Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

  • Indianapolis
  • Full time
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THE OPPORTUNITY

Ivy Tech Community College invites nominations and applications for the position of Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs—a transformative leadership opportunity for a bold, visionary, and collaborative executive who will help shape the future of the largest singly accredited statewide community college system in the United States, serving over 200,000 students across 19 campuses. Ivy Tech is uniquely positioned as Indiana’s most powerful engine for workforce transformation, career advancement, and educational access. The College’s next chapter will be defined by unprecedented opportunity, statewide ambition, and a commitment to reimagining what a community college can achieve.

As the College’s chief academic officer, the Provost will lead and shape Ivy Tech’s educational strategy to ensure academic excellence, innovation, and workforce relevance. This includes advancing initiatives that blur the lines between K–12 and higher education, expanding credit-for-prior-learning opportunities, and aligning academic programs with Indiana’s workforce and economic development needs.

In close partnership with the Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers, the Provost will co-lead efforts to integrate labor market data, employer input, and work-based learning into academic planning, while expanding credentialing pathways such as industry certifications, micro credentials, and apprenticeships. overseeing academic programs, student affairs, online learning, enrollment, and educational technology, the Provost will drive student success, faculty excellence, and institutional performance in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.

As a key member of the President’s Cabinet, the Provost will collaborate with state and institutional leaders on strategic initiatives, budget planning, and statewide workforce alignment, serving as Ivy Tech’s principal academic liaison to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, transfer institutions, and accreditation bodies. This is a defining opportunity to lead academic innovation at scale and help chart the future of education and workforce development across Indiana and the nation. The position is based in Indianapolis.

IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Indiana’s Engine of Opportunity - Ivy Tech Community College is the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. With 45 locations and 200,000 students served annually, Ivy Tech is committed to transforming Indiana through accessible, affordable, and high-quality education. The college offers over 70 academic programs aligned to regional workforce needs — including health sciences, advanced manufacturing, IT, business, and education — and is a primary pipeline for transfer to Indiana’s four-year institutions.

Affordability and Success: The tuition per semester is $2,577.11, and four out of five graduates finish with no college debt.

Career and Transfer Focus: Ivy Tech offers over 70 academic programs, and more than 5,000 students transfer to a four-year university annually. The college also holds the top spot for apprenticeships in the U.S. and graduates the highest number of associate-level nurses in the nation.

Flexibility: The college offers flexible class formats and 8-week courses, with over 500 classes available online.

Ivy Tech Community College’s Enrollment:

Academic    Total              Yr-Over-Yr      High School      Skills Training

Year             Enrollment     Increase        (Dual Credit)     (Non-Credit)

2024-25        204,967            4.9%             98,460                31,955

2023-24        196,741           11.8%            91,082                33,088

2022-23        177,183            7.8%             80,031                25,212

  • Total Enrollment: The college saw a significant increase in total enrollment, rising from 177,183 students in 2022-23 to 204,967 in 2024-25. This represents a 4.9% year-over-year increase for the 2024-25 academic year.

  • High School Students: Enrollment of high school students taking dual credit courses also grew substantially, increasing from 80,031 to 98,460 during this period.

  • Skills Training (Non-Credit): The number of participants in non-credit skills training programs rose from 25,212 in 2022-23 to 31,955 in 2024-25.

MISSION, VISION & STRATEGIC PLAN

Our MISSION - We are a diverse, open-access college that fuels Indiana’s economy through excellence in teaching and proactive engagement with industry and community partners, embedded in a culture of innovation that empowers all students to learn and succeed.

Our VISION - Ivy Tech students will earn 50,000 high-quality credentials each year aligned with the needs of Indiana’s workforce and communities.

Strategic Plan - Ivy Tech’s Strategic Plan, titled “Higher Education at the Speed of Life,” conveys all we seek to achieve with the vision, mission, and goals we have laid out. Life moves fast. Economies change. Technology disrupts. We must anticipate and respond rapidly to have the maximum positive impact on the state we call home. And that’s why we are pleased and honored to execute a plan that keeps pace with the demands of our lives and our communities.

ROLE OF PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

As the College’s chief academic officer, the Provost provides strategic leadership and academic oversight for all teaching, learning, and student success functions across the statewide system. The Provost plays a central role in shaping Ivy Tech’s education strategy, driving academic excellence, and ensuring that programs remain aligned with Indiana’s evolving workforce and economic development needs.

This includes leading initiatives that bridge K–12 and higher education, expanding credit-for-prior-learning opportunities, and strengthening curriculum alignment with workforce demands. The Provost oversees the College’s online programs, academic affairs, student success and retention, enrollment and recruitment strategy, advising, testing centers, instructional design, educational technology, and student records.

Working closely with the Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers, the Provost co-leads efforts to integrate labor market data, employer input, and work-based learning into academic planning and to expand credentialing frameworks such as industry certifications, microcredentials, and apprenticeship pathways. Together, these efforts ensure Ivy Tech’s programs deliver measurable value for students, employers, and communities statewide.

