Provost

The University of Delaware (UD), the State's flagship public research university and a distinguished Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution, seeks a principled, visible, and forward-looking academic leader to serve as provost. This is a rare opportunity to shape the academic future of a research-intensive university at a moment of renewed momentum, institutional clarity, and leadership transition.

UD enrolls more than 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and is home to a deeply engaged community of faculty and staff committed to excellence in teaching, research, service, and public impact. Recognized as a Carnegie R1 institution with very high research activity, UD combines national research stature with a distinctive commitment to undergraduate education, faculty governance, and student success. With campuses and programs spanning the State of Delaware and strong connections to government, industry, and community partners, the University plays an outsized role in the educational, economic, and civic life of the state.

The provost will join UD during an important period of institutional alignment and opportunity under the leadership of President Laura Carlson, whose appointment in January 2026 marked the beginning of a new chapter defined by transparency, collaboration, and a strong, human centered leadership culture. Together with President Carlson and a newly appointed executive vice president for finance and administration, the provost will form a collaborative senior leadership triad charged with translating institutional vision into strategy and execution.

As the University's chief academic officer, the provost will lead a comprehensive academic enterprise that includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral education; research and scholarly activity across disciplines; faculty affairs and development; libraries and academic support units; global and experiential learning; partnerships that advance the University's public mission; and enrollment management. The provost will be central to sustaining and strengthening UD's academic quality, research momentum, and student outcomes while navigating a dynamic higher education landscape shaped by fiscal pressures, evolving student needs, technological transformation, and heightened public scrutiny of higher education.

UD seeks a provost who brings intellectual gravitas, operational finesse, and a deeply relational leadership style—someone who is visible, forthright, and engaged across the campus community. The successful candidate will value and practice shared governance; communicate with clarity and follow through; support the full breadth of UD's academic disciplines, including the arts and humanities, the natural and social sciences, and professional fields; and foster a culture of trust, innovation, and collective responsibility. Above all, the next provost will be excited by the distinctive opportunity to lead at the University of Delaware and committed to partnering with its community to advance a bold, inclusive, and sustainable academic future.

This search is led by Robin Mamlet, Sandra Chu, and Tyler Workman of WittKieffer.

Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Sandra Chu (schu@wittkieffer.com) and Tyler Workman (tworkman@wittkieffer.com). To receive the fullest consideration, candidate materials should be submitted through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal by August 10, 2026. Applicants should submit, as separate documents, a CV or résumé and a letter of interest that addresses the themes outlined in the profile available here.