University of Rhode Island Foundation
President
Fall 2015
The University of Rhode Island seeks applications and nominations for the position of Foundation President.
“Given the dramatic rate of change that is already so characteristic of the 21st century, the human capacity for innovation has perhaps never been more important. The University of Rhode Island has a highly innovative faculty, and they are creating new knowledge, new capacities, and new ways to teach that will serve our students, the state, the nation, and the world extremely well.” - URI President David M. Dooley About the Search
The University of Rhode Island Foundation seeks an advancement leader to aggressively accelerate the building of a robust philanthropic program that keeps pace with the University’s standards of excellence and growth. The President of the University of Rhode Island Foundation reports directly to the Executive Board of the Foundation, functions as a member of the University’s senior management team, and supervises approximately 60 staff members. The President will be provided with the resources required for the University to embark on its most ambitious comprehensive campaign.
The University of Rhode Island: An Overview
Founded in 1892, the University of Rhode Island is the state’s flagship institution of higher education. A Land, Sea, and Urban Grant Institution led by Dr. David M. Dooley, the school offers its undergraduate, graduate, and professional education students the distinctive educational opportunities of a major research university.
URI’s main campus, located in Kingston, Rhode Island, provides a coastal, small- town New England environment set on 1,200 rural acres. Satellite campuses include The Feinstein Providence Campus, an urban campus in the vibrant heart of Providence that houses the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of
Continuing Education, the University’s biotechnology manufacturing program, and the “Admission Option” for incoming traditional-aged students. The University’s Narragansett Bay Campus, six miles to the east of the Kingston campus, overlooks the West Passage of Rhode Island’s prized bay and is the site of URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography. In the western part of Rhode Island, just 20 miles from Kingston, is URI’s W. Alton Jones Campus; its 2,300 acres of woods, fields, streams, and ponds are the site of environmental education, research, and conference facilities.
URI oversees approximately 100 academic programs annually, offered by nine degree-granting units including the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Continuing Education, the College of Engineering, the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, the College of Human Science and Services, the College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, and the Graduate School of Oceanography. The University of Rhode Island is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
Research and outreach conducted by the University of Rhode Island wield a major impact on issues that affect the region, the nation, and the world. The University is consistently awarded substantial sums for sponsored research projects and regularly ranks among the top institutions in the nation receiving environmental research funds.
The University Community
For the past 15 years, the University has been restoring and revitalizing campus buildings. Over a ten- year period, the University completed more than $200 million in new construction and renovation and rehabilitation of existing structures. This work included constructing the Ryan Center, a premier athletics and community venue; renovating historic Green Hall; and transforming Ballentine Hall, home of the College of Business Administration. New state-of-the-art residences and a new dining center have also been added to campus.
The new $54 million Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences was completed in 2009, a new $75 million College of Pharmacy building was completed in 2012, and the construction of a $68 million Chemical and Forensic Sciences building is underway. Most recently, in 2014, RI voters approved a $125 million bond funding for new College of Engineering facilities on the Kingston campus.
In addition to its reputation for academic achievement, URI’s athletics programs are nationally recognized for their excellence, integrity and focus on high academic standards. The Department of Athletics strives to provide quality facilities and programs that cultivate an exciting atmosphere for the University and the community. The 2014 URI Basketball season was extremely successful, ranking as one of the most winning seasons in several years. Coach Dan Hurley, who has led the resurgence of the basketball program, was retained with the partnership of the Foundation’s Board.
The Alumni Association is responsible for representing the voice of URI’s 120,000 alumni. A primary focus has been to build an alumni program that can bolster a major gift development program. Initiatives have included the creation of events with more substantive programming and meaningful locations, a high emphasis on social media, and increased emphasis on future programming.
The University of Rhode Island operates under the aegis of the Board of Governors for Higher Education, which also oversees the other two public Rhode Island institutions, Rhode Island College and the
Community College of Rhode Island. The Board of Governors consists of 13 individuals appointed by the Governor of Rhode Island.
For more information on the University of Rhode Island, please visit www.uri.edu
About the University of Rhode Island Foundation
The University of Rhode Island Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) charged with managing the University’s endowment portfolio, raising all philanthropic support for the University of Rhode Island (URI), and overseeing the University’s charitable giving programs. The Foundation, established in 1957, helps to fund student scholarships, faculty support, and educational initiatives and has an operating budget of approximately $6.5 million, with assets valued at more than $160 million.
