Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The Maryland Institute College of Art, the nation’s oldest continuously operating degree-granting college of art, invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Founded in 1826, MICA is at the vanguard of art and design education and among the most highly respected in the world.  It attracts students from almost all 50 states and over 50 foreign countries and is  committed to expanding the role of creative practitioners in contemporary society, including work in sectors such as public health and medicine, entrepreneurship, science and technology, and social enterprise.  Located in Baltimore in the heart of the East Coast Arts corridor, MICA enjoys tremendous art resources, a thriving art scene, major museums, as well as easy access to other major cultural centers and related art and design industries in D.C. and beyond. 

MICA enrolls approximately 1,600 undergraduate and 350 graduate students nationally and internationally. It offers bachelor’s degree programs in 28 majors and minors, three liberal arts majors, and 20 graduate degree and post-baccalaureate programs, including five fifth year capstone programs. MICA also offers advanced Master of Professional Studies (MPS) programs and an MBA/MA program in collaboration with The Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business. 

The College’s MFA programs are ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report, including a graduate graphic design program that is ranked #3 and other top 10 ranking individual graduate programs. MICA has been recognized by the Chronical of Higher Education as a leading producer of Fulbright Scholars among specialty schools 7 out of the past 10 years – most recently in 2024.

For its new provost, MICA seeks an experienced and action-oriented leader who is invigorated by the opportunity to build, evolve, innovate, and collaborate with the MICA community. The new provost will join academic and administrative colleagues in maintaining the high quality of education for students while reinvigorating the reputation of MICA and moving the institution forward in national and international prominence.

The provost will oversee the academic affairs unit and serve as a pivotal member of the senior leadership team. Working closely with the president, senior leaders, and faculty leadership, the new provost will help to envision and realize the future of academic and artistic excellence at MICA. In 2026, its bicentennial year, the College will develop a new strategic plan.  The new provost will be a central part of the process of both developing and implementing the strategic plan, the heart of which will be a bold academic vision for the future of art and design education.  

The ideal candidate for the new provost will have:

• Academic credentials in art and/or design, including teaching and professional activity, sufficient for a faculty appointment at MICA.
• Progressively more responsible administrative and leadership experience in a department or school or college of fine arts or art and design, including some decanal or provostial experience.
• Experience with strategic planning and implementation
• An understanding of and demonstrated commitment to shared governance
• A demonstrated commitment to fairness and a history of working with diverse communities.
• A comprehensive and integrated approach to student academic success and a culture of wellness for faculty, staff, and students.
• A demonstrated commitment to insightful globalization in an increasingly interconnected world.
• A history of pedagogical and curricular innovation.
• A history of successful faculty recruitment.
• A history of community engagement.
• High integrity, excellent communication skills, and a sense of humor.

A complete leadership prospectus may be found above, along with additional information about the College here. 

Nominations and Applications

For best consideration, applications should be received by April 7, 2025 and must include:

• A letter of interest that specifically addresses the qualifications outlined in the prospectus. 
• A current curriculum vitae/resume.
• A list of five professional references with the candidate’s relationship to each referee, as well as telephone numbers and email addresses for future contact. References will not be contacted without prior authorization from the applicant.

Applications should be in PDF format and submitted through the AGB Search portal at MICA-Provost Application Portal.

The search is being assisted by AGB Search. Nominations and expressions of interest are encouraged and should be directed to: 

Robert Holyer, PhD
Executive Search Consultant
robert.holyer@agbsearch.com
804.402.6736 (c)

Candidates are encouraged to contact the consultant before submitting an application.  

MICA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the College to apply recruiting, hiring, promotion, compensation, and professional development and disciplinary practices without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, citizenship, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, disability, or any other legally protected status. Further, the College provides reasonable accommodation to persons with mental or physical disabilities.