Ferrum College Presidential Search Profile

Opportunity. Discovery. Community. Excellence.

PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH 2016


INTRODUCTIONThe Ferrum College Board of Trustees announces the

search for the eleventh president of the private, liberal

arts College and invites expressions of interest from

qualified applicants interested in leading a vibrant

institution that serves 1,500 men and women annually

and has an endowment of $48.6 million and an

operating budget of $56.9 million. Affiliated with the

United Methodist Church, Ferrum College is located in

southwestern Virginia only 35 miles south of Roanoke,

Virginia and 75 miles north of Greensboro, North

Carolina. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and state parks

surround the 700-acre campus and the area brims with

regional heritage in numerous small towns. The College

boasts a wide variety of venues for outdoor adventure,

recreation, and cultural enrichment. The students who

attend Ferrum College come from 25 states and a dozen

countries and 80 plus percent of students live on the

campus. The current president, Dr. Jennifer Braaten,

is retiring after 14 years of a very successful tenure in

which she expanded the College’s enrollment, and added

a wide variety of facilities, programs, and community-

based initiatives. The excellent qualities of being student-

centered, family-oriented, affordable, and focused on

student academic success have set Ferrum apart from

many other church-related private colleges.


ABOUT THE COLLEGEFerrum College offers a comprehensive academic program based on a strong liberal arts core and professional education. The College strives to offer this education in a Christian environment context and strives to maximize student chances of success by providing one-on-one support, individual attention, and positive reinforcement. The curriculum includes opportunities for career preparation and personal development in 33 majors and 40 minors with a 17 to 1 student-faculty ratio. The broad range of academic

support offerings has always distinguished the College from other four-year, private, liberal arts institutions. Students get hands-on experience during Experiential Term, a three-week May term that focuses on unique learning-by-doing. The Boone Honors Program provides students in-depth opportunities to explore an array of intellectual, social, and ethical issues. A diverse array of international programs offers students a global perspective. Students have the opportunity to embody the College’s motto, “Not Self, But Others” through service learning programs. Academic departments are housed within three schools: Arts and

Humanities, Natural Science and Mathematics, and Social Science and Professional Studies. The campus is located in a rural environment and features updated residence space for students, modern classrooms with extensive technology, gathering spaces for student activities and entertainment as well as athletic fields and facilities that support more than 20 NCAA Division III sports. Comprehensive support staff for student life assures that students can learn and enjoy the beautiful campus in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

ACCREDITATIONThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accredits the College (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees. Ferrum College is also accredited by the University Senate of the United Methodist Church and is a member of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church. The College holds memberships in the Virginia College Fund, Council of Independent Colleges, National Collegiate Honors Council, Council of Independent Colleges, Council of Undergraduate Research, the College Board, and the Appalachian College Association.


HISTORYFerrum College was founded in 1913 as a mission school related to the Methodist Church and evolved from elementary and secondary education to a junior college and eventually, in the 1970s, to a four-year liberal arts residential college. The campus is on the Virginia Historic Register with Stratton House, Spilman-Daniel House, John Wesley Hall, Beckham Hall, Roberts Hall, Schoolfield Hall, Richeson Hall, and Britt Hall comprising the Ferrum College Historic District. The College has one of the first environmental science programs in the nation and was recently ranked 41st in the U.S. News and World Report in Comprehensive College-Bachelor’s (South). Ferrum College has a long-standing reputation for strong academic support services, innovative curriculum offerings, community

service, and success in its athletic programs. The United Methodist Women have supported the Institution since its founding and play a major role in the governance and advancement of its programs. The College enjoys an endowed Chaplaincy with a full-time Dean of the Chapel who leads campus-wide spiritual life opportunities. With more than 100 years of service, Ferrum College has developed a broad base of alumni and impacts the quality of life in church, education, business, recreation and public service across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

MISSION STATEMENTFerrum College is a liberal arts institution founded on Christian principals, and is related to the United Methodist Church. It is our mission to educate students in the disciplines of higher learning and to help them be thoughtful and perceptive, to be articulate and professionally capable, and to be caring and concerned citizens of their community, nation, and world. We therefore commit ourselves to developing the whole student, both in openness to a wide range of intellectual discovery, and in the physical, spiritual, and social aspects of life.The campus environment supports service to others and the development of a personal code of values. Toward these ends, we expect all members of the campus community to treat each other with compassion, to respect each other’s diverse qualities and backgrounds, and to support each other in the common pursuit of insight and discovery. In all these endeavors, we encourage students and faculty, and staff to appreciate and to dedicate themselves to achieving it.


