The Board of Directors of Campus Compact invites nominations and applications for the position of President. The Board seeks a dynamic and visionary leader with a bold commitment to promoting civic engagement in a way that positively impacts the lives of individuals at member institutions and the communities which they serve.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 U.S. college and university presidents, representing approximately 6 million students, who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education. As the only national higher education association with a state-based network dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, Campus Compact promotes public and community service that develops students’ citizenship skills, helps campuses forge effective community partnerships, and provides resources and training for faculty seeking to integrate civic and community-based learning into the curriculum. Campus Compact’s membership includes public, private, two- and four-year institutions across the spectrum of higher education.
Campus Compact was founded in 1985 by the presidents of Brown, Georgetown, and Stanford Universities, and the president of the Education Commission of the States. In the mid-1980s, the media portrayed college students as materialistic and self-absorbed, more interested in making money than in helping their neighbors. The founding presidents believed this public image was false; they noted many students on their campuses who were involved in community service and believed many others would follow suit with the proper encouragement and supportive structures.
Campus Compact was created to help colleges and universities create such support structures. These include offices and staff to coordinate community engagement efforts, training to help faculty members integrate community work into their teaching and research, scholarships and other student incentives, and the institutional will to make civic and community engagement a priority. Today more than 98% of Campus Compact member campuses have one or more community partnerships, and more than 90% include service or civic engagement in their mission statements. These campuses are putting their knowledge and resources to work to help build strong communities and educate the next generation of responsible citizens.
Mission Campus Compact advances the public purposes of colleges and universities by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility.
Vision Campus Compact envisions colleges and universities as vital agents and architects of a diverse democracy, committed to educating students for responsible citizenship in ways that both deepen their education and improve the quality of community life. We challenge all of higher education to make civic and community engagement an institutional priority.
Reporting to the Campus Compact Board of Directors, the President manages and provides executive leadership for the operation of the organization; provides the executive level oversight required for the provision of staff support for the organization; and carries out policy objectives and other mandates adopted by the Board of Directors.
As the public and primary face of Campus Compact, the President is responsible for establishing agendas, overseeing project management and funding, and ensuring the implementation of Campus Compact’s strategic initiatives. In particular, the President is expected to work closely with State Directors and the leadership of member institutions to further integrate civic and community engagement as a core component of the educational experience for the public good and a democratic
society. This integration leads to transformative work which positively impacts students, faculty, the institution, and the community. The President is responsible for the organization’s administrative and financial management and will be expected to align resources and assets with the organization’s mission and vision. The President will also be expected to take the lead in maintaining and forging new partnerships with colleges, universities, affinity organizations, and foundations and corporations that enhance value to the membership and increase the quality and scope of its outreach.
The Board of Directors is seeking an individual with senior leadership experience in academic, nonprofit, business, and/or policy positions, with an understanding of, and expertise in, the academy. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills, demonstrated experience with shared governance, and the ability to work directly with top academic leaders to forge consensus on agendas, projects, and processes. Further, it is expected that the President will have strong written and oral communication skills, allowing him or her to interact comfortably with leaders in government, foundations, and other constituencies outside of Campus Compact in order to facilitate and inform the organization’s leadership equity and imprint. The President should have excellent peripheral vision with an ability to scan the external environment and horizon for worthy national initiatives and resources in which to engage students, faculty, and institutional partners. The successful candidate must have a proven track record of successful fundraising and ability to partner with corporate and philanthropic organizations. Candidates should have a master’s degree or equivalent work experience, with a preference given to those individuals with a doctoral degree.
Nominations and inquiries of interest may be sent in confidence to the organization’s executive recruitment consultant:
Martin M. Baker, Senior Vice President Baker and Associates LLC 4799 Olde Towne Parkway – Suite 202 Marietta, GA 30068 mbaker {at} baasearch(.)com