Provost

Luther College invites applications and nominations for an experienced, forward-thinking, and collaborative leader to serve as the next Provost.

Located in the vibrant town of Decorah in northeastern Iowa, Luther is an undergraduate liberal arts college that serves approximately 1,400 students and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church (ELCA). With 60 areas of learning, the liberal arts are uniquely embraced at Luther through the curriculum generally, and specifically through its signature Paideia program, an interdisciplinary, school-wide course series that asks students to contemplate complex questions. Luther is a Phi Beta Kappa institution, a recognition belonging to only 10% of colleges and universities, and its graduates have been honored with awards such as Fulbright, Rhodes, Goldwater, and NCAA Postgraduate scholarships. The college values learning beyond the classroom; internships, externships, and opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research are core to the Luther experience, as are study-away experiences, with 300 to 400 students studying abroad each year. With one-third of all Luther students participating in music, Luther also has one of the largest undergraduate music programs in the nation. Luther takes seriously its mission to “practice joyful stewardship of the resources around us.” Green campus operations, partnerships with local businesses, and academic courses that incorporate sustainability have earned Luther a number of environmental leadership awards, including a Top 10 national ranking on the AASHE Sustainable Campus Index.

Decorah is surrounded by natural beauty and agriculture. It lies in the Driftless Region, a beautiful environment of rolling hills, sandstone bluffs, waterfalls, and spring-fed creeks. The community of Decorah is just as unique and inviting as the landscape. Home to locally owned shops and restaurants and nationally known breweries and museums, Decorah bustles with culture, adventure, and a deep sense of community.

This is a significant time of opportunity and momentum as Dr. Brad Chamberlain becomes Luther’s twelfth President and enacts a vision that creates alignment around Luther’s purpose and continues to prepare students for lives of meaning and service. The Provost will join a new President, dedicated faculty and staff, a highly committed and student-focused Cabinet, and an engaged Board of Regents in advancing a commitment to academic and extracurricular excellence while continuously innovating and evolving. They will have strong and energized partners in Academic Affairs, Student Engagement, and Student Success as part of the integrated provost model at Luther. The successful candidate will bring their leadership vision and a spirit of continuous improvement as this new model is fully enacted at Luther.

The Provost should be a collaborative, creative, and open-minded leader who has a strategic vision, global view, intellectual curiosity, and the personal qualities and integrity to inspire the community and lead the college to new levels of excellence. The ideal candidate should be an experienced administrative and academic leader with the skill to lead in an integrated provost model and serve the entire college as a member of the President’s Cabinet. The next Provost should have a confident yet humble presence and be an excellent listener who is open to feedback and suggestions from a variety of constituencies. Coupled with an eye for innovation, the successful candidate should bring to the role a record of teaching along with scholarly and administrative prowess reflective of Luther College’s own high standards. The next Provost will possess a Ph.D. or its equivalent, ideally in one of the disciplines represented at Luther.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile. Professional references are not requested at this time.

How To Apply:

WittKieffer is assisting Luther College in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by March 5, 2025. Applications, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to Amy Crutchfield, Melody Rose, Ph.D., and Natalie Song at Luther-Provost@wittkieffer.com

It is the policy of Luther College to provide equal educational opportunities and equal access to facilities for all qualified persons. The college does not discriminate in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal or state law.