As a key member of the President’s Cabinet, the Provost collaborates with state and institutional leaders on strategic initiatives, the academic components of the State of Indiana’s biennial budget, and efforts to align educational programs with statewide workforce priorities. The Provost also serves as Ivy Tech’s primary academic liaison to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, transfer institutions, and accreditation bodies, and presents strategic plan progress and recommendations to the State Board of Trustees.

The provost directly supervises the following positions:

  • Vice Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

  • Vice President for Student Success & Retention Strategy

  • Vice President for Academic Systems & Completion Strategy

  • Vice President of K–14

  • Admissions and Advising System Architect

  • Vice President for Recruitment & Enrollment Management

  • Administrative Assistant to the Provost

The Provost also provides indirect (dotted line) leadership to the campus Vice Chancellors of Academic Affairs, ensuring statewide alignment of academic priorities.

While the Provost plays a central leadership role in the College’s academic direction, sector vice presidents, many of whom oversee academic functions—do not report directly to the Provost. This structure fosters cross-functional collaboration and supports Ivy Tech’s integrated academic and workforce ecosystem.

QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • Earned doctorate in a related field (preferred) and substantial experience in postsecondary educational administration and teaching.

  • Serves as a key leader in institutional planning and decision-making, with an emphasis on innovation, academic strategy, student success, resource alignment, and organizational leadership.

  • Knowledge and understanding of shared governance in higher education and understanding of the dual role as both a champion of academics and a key member of the university’s senior leadership team.

  • Deep knowledge of career and academic pathways with a focus on workforce alignment and student success.

  • Commitment to creating a learning environment where all students and employees are valued and respected.

  • A proven ability to attract, mentor, and empower talented faculty, staff, administrators, and students to perform at their highest potential.

  • Strong emotional intelligence, adaptability, and professional presence to navigate a dynamic and evolving institution.

  • A collaborative and transparent leadership style, coupled with the courage to make principled decisions grounded in integrity and institutional values.

  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and listening skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of constituencies effectively.

  • A deeply student-centered approach to academic leadership, prioritizing learning, belonging, and outcomes.

  • Willingness and ability to travel regularly to campuses across Indiana and out of state as needed for professional engagement.

  • This is a transformative leadership opportunity for a bold and collaborative executive who will help shape the future of Ivy Tech Community College and advance its mission as Indiana’s most powerful engine for workforce transformation, career advancement, and educational access.

IVY TECH LEADERSHIP

President Dr. Martin (Marty) Pollio

Dr. Martin (Marty) Pollio brings more than 25 years of transformational leadership in education to his role as the 10th president of Ivy Tech Community College. As president of Ivy Tech, Dr. Pollio serves as the chief executive officer of Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution, which enrolled more than 200,000 students in the 2024-25 academic year.

Dr. Pollio champions the implementation of Higher Education at the Speed of Life, the college’s strategy to deliver 50,000 annual credential completions aligned with the needs of Indiana’s workforce. He leads a team of nearly 7,000 faculty and staff across the college’s 19 campuses in Indiana and online and oversees major institutional initiatives that strengthen academic quality and improve student retention, completion, employment and transfer outcomes.

Dr. Pollio joined the college on July 1, 2025, after a nationally recognized tenure as superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), one of largest urban public school districts in the United States. In his eight years of leadership, JCPS increased its high school graduation rate and nearly doubled its postsecondary readiness rate while reducing achievement gaps.

Central to Dr. Pollio’s educational philosophy is a deep commitment to preparing students for success at work and in life. At JCPS, he directed the Academies of Louisville, a nationally recognized initiative that embedded career pathways into the high school experience. He previously led similar efforts while serving as principal of Jeffersontown and Doss high schools, where he drove improvements in student achievement by bridging academic instruction with hands-on, work-based learning opportunities.

Dr. Pollio holds a Bachelor of Arts in education from Indiana University, a Master of Science in health education from Eastern Kentucky University, and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership and management from the University of Louisville.

The President’s Cabinet

The President’s cabinet is a team of six including the president of the foundation and the following positions.

  • Provost & Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs

  • Senior Vice President for Workforce and Careers

  • Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

  • Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer

  • Senior Vice President, Legal and Public Affairs

The State Board of Trustees

The Ivy Tech Community College State Board of Trustees comprises 15 members appointed by the Governor. According to Indiana law, each trustee must have knowledge or experience in one or more of the following areas: manufacturing, commerce, labor, agriculture, state and regional economic development needs, and/or Indiana's educational delivery system. State Trustees are appointed for three years in overlapping terms. One trustee must reside in each of the College's original, fourteen regions.

Ivy Tech’s Chancellors

Ivy Tech’s 19 campus leadership teams, ensuring localized fundraising success and alignment with community needs.

APPLICATIONS & NOMINATIONS

Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications (including resumes and letters of interest) may be submitted in confidence to Woodhouse Search LLC at: laurie@woodhousesearch.com

Selected candidate for employment will be subject to pre-employment background checks, including criminal history check, and any offer of employment will be contingent upon that outcome.

Ivy Tech Community College is an accredited, equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age or veteran status. As required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Ivy Tech Community College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions. Questions specific to Title IX may be referred to the College’s Title IX Coordinator or to the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.

Job ID: JR0000107070