Edward Waters College Profile

Transcription

1 Edward Waters College Profile The Board of Trustees announces the search for the 30th President of Edward Waters College and invites nominations and applications for distinctive candidates to lead the institution s historical legacy. History Founded in 1866, Edward Waters College (EWC) is the State of Florida s oldest independent institution of higher learning, as well as the state's first institution established for the education of African Americans. In 1865, following the Civil War, the Reverend Charles H. Pearce, a presiding elder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, was sent to Florida by Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne. Observing the evolutionary, social and political changes of the Reconstruction Era, Rev. Pearce recognized the need for an education ministry; no provision had yet been made for the public education of Florida's newly emancipated African-American. Assisted by the Reverend William G. Steward, the first AME pastor in the state, Pearce began to raise funds to build a school which was to eventually evolve into Edward Waters College. From the beginning, EWC was faced with both abject poverty and widespread illiteracy among its constituents. This resulted from pre-war conditions of servitude and historical, legally enforced non-schooling of African Americans. However, the school met the needs of its community by offering courses at the elementary, high school, college, and seminary levels. Construction of the first building began in October 1872 on 10 acres of land in Live Oak, FL. Further support for this new educational institution came from numerous friends, including railroad magnate General M.S. Littlefield, State Treasurer Simon Conaber, and Lieutenant General William Gleason. In 1892, the school's name was changed to Edward Waters College in honor of the third Bishop of the AME Church. The Great Fire of 1901 destroyed the City of Jacksonville and reduced Edward Waters College to ashes. In 1904, the EWC Board of Trustees purchased the present site of the school, located on Kings Road, with the imperative from Bishop M.B. Salter that Edward Waters College must be rebuilt. Following the visionary leadership and direction of the phenomenal bishops of the AME Church, as well as 29 focused presidents, Edward Waters College was again "rebuilt." EWC Presidents continued the work of each predecessor by training students to be productive, successful members of society and ensuring that they matriculate in a safe, learning-centered environment. With a history beginning in the dark, yet hopeful, days of Reconstruction, the Edward Waters College of today is living, thriving proof of the power of education and the resilience of deeply rooted educational institutions.

2 Mission Edward Waters College will become a national model for a dynamic, globally diverse learning-centered community that champions academic excellence through innovative teaching and learning strategies under-girded by a spirit of servant leadership. Edward Waters College is a small, private, Christian, historically black, urban, liberal arts college that offers quality baccalaureate degree programs. The college strives to prepare students holistically to advance in a global society through the provision of intellectually, stimulating programs and an environment which emphasizes high moral and spiritual values in keeping with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Edward Waters College seeks to develop excellence in scholarship, research and service for the betterment of humanity. Core Values CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES Ethics and doctrines predicated on the AME Church theology God or Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother. EXCELLENCE Superiority, eminence, distinction and quality in scholarship, leadership and citizenship. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Embracing a burden of obligation to collective society, both the immediate as well as the global. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Dedication to addressing issues of public concern. COOPERATION Fostering the concept of teamwork as a means to success. PROFESSIONALISM Practicing proficiency, skill and expertise in all that we undertake. STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Cultivating within our students a thirst for education, a desire for higher level thought processes and a willingness to persevere despite challenges. SCHOLARSHIP Creating a culture of erudition through a nurturing spirit. DIVERSITY Endeavoring to celebrate the uniqueness of all cultures with appreciation and understanding.

3 Academic Programs The EWC academic program is designed to provide a high-quality undergraduate 21st century education to all students. The program consists of a reinvigorated, practical, and engaged liberal arts education with comprehensive academic support services for all. EWC liberal arts education is designed to provide our students with a program that is rigorous, inclusive, pragmatic, and socially responsible. EWC is striving to become an intentional institution that will employ resources and align its practices in purposeful ways to provide a powerful liberal education to all students in order to produce individuals capable of adapting to new environments, integrating knowledge from different sources, and who will be lifelong learners. The academic program at EWC recognizes that college students come to this institution from an extremely diverse array of national, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As such, the teaching and learning environment is specifically calculated to focus on the kinds of learning that students need to be successful in a complex world. Degrees Edward Waters College awards the following degrees in eight degree-granting programs: Bachelor of Arts Communications--- Music ----Psychology ---Criminal Justice Bachelor of Science Biology ----Elementary Education Mathematics Bachelor of Business Administration Business Administration Student Services The years spent in college do more than prepare students academically, they help them become well-rounded individuals who are prepared for life. Outside of the classrooms, students lives are enriched by opportunities to experience and appreciate diversity as they live and work with others who come from different places and backgrounds. They develop the skills to be leaders, as well as effective team members. They develop friendships that form the basis for the networks and relationships they ll need for professional and personal advancement. They grow stronger emotionally, physically and spiritually. They learn to take responsibility and care for themselves, while increasing their capacity to feel compassionate about the well-being of others. College prepares students to make their mark to make a difference, not only in their own lives, but in the lives of their families and communities. EWC is dedicated to student success through student participation. We challenge students to become globally connected through student organization membership, leadership development, and through serving our communities. EWC engages students with diverse programming, for a comprehensive learning experience. Campus activities are designed to educate, motivate, challenge, introduce and create student opportunities that become an integral part of education through co-curricular activities; social, spiritual, recreational, and cultural. EWC STUDENT PROFILE (MOST RECENT IPEDS STATE DATA) Enrollment Fall 2016, 945 students enrolled, approximately 95% are full-time Dual Enrollment students increased to Retention Fall-to-fall retention rate is 57% or 945 students Students-to-faculty ratio: 14:1 Graduation Between July 2015 and August 2016, over 60% firsttime-in-college students received a Bachelor of Arts degree Employment Recent state data reflects that out of 126 graduates during the academic year of , 70% are employed Gender 52% male, 48% female Demographic 80% of students come from within the state of Florida Black 90% White 4% Hispanic 3% Other 3% Pell Grant Eligible 849 students or 89%

