non-academic units to accomplish those strategic goals and learning outcomes.

 

The President also provides leadership for fundraising and advancement programs. Accordingly, the President will encourage and foster the development of grant applications and the availability of external funding of University programs through corporate & foundation funding. The President will also represent the University at educational, professional, community, and church-related functions and other public events; serve as an ex-officio member of all faculty standing committees (except faculty appeals committee) and appoint the members of all standing committees as specified in the committee descriptions. The President will perform such other duties as necessary from time to time and in accordance with the University’s By-laws and The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church. A prospectus for this opportunity and information about The Wesleyan Church are available through the links below:

 

Prospectus: https://www.rpainc.org/post/SWUProspectus.pdf

Wesleyan Church: https://www.wesleyan.org/

 

Qualifications: The next President will be a born-again believer submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The President will also be an experienced leader with excellent communication skills and the ability to engage the University community in building upon SWU’s student-centered culture. He or she will be a person of prayer and integrity who can serve as a role model to students, faculty, and staff. The next President must also bring an innovative, visionary, and creative outlook and the ability and desire to think and lead strategically. Ideally, the next President will be a transformational leader with executive leadership experience in higher education. He or she will also preferably have an understanding of and successful experience in fundraising. An earned doctorate is preferred.

 

Location: Central, South Carolina, is a town of 5,000 situated in the northwest part of the state, in the nearly 1 million resident Greenville Metropolitan Area. The region sits along the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and offers a wealth of opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts, including hiking and biking trails, waterfalls, and lakes. Residents also enjoy an exceptional quality of life and a vibrant arts and culture scene, complete with diverse dining options, visual and performing arts venues, and lively annual festivals. Greenville, a vibrant and growing city, is only 30 miles away, and other great cities of the Southeast, including Atlanta, Asheville, and Charlotte, are close enough for day trips. Also worth visiting is South Carolina’s beautiful coastline, which includes the historic city of Charleston, beautiful Hilton Head Island, and lively Myrtle Beach. For more information about the region, visit https://www.visitclemson.com/

 

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume to RPA Inc. at SWUPresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please contact Dr. Jim Barnes, Senior Consultant, at 765-618-2582, or Isaac Karaffa, Vice President and Senior Consultant, at SWUPresident@rpainc.org. While applications will be accepted until the position is filled, for guaranteed full consideration, please apply by November 3, 2021.

 

It is the policy of Southern Wesleyan University to provide and maintain equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (including but not limited to lactation), disability, genetic information, veteran status, age, or any other classification protected by state, federal, or local law, unless a bona fide occupational qualification applies. The University reserves its right to operate as a church-related institution and to develop policies consistent with the religious tenets of its sponsoring denomination, The Wesleyan Church, and is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees on the basis of religion (Title VII, Section 702-703, United States Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended).

 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (amending the Higher Education Act of 1965) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. Sexual harassment, which includes sexual violence and other forms of nonconsensual sexual misconduct, is a form of sex discrimination and is prohibited under this law. Southern Wesleyan University is fully committed to the Biblical Standard of sexual integrity as defined and practiced by The Wesleyan Church. At no time should any discussion of sexual behaviors be construed as endorsement of inappropriate sexual activity. For more information, visit SWU’s Title IX page: https://www.swu.edu/title-ix/

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