Dear UVM community,
We are writing to share an update on the search for University of Vermont’s next Provost and Senior Vice President. Recruitment is now fully underway and progressing well. We are seeing strong interest in the opportunity, and WittKieffer, our search partner, notes a promising level of engagement from highly qualified candidates. We encourage you to review the leadership profile (pdf) and think of candidates you would like to have invited to apply. Please send their names, institutions, and any contact details to our WittKieffer team, care of Corin Edwards.
The search committee recently convened for its second meeting and has begun shaping the next phases of the process, including planning for finalist interviews, which are anticipated to take place in September. As part of that planning, the committee has been discussing the format for finalist engagement. Our expectation is to pursue a model designed to balance meaningful community involvement with the confidentiality necessary to attract and sustain a strong pool of candidates. In this approach, finalists will engage with a significantly expanded group of campus representatives—including faculty, staff, students, and senior leaders—rather than only the search committee, but these interactions will occur within an organized and confidential framework. Participants will be identified to reflect key constituencies, asked to honor clear confidentiality commitments, and invited to provide structured, anonymized feedback to inform the committee’s deliberations. This model allows us to gather broader perspectives on leadership, communication, and institutional fit, while ensuring that candidates—many of whom are serving in senior roles elsewhere—can participate fully without undue professional risk.
This approach is being employed more and more for searches of this kind. It enables us to remain competitive for the strongest candidates while also engaging the UVM community in a thoughtful way. We will continue to keep you informed as the search progresses and are grateful for your interest and support.
With appreciation,
Alicia Estey and Abby McGowan
Co-Chairs, Provost Search Committee