About the role
Boise State University seeks a strategic, forward-looking academic leader to serve as its next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Reporting directly to the President, the Provost serves as the university’s Chief Academic Officer and, through a phased integration, will assume oversight of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. This expanded portfolio presents a unique opportunity to advance Boise State’s academic, research, and student success priorities.
As Idaho’s largest public university, Boise State serves more than 28,500 students and offers a broad portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Over the past several years, the institution has experienced record enrollment growth, significant increases in student retention and graduation rates, and substantial expansion in research productivity and doctoral education.
A metropolitan research university deeply connected to the economic and workforce needs of Idaho, Boise State has emerged as a national model for integrating student success, innovation, community engagement, and applied research, while positioning itself for Carnegie R1 research university classification.
At a time of significant change across higher education and within the university, Boise State seeks a provost who can build trust, foster collaboration, and strengthen relationships across the university community. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to transparent communication, shared governance, and thoughtful leadership that balances innovation with institutional stability.
Boise State has experienced significant growth in research activity, doctoral education, enrollment, and national visibility, establishing itself as one of the nation’s rising public universities. The next Provost will help shape the institution’s next chapter, building on this momentum to advance student success, expand scholarly impact, strengthen academic quality, and foster innovation across the university.
Working closely with the President, deans, faculty, and university leadership, the Provost will guide the continued evolution of Boise State as a premier student-success driven, public research university. This includes advancing innovation in teaching and learning; strengthening alignment among academic programs, workforce needs, research and creative activity, and community impact; stewarding resources in support of academic priorities and long-term sustainability; and articulating the value of a Boise State education for students, families, and the state of Idaho.
Boise State seeks an accomplished academic leader with an earned doctorate or terminal degree, a record of scholarly achievement meriting appointment as a full professor, and significant senior leadership experience. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to shared governance, academic excellence, research growth, faculty engagement, and student success, along with the strategic vision, operational expertise, and collaborative leadership necessary to guide a complex public university through a period of continued growth and opportunity.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.
WittKieffer is assisting Boise State University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by November 13, 2026.
Application materials should be submitted through WittKieffer’s candidate portal using the buttons above or below.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Lauren Bruce-Stets, and Tyler Workman at BoiseStateProvost@wittkieffer.com.