Job description

For complete information, see the Profiles here:

https://myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/Bethune-Cookman_President-FINAL.pdf

The Bethune-Cookman University Board of Trustees is seeking the next President of Bethune-Cookman University. The ideal candidate should possess a proven track record of leadership and be a results-driven leader who can effectively attract and manage high-quality talent to cultivate a high-performance culture, build consensus among stakeholders, and effectively respond to the evolving educational landscape. This executive position will become effective on July 1, 2025.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY

Located in Daytona Beach, Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) is a historically Black university with a rich history rooted in academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement.

On October 3, 1904, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls with $1.50, faith in God, and five young girls. Throughout Dr. Bethune’s lifetime, the school experienced several phases of growth and development. In 1923, the school merged with the Cookman Institute of Jacksonville, Florida, which had been established in 1872.

The college was accredited in 1970 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1988, Bethune-Cookman College was admitted to candidacy status by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer a master’s degree in science education. During this period, it joined the United Negro College Fund. On February 14, 2007, the Board of Trustees approved a name change to Bethune-Cookman University.

Today, the university boasts a student enrollment of more than 3,120. In fall 2024, it saw a 24.13% increase from the previous year. B-CU offers over 42 undergraduate and 6 graduate degree programs through its College of Education, College of Health Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, and College of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. Additionally, the university offers over 57 student organizations. B-CU is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and hosts 13 NCAA Division 1 men and women athletic teams.

In 2024, Bethune-Cookman University students and alumni received several national awards, including the Alumni Association Inclusive Excellence Award, the George Turner Scholarship, and a National Black Movie Association award. Bethune-Cookman University Athletics displayed its commitment to academic excellence during the 2023-24 year, finishing as the runner-up for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) All-Academic Achievement Award. The All-Academic Achievement Award recognizes the SWAC institution that has the highest percentage of student-athletes to earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better during the academic year. Bethune-Cookman’s student-athletes combined for an impressive 3.23 cumulative GPA across the 2023-24 academic year, while 197 student-athletes maintained a GPA of 3.0 or better during that span.

Bethune-Cookman University has multiple remote campuses, including the John W. Miller Center in Hastings, Florida, established in 1978, which is an off-campus instructional site located in Hastings, Florida. The Miller Center provides access to undergraduate academic degree programs and courses through weekend and evening classes designed to meet the needs of non-traditional adult learners primarily in the surrounding tri-county area (Putnam, St. Johns and Flagler County).

B-CU is celebrated for its close-knit university community, strong academics, exceptional personalized instruction, and commitment to upholding Dr. Bethune’s legacy. This legacy encompasses a dedication to service and an unwavering determination to create a vision for the future, utilizing creativity, initiative, and resilience to thrive in college and beyond.

Bethune-Cookman University is doubling down on its vision to define new standards for academic excellence and student success. In commemoration of the university’s 120th anniversary in 2024, the institution launched a $1 million giving campaign to position the institution for success well into the future. B-CU successfully raised over $3,741,000.

In addition to the giving campaign, the university announced a new commemorative mark and a companion marketing campaign intended to symbolize the university’s rich heritage and enduring spirit. The campaign slogan, “Where Nothing is Impossible,” was inspired by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s most famous quote: “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.”

Our Vision

Bethune-Cookman University seeks to define a new standard for academic excellence as a way to become the best small college in the southern region. To educate and empower people to seek their own solutions; to advocate for opportunities for all citizens to improve their quality of life; and to inculcate an international perspective that would facilitate a keen appreciation of the new global realities.

Our Mission

The mission of Bethune-Cookman University is to educate a diverse community of learners to become responsible, productive citizens and solution-seekers through the promotion of faith, scholarship, creative endeavors, leadership, and service.

Our Values

Bethune-Cookman University is guided by its core values: F.I.R.S.T.

FAITH: We recognize and uphold the Christian tradition while welcoming the diversity of faiths.

INTEGRITY: We live in a way that reflects our deepest convictions.

RESPECT: We recognize the inherent dignity and worth of each person.

SERVICE: We seek social justice through civic engagement.

THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE: We are engaged in the continuous pursuit of learning that transforms us and the world.

Our Motto

“Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve.” This motto reflects the university’s commitment to developing leaders who serve the community.

Board of Trustees

The Bethune-Cookman University Board establishes University policy and lends financial support. The Board, under the University’s understanding of shared governance, carries out fundamental fiduciary accountability and is responsible for overall good stewardship. The Board actively participates in the University’s strategic planning through its five standing committees: Educational Policies, Institutional Advancement, Finance, Nominations and Governance, and Student Life. The current Board consists of members from the corporate business sector, government, legal, medical, religious community (United Methodist Church), and higher education. The Board meets four times per year, with its annual meeting held in January.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This presidency provides a unique opportunity to lead a prestigious private institution poised for renewed growth and achievement. The new president will have an opportunity to expand academic and research programs to meet the growing economic demands of Florida and the nation.

B-CU seeks a strategic visionary who is a bold, innovative, inspirational leader who will be an unwavering champion of and advocate for students and the programs that have contributed to the institution’s trajectory and momentum.