DISTINGUISHING THE COLLEGEOne of the major strengths of Ferrum College is the long-standing tradition of student success in academic programs for students of a broader range of ability levels upon college entry. During its two-year college phase that ended in the 1970s, Ferrum students, on transfer, achieved success in colleges throughout the country. For the past forty years, baccalaureate graduates have filled jobs in business, teacher education, recreation, environmental studies, public service, military service, and social services. Ferrum graduates have had a major economic impact on the community and throughout Virginia where the majority of its students originate and remain.

The rural location and beautiful complete campus in Franklin County, Virginia is also a major asset. Ferrum is set in a wonderful outdoor part of the region with lakes, state parks, and open-spaces. The buildings are modern

and well maintained and residential on-campus housing is available for the majority of students. Several new and recently-renovated facilities support a large and successful athletic program for men and women and field more than 20 sports.

Ferrum College has maintained a dedicated and committed teaching faculty to carry on its academic mission and to offer new programs of liberal arts-based study and to provide real experience and professional preparation for successful careers. The faculty has excellent credentials and provide a personalized approach to college education that is highly valued by students and parents.

The College has valued and been committed to community service since its founding as a mission school in 1913. The extent of community service programs is significant and the benefit that is derived by the community and students has been well documented. A campus branch


YMCA serves both students and local citizens. An on-site health clinic is operated for members of the campus and surrounding community. A mercantile store and several restaurant chains such as Papa Johns, Subway, Metro Deli and others are available on or adjacent to campus. Ferrum College long standing initiatives in sustainability and local sourcing create a strong bond with local farmers and suppliers and serve to enhance the College’s stature as a vital partner in the local economy.

The Blue Ridge Institute & Museum, located on the campus, helps preserve local heritage of music, drama, work life, religion, and general culture and is widely acknowledged as Virginia’s repository for Blue Ridge folklife and folklore. The museum and annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival are major sources of cultural enrichment for the region, state and nation. The historic role of Ferrum College outstanding community service is engrained in every student, parent, and employee and now resides in the hearts and minds of thousands of graduates of the institution.

Ferrum College has a long history of athletic success and broad involvement in NJCAA and NCAA Division III athletics. Football and baseball teams have won many championships and send dozens of athletes on to professional ranks. Basketball teams have excellent records of achievement including competition at national championship levels; tennis and softball teams have competed successfully for decades; soccer, lacrosse, swimming, and field hockey teams have recently been added along with women’s and men’s wrestling. With more than one-third of students participating in intercollegiate athletics, the blending of athletic performance and academic success has always been a focus of attention and a work in progress.

The connection of Ferrum College to the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women has always been strong. The president has played a major role in the maintenance of these relationships with the denomination that has more than 12 million members world-wide and more than 600 educational institutions that are potential partners in service. The College has always enjoyed academic freedom and the church has not restricted that freedom of inquiry or expression, nor has it limited the enrollment of persons of other denominations and faiths. The church has always been a source of enrollment and financial support.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIPSince its founding as a small mission school, Ferrum College has made exceptional progress in its evolution as an institution of higher education. New leadership will have an opportunity to continue that progress by expanding educational programs in areas such as graduate studies and distance education along with developing resources for existing programs to make them more competitive and available to current and prospective students. Ferrum’s regional and national image can be further enhanced to help obtain the financial resources needed to expand and strengthen its institutional impact on society.

The building of endowment is an on-going challenge and one that is universally understood by Ferrum College constituencies. The alumni base that has been so successful in serving their communities must be challenged to help build a more secure financial future for the College. Such action is needed to support the financial aid program that currently returns almost half of the tuition revenues back to students. The current level of student debt is reasonable, but everyone agrees that reduction of student borrowing would not only be advantageous to the College but also allow graduates to become more quickly engaged and effective in community life.

The new leadership will be in a strong position to further develop new course and program offerings that blend liberal arts and professional studies through additional experiential opportunities. Financial reserves have been maintained, endowment income has been growing, and student enrollment has been relatively stable with small fluctuations over recent years. Effective management of financial resources is a tradition that has kept the institution strong and able to respond to new potential service that exemplifies the motto, “Not Self, But Others”.

