Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona or CPP) seeks a strategic, collaborative, and experienced leader to serve as the next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost).

The Provost is the chief academic officer of the university, overseeing all academic programs, including instruction and research. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a key member of the President’s Cabinet, the Provost will join Cal Poly Pomona at a moment of significant opportunity and transformation.

Under the leadership of newly appointed President Vanya Quiñones, the university is pursuing an ambitious vision for 2030: preparing every graduate for career success, workforce leadership, and economic mobility; modernizing university operations; strengthening the institution’s visibility and market position; and investing in the people, culture and innovation that make this mission possible. Guided by CSU Forward, the California State University’s 2025 strategic plan, Cal Poly Pomona offers the opportunity to help shape the future of an influential polytechnic university and advance access, excellence, innovation, and student success.

As the university enters its next phase of growth, the Provost, alongside campus leaders, will help advance efforts to better connect academics, career readiness, and industry engagement. The Provost will also help develop a nationally distinctive, integrated approach to student success, connecting academics and career support in ways that meet the needs of all CPP students, including first-generation, transfer, commuter, and working students. A particular area of opportunity is strengthening experiential learning through expanded employer partnerships, paid internships, and cooperative education that takes advantage of Southern California’s rich industry ecosystem. The Provost will work alongside an accomplished group of permanent deans and a strong leadership team to advance its polytechnic approach to learning and help position the university to meet the evolving needs of students, employers, and the State of California.

Cal Poly Pomona is one of three polytechnic universities in the 22-campus California State University system and among 11 such institutions nationwide. It has offered a unique education rooted in experiential learning since its founding in 1938. Today, the university serves over 27,000 students who are taught and mentored by more than 2,250 faculty and staff across eight academic colleges. The university also provides community access to degree completion, professional development, and lifelong learning opportunities through the College of Professional and Global Education. The university’s colleges and programs span the arts, humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, business, education, and professional disciplines.

Cal Poly Pomona has consistently ranked as the No. 1 polytechnic university in the nation for promoting social mobility. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a university deeply connected to the communities it serves, CPP plays a critical role in developing California’s future workforce and preparing graduates to contribute to the economic vitality of the region and state. The University takes pride in its No. 2 position among top public regional universities in the West and its recognition as the No. 3 best value school in the West by U.S. News & World Report. While each ranking is a snapshot of achievement, taken collectively, they provide a picture of an institution whose students graduate with the skills needed to succeed in a dynamic and evolving work environment. These successes are similarly marked by CPP’s accrediting body, WSCUC, which awarded a maximum 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation in 2019 and a successful mid-cycle review in 2023-2024.

Given this context, the incoming Provost must demonstrate a strong track record as both a successful teacher-scholar and an experienced institutional leader, possessing the academic, financial, operational, and strategic acumen necessary to lead the academic mission of a complex enterprise. The ideal candidate will hold an earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution and exhibit a distinguished record of teaching and scholarship, warranting appointment at Cal Poly Pomona as a full professor with tenure. Moreover, the candidate should have substantial, progressive academic management experience and a proven track record of success advancing institutional priorities and effectively leading and managing change, along with the vision and ability to help move CPP forward. The Provost will be tasked with addressing the following opportunities and challenges:

· Shape the future of polytechnic education through Cal Poly Pomona’s next chapter of transformation;

· Unite the academic enterprise around excellence, innovation, and institutional purpose;

· Expand CPP’s research enterprise and strengthen its supporting infrastructure;

· Continue to build a talented, engaged, and forward-looking community of teachers, scholars, learners, and alumni;

· Develop an integrated approach to student success and advance cooperative education;

· Align resources, strategy, and investment to accelerate institutional impact; and

· Elevate Cal Poly Pomona’s influence as America’s leading public polytechnic university.

The salary range for this position will be $325,000-365,000. Cal Poly Pomona also offers a comprehensive benefits package; more information is available at: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be submitted via the Cal Poly Pomona website. The position will remain open until filled, but applicants are encouraged to submit materials to the above website by November 30, 2026 for priority consideration.

David Bellshaw and Joe Kralick are leading this search with Leslie Lemus and Cara Meyers.

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly Pomona provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly Pomona complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

As a federal contractor, Cal Poly Pomona complies with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and requests priority referral of protected veterans for our job openings.