4 Athletics Edward Waters College seeks to establish and maintain an environment in which a student's athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the total educational experience. The College places highest priority on the successful completion of the academic program for all students. The College seeks to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equality amongst its student-athletes and athletics staff. MEN'S SPORTS -- FOOTBALL BASKETBALL BASEBALL TRACK & FIELD CROSS COUNTRY WOMEN'S SPORTS -- BASKETBALL SOFTBALL VOLLEYBALL TRACK & FIELD CROSS COUNTRY Recent Highlights Accreditation reaffirmed for 10 years by the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges The Fall 2017 matriculation is documented at 1,025 students--a new record high enrollment for EWC. Inaugural Call Me MISTER Program graduate receives teaching contract with Duval County Public Schools; 16 young men are currently in the program Voted best HBCU Business Administration Program for 2015 by HBCU Digest CLIMB is an accelerated, nontraditional delivery system serving adults ages 23 and older who have already completed a minimum of 45 semester hours of college with a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better. It is designed for those who aspire to complete their bachelor s degree in an accelerated model. Criminal Justice Center and Forensic Science Program in collaboration with the City of Jacksonville and Jacksonville Sheriff s Office to prepare students for law enforcement and on-the-job training. In a Partnership with City of Jacksonville and FY18 Budget approval of $8.5 million October 1, 2017, Mayor Lenny Curry and City Councilmembers approved the EWC FY18 budget request and City investment of $8.5 million from the Safe Neighborhoods portion of the budget to revitalize a community-accessible athletic field that will hold 2,800 seats and rehabilitate the oldest aging student dormitory on campus, Tiger Landing. The Black Male College Explorers Program (BMCEP) is an intervention program designed specifically for black males who are potential high school dropouts. The goals of the program are to prevent these students from dropping out, facilitate their admission to college, and significantly increase their chance of earning a college degree.

5 Strategic Plan Beginning Fall 2015, executive administrative staff, under the leadership of the College s President, Dr. Nathaniel Glover, started the process of developing the institution s strategic plan for the next five years ( ). The process began with a review of the College Vision, Mission, Core Values and Goals. Each Goal is supported by a series of objectives and implementation strategies which have been assigned to the various units in order to operationalize the institutional mission. The Strategic Plan is a living document designed to guide the College through the next five years and is reflective of its title - Aspire and Achieve: Beyond Boundaries. Goal I: INCREASE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES. Goal 2: IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COLLEGE THROUGH RESEARCH, PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT. Goal 3: MAINTAIN FISCAL AND PHYSICAL INFRASTRUC TURES, INCLUDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, THAT STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND STUDENT LIFE. Goal 4: OPTIMIZE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT AND ADVANCE COLLEGE IMAGE, RESOURCES AND RELATIONSHIPS. Goal 5: IMPROVE THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE COLLEGE. Goal 6: STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT THE SOCIAL, CULTURE AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS. Goal 7: IDENTIFY EWC AS AN AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-RELATED INSTITUTION OF LEARNING.