Innovative programs that have been funded in partnership between the Foundation and University include the Business Engagement Center (BEC), designed to help businesses recruit students for internships and research projects and provide professional development resources and access to University facilities for its business partners.
The Foundation’s daily operations are managed by a President, who reports to a 28-member volunteer Foundation Executive Board. The President works closely with the University of Rhode Island President and Deans on all advancement efforts and is responsible for meeting ambitious fundraising and
engagement goals each year on behalf of the University. The Foundation President functions as a member of the University’s senior management team.
The Foundation is proud of its mission to support the University of Rhode Island's Pursuit of academic excellence.
For more information about the URI Foundation, please visit www.urifoundation.org
URI by the Numbers
13,589 Undergraduates and 2,982 Graduate Students
53 nations represented
Students from 44 US states and territories
56% RI students, 44% out-of-state students
22% of incoming freshmen self-identify as students of color
90 percent of URI freshmen live in campus residence halls
16.4:1 student to faculty ratioAbout the Opportunity
The University of Rhode Island Foundation is seeking a new President to lead the Foundation and significantly increase philanthropic revenue and community engagement on behalf of the University. The President of the University of Rhode Island Foundation reports directly to the Executive Board and supervises approximately 60 staff members. S/he will be responsible for leading and strengthening URI’s development efforts in order to support the goals and aspirations of the University and help to raise the profile of the school.
The new President will be a confident leader who will engage internal and external constituencies in the visionary case for support for the educational and economic impact that the University has on its students, faculty, business community, and the State of Rhode Island. S/he needs to be an active and enthusiastic member of the community and develop a keen understanding of its multiple constituencies in keeping with the collaborative and collegial culture of the school.
The new President will have the opportunity to assess readiness, plan and execute the largest campaign in the University’s history in partnership with the University President and Foundation Board, and
significantly impact URI’s prominence and academic competitiveness.
Compensation, including relocation benefits for this national search, will be highly competitive.
Key Responsibilities Leadership
Represent the University of Rhode Island Foundation with enthusiasm and professionalism with internal and external stakeholders;
Raise the profile and impact of the Foundation to significantly increase visibility, impact and engagement activities for the University;
As a member of the University Senior leadership team, facilitate alignment, consensus, participation, and effective communication among the President, Provost, Deans, senior
administrators, faculty, Foundation staff, and the Foundation Executive Board for all development activities in support of advancing the University’s overall objectives;
Staff the Foundation board recruitment and retention process. Fundraising/Management
Design and execute a comprehensive campaign;
Manage a select principal gift portfolio;
Build a robust fundraising program that utilizes best practices to secure philanthropic
investments from individuals, corporations, and foundations in support of the University’s top priorities;
Provide leadership and set ambitious, clear, and data-driven objectives for a team of nearly 60 development professionals and administrative support staff;
Benchmark the University’s development programs against best-in-class examples among peer and aspirant institutions;
Continually strive to improve and extend relationships with all constituencies in ways that have a quantifiable impact on philanthropic revenue;
Ensure that resources invested in the Foundation provide a generous return to the University in terms of increased funding and greater engagement of alumni.
Key Qualifications
An appreciation for and ability to eloquently articulate the academic and civic missions of the University of Rhode Island, including its history and importance in the state and the national academic landscape;
Experience playing a senior role in an ambitious capital campaign that leads to sustained philanthropic success for an organization;
Proven ability to transform an existing development program through established objectives and ambitious performance standards;
Personal track record identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major individual and institutional donors at the five-, six-, and seven-figure levels and inspiring high-net-worth individuals and major foundations to take on financial leadership;
Strategic thinking ability and collaborative and creative approach to engaging diverse internal and external constituencies;
Superior relationship building and stewardship skills;
Strong written and verbal communication skills;
Experience managing a large operation with an approach that brings out the best in staff and yields pride, ownership, and a recognition of individual and team accomplishment;
A keen eye for operational efficiency and optimal use of resources; the ability to plan, monitor, and manage a budget;
Higher education experience preferred but not required;
Candidates with exceptional “nontraditional transferrable skills” will be considered on a case-by-case basis.Please email your cover letter and resume in confidence to: URIFoundation@developmentguild.com
The URI Foundation does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.
William Weber, President
Tracy Marshall, Vice President of Executive Search Services Development Guild/DDI