The ideal candidate will be a fiscally minded, results-driven leader who has the proven ability to drive strategic direction with the experience and ability to integrate with the external constituents of the university (e.g., the local business community and state government). They must inspire excellence in others and bring exceptional experience and enthusiasm for leadership within and beyond the walls of the institution.

Moreover, the candidate must possess the presence, communication skills, and eagerness to actively engage in fundraising and to promote the university externally. The successful candidate must exhibit the highest level of integrity, earn and maintain public trust, and show a commitment to transparency, ethical leadership, shared governance, and free expression.

The President will be an experienced, transparent financial steward who has overseen complex budgets and has worked with a governing board to develop and implement strategies to sustain and, over time, fortify the institution’s financial position. This executive officer will seek partnerships that strengthen and expand programs and, as the principal fund raiser for the institution, will maintain established and develop new relationships, both public and private, that result in increased financial resources to achieve goals. Both articulate and compelling, the President will support the significant role the institution plays in the community at large. Fully embracing the role of B-CU’s chief ambassador, the President will become engaged in the community, region, and state to advocate for the University and to share its story of success. As the chief executive officer, the President will foster and steward B-CU’s mission.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Administration

• Strategic Leadership: Provides visionary leadership, assuming full responsibility for the administration, academic programs, and student support services of the University.
• Policy and Planning: Recommends policies to the Board of Trustees and leads institutional planning, including strategic initiatives and personnel decisions.
• Performance Improvement: Evaluates institutional effectiveness through financial and performance metrics, implementing data-driven improvements.

Financial Management and Fundraising

• Financial Oversight: Ensures sound financial management and fiscal sustainability, demonstrating a strong understanding of diverse funding models.
• Fundraising and Grants: Leads and is successful at fundraising efforts, donor relations, and grant acquisition to strengthen the University’s financial resources.
• Budgets: Experience managing complex budgets and operations ranging from $70 to $100 million.

Community and Partnerships

• Partnership Development: Forges strategic partnerships with businesses, educational institutions, civic organizations, and government agencies.
• Advocacy: Represents the University at the local, state, and national levels to advocate for institutional needs and priorities.
• Community Engagement: Enhances the University’s role in the community through active participation and public relations efforts.

Compliance and Policy

• Policy Adherence: Ensures compliance with University policies, Florida statutes, and State Board of Education regulations.
• Legal and Accreditation Compliance: Oversees accreditation processes and ensures adherence to legal and regulatory requirements.

Faculty and Staff Development

• Professional Development: Cultivates an environment of excellence, innovation, and continuous growth for faculty and staff.
• Personnel Management: Leads strategic personnel planning, including recruitment, retention, and policy development.
• Management of Human Capital: The proper management of human capital is essential for efficiency and effective service to the institution. Evaluations of employees’ education level, experience, talents, skills, and gifts should be matched to the position assigned.

Additional Responsibilities

• Performs duties as assigned by the Board of Trustees, contributing to the advancement of higher education at local, state, and national levels.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Educational Requirements

• Terminal degree or significant professional achievement, recognition, and prestige are required
• Combined administrative and academic experience at a research university and experience with D1 athletics are preferred.
• Individuals with the requisite leadership experience in education, industry, government, the military, or other sectors and whose experience will further the mission of the university will be given full consideration.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA

Bethune-Cookman University is in the heart of world-famous Daytona Beach on the Atlantic coast and just minutes from 23 miles of white-sand beaches, delicious local flavors, eclectic shopping, outdoor activities, scenic trails, and a rich cultural scene.

With its proximity to dining and entertainment to the great atmosphere, Daytona Beach is an ideal place to live and call home. Famous for its beaches and motorsports, there is an abundance of arts, culture, history, shopping, golfing, and sports events.

Daytona Beach is a coastal resort city in Volusia County, Florida, with a population of nearly 73,000. It is part of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach metropolitan area and is a principal city of the Fun Coast region of Florida.

The area where Daytona Beach is located was once inhabited by the indigenous Timucuan Indians, who lived in fortified villages. While tourism is a major part of the Daytona Beach economy, other sources of revenue include manufacturing and several industrial sites within an enterprise zone and sites within a foreign trade zone adjacent to Daytona Beach International Airport.

Top employers include the Volusia County School District, Halifax Health, AdventHealth Daytona Beach, the City of Daytona Beach, SMA Healthcare, and, of course, Bethune-Cookman University.

APPLICATION & NOMINATION PROCESS

Confidential inquiries are welcomed, and nominations are invited.

How to apply

1) All application packets must include the following:

1. Cover letter that describes strengths, skills, and knowledge that will benefit this position
2. Current curriculum vitae or résumé
3. At least five references with full contact information including e-mail (References will not be contacted without consent from applicant.)

A background and criminal report will be conducted on the finalists selected for campus interviews.

2) Submit application materials online, preferably as PDFs. Additional information is requested with the submission of materials. For best consideration, complete applications should be received before April 14, 2025.

Submit nominations with complete contact and e-mail information for the individual being nominated.

Consultant

Jennifer Barfield, Executive Vice President of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, is conducting this search. Request a conversation by e-mailing [email protected].

Bethune-Cookman University, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.