6 The Leadership Opportunity Community, and Beyond... Under the leadership of President Nathaniel Glover, Edward Waters College has maintained a firm foundation as an institution grounded in residential liberal arts preparation offering a distinctive selection of undergraduate degree programs. The next president of Edward Waters College will have an opportunity to build on the college s 151-year legacy of achievement in the Jacksonville community. Also, affirming and sustaining the strong and positive relationship with the African Methodist Episcopal Church is essential. EWC is one of four institutions of higher education in the Jacksonville which is encouraging for the community and concomitantly a challenge. 1) Shaping the Vision-Advancing the Mission The Edward Water s core mission and values, as described in this profile, as well as the principles and values that have informed and shaped the college since 1866, are drawn from the African Methodist Episcopal Church and have been essential components since the college was founded. Additionally, EWC is a private college and one of the 105 defined HBCUs in the country. As such the faculty, staff, and students have shared not only the common spiritual and faith tradition, but also the educational mission of HBCUs throughout the country. These shared values have informed the development of Edward Waters College and continue to be well known, articulated and clearly understood. 2) Advancing the Strategic Plan The new president will need to continue to merge the conversations among various stakeholders who support and participate in the articulated mission of Edward Waters College while looking to future growth. Edward Waters College must continue to celebrate its fundamental mission and prepare for necessary 21 st century growth. 3) Focusing on Student Services, Retention and Success The new president must be student focused and student centered. Exemplary customer service and accountability must be maintained at all levels and in every campus interaction. The new president must lead the campus community in embracing its history and traditions while seeking to recruit and retain more students and grow the endowment. Improvement in retention and graduation rates will be recognized as one point of success. 4) Growing Student Enrollment The new president must be capable and comfortable analyzing and further refining the admissions, financial aid, retention and all other variables associated with college growth and active student life that impact total enrollment. 5) Building a Stronger Financial Model This is a matter of building enrollment, growing gift income, and wise allocation with careful resource management. The Edward Waters campus community is ready to welcome a new president who will refine and create a shared vision, encourage new thinking about new degree programs and innovation; prioritize and engage the campus in pursuing new initiatives; achieve greater financial equilibrium; sharpen the Edward Waters brand and deepen its base of support both on and off campus. The new president must also bring a demonstrated track record of transformational leadership, academic preparation and significant fundraising capacity. 6) Managing While Leading. Leadership accountability is crucial in the new administration. It is important that the next president bring a depth of management experience to the position. The new president must be skillful at delegating, empowering and evaluating the leadership team/cabinet to be effective, efficient, responsive and accountable. The next president must also be creative, charismatic, inspiring and a thoughtful leader. 7) Fostering Relationships and Partnerships with Key Constituents The new president must be a strong communicator, connect at all levels and engage all stakeholders and constituents. This allows open discussion on critical issues that need to be addressed with the students, faculty, staff and administration to allow Edward Waters to become a stronger and more viable institution.

7 Desired Attributes of Leadership The next president of Edward Waters College will be a creative, inspiring and thoughtful leader who can give strong articulation to the essential values of liberal arts education in the context of the professional preparation of the next generation of leaders. Given Edward Waters College s affiliation with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the president will be expected to align with and affirm Christian values. The successful candidate for this position will evidence the following attributes: 1. A MISSION-CENTERED LEADER who demonstrates a commitment to the mission and values of Edward Waters College as a private, Christian, AME HBCU and understands the historical significance of EWC. 2. AN EXPERIENCED STUDENT-CENTERED LEADER with experience in or relevant to higher education and who is well informed on the major issues and resource challenges facing Edward Waters College specifically and the higher education community in general. 3. A STRATEGIC THINKER AND AGENT OF CHANGE who is proficient at convening the College community around the task of developing a clear vision, that along with the Strategic Plan, will guide the College in charting its future course in a very competitive marketplace. 4. A CREATIVE LEADER who is an ambitious, empathetic, inspiring and active participant with the campus community that has the heart and drive to move the institution forward; to stay personally connected with students, faculty and staff to build a stronger and more distinctive College environment. 5. A SKILLED COMMUNICATOR who is capable of motivating and inspiring others and who can articulate and give positive expression to the many campus constituencies and stakeholders. 6. A PRINCIPLED AND TRUSTWORTHY LEADER whose life and work evidences integrity, stability, ethical standards and honesty and who is committed to the values of team building, transparency, collaboration, and service as the foundation for effective leadership. 7. A FINANCIAL STRATEGIST who understands the complex financial challenges of a private college and who establishes clear budget priorities and allocations within the limits of Edward Waters financial, and physical resources. 8. A HIGH ENERGY AND TENACIOUS FUNDRAISER WITH MAJOR GIFT EXPERIENCE who will actively engage alumni, donors, businesses, the financial and the community-at-large in funding campaigns to build support for academic programs, the endowment, and select capital projects. 9. A PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS to establish increased retention and graduation rates; has a healthy respect for academia and who has high expectations for the success of the students, faculty and staff. The candidate must be open-minded to multi-disciplinary aspects in higher education and must keep abreast of current literature on pedagogy, instructional technology, and academic advancement in areas of interest to EWC. 10. A LEADER WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY who will hit the ground running in establishing relationships in the Jacksonville community and beyond that are needed for building financial resources; who is charismatic, experienced and inspirational, and who is prepared to roll up their sleeves and dive into connecting to the community.

8 The Process of Candidacy Nominations must be submitted electronically to: Dr. Bruce Taylor Chair, Presidential Search Committee Member, Board of Trustees Edward Waters College Candidates are asked to submit the following information electronically in MS Word or Adobe PDF formats. 1. A letter of interest that directly addresses the Desired Attributes of Leadership in the outline provided in this profile. 2. A resume, and; 3. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of four references. References will not be contacted without first securing the permission of the candidate. All candidate materials should be received by December 28, This search is being assisted by: Dr. Loren J. Anderson Executive Search Consultant AGB Search Mobile: Loren.Anderson@agbsearch.com Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd Executive Search Consultant AGB Search Mobile: Gwendolyn.Boyd@agbsearch.com Equal Opportunity Employment has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at the College, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, creed, gender identity, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic by law. This policy applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. Questions or concerns should be referred to the Human Resources Office. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the U.S. and complete employment eligibility verification paperwork.