Ferrum’s inclusion of services to complement the location of the College has been exemplary. The new leader will be encouraged to embrace this approach and seek out opportunities to procure funds and grants that support both the


College and those in its rural surroundings. The economic vitality of rural America has a direct impact on our country’s environmental safeguards, food sources, water, and other essential products. The institution’s rural location provides an opportunity for its leadership to effectively enhance its long-term reputation and build upon the many sustainability initiatives and relationships with local businesses, suppliers and governments.

Many opportunities for partnerships with other organizations exist. Further development of these relationships will allow for

new program offerings, expansion of the service area, and new resources. Partnerships with other educational institutions, both nationally and globally, public schools, local, state, and federal governments, and private non-profits are possible and hold potential for significant expansion of Ferrum College mission and outreach.

Although much work has been done to build athletic conference relationships that enrich the opportunities for athletic teams and their competition, new leadership will need to continue to connect with Division III schools in a manner that will reduce travel requirements and cost. There are many Division III colleges in the region and some re-alignment with institutions of similar purpose and size would be cost effective and help advance the strength of athletic programs that are vital to student enrollment and success.

In order to enhance reward structures for the faculty and staff, additional resources will be required and will likely come from efficient operational procedures and policy and fundraising. Progress in this area will enable the College to attract and retain outstanding people while also renewing and energizing its longer serving faculty and staff. The Ferrum College Board of Trustees has always been committed to the advancement of the College and new leadership will work effectively with the Board to continue to identify potential trustees and supporters who can help build the financial strength of the College.


ATTRIBUTES DESIRED IN THE NEW PRESIDENT Ferrum College seeks a president who embodies many of the attributes that it values in its students, faculty, and staff: intellectual commitment, visionary in outlook, decisive in complex situations, morally driven when facing life’s challenges, and openness to inquiry that leads to progress within a framework of civility which the College promotes. The next president will continue a long-standing tradition of Ferrum presidents who value individual life, search for truth, and pursuit of intellectual inquiry without restraint. He or she will be:

• A leader who will honor the College’s history and mission including the relationship with the United Methodist Women and The United Methodist Church, and who intentionally supports the spiritual formation of students, faculty, and staff.• A leader that values the unique educational mission of the College to help assure success in student academic endeavors through strong academic support services, a committed and caring faculty, and a rigorous program of study that leads to personal and professional success in one’s vocational calling while embodying Ferrum’s motto of “Not Self, But Others”.• A leader who understands strategic enrollment management as being fundamental to building and sustaining a strong and distinctive student body.• A leader who has experience in fundraising and relationship building and has demonstrated success in seeking and receiving significant gifts and grants to meet the future needs and hopes for the College.• A person who has the appropriate credentials and experience that will help advance Ferrum in its standing in higher education and build additional confidence in the College’s future potential to serve students.• A leader who is financially knowledgeable and has skill sets to successfully manage a complex and competitive institution and its people in a fair and just manner.• A person who is an advocate for diversity in all its forms and a person who will celebrate tolerance, inclusion, openness, differences, and diverse populations within and beyond the College community.• A leader who is student-centered and will value and interact regularly and effectively with students, alumni, and other constituencies.• A person who has excellent communication skills and is able to articulate the values and distinctiveness of the College to a broad range of communities; one who understands and is committed to consensus-building within the campus community.• A leader who has a strong understanding of the challenges facing the College, including innovation in curriculum, educational methodologies and problem solving, use of technology in all phases of the College, and demographics for future students.• A person who has an unblemished record of personal integrity, sound judgement, moral character, and approachability as it relates to all constituencies of the College.• A person who values the role of athletics, fine arts, and student activities in helping to shape the whole person in a high quality academic environment. • A person who understands the importance of offering an educational experience that strengthens a student’s personal and professional growth.• A person who values broad involvement of the campus community with the larger community that the College serves and has the skills to build mutually beneficial relationships/arrangements between the two.


PROCESS OF APPLICATIONThe presidential search committee will begin review of applications in early April 2016. After the deadline for the first round of review on April 22nd, the committee will make selections for confidential interviews. The committee will continue to review applications until an appointment is made. Applicants must complete a letter of interest with attention to the issues and opportunities about the College in the Profile Statement which can be found online, a comprehensive curriculum vita, and five references with email and phone numbers. References will not be contacted without the express permission of the candidate, but should be available for contact once a candidate has been selected for an interview. Please submit the completed materials to Robert Todd, Chair of the Search Committee, electronically (MS Word or Adobe PDF), at [email protected]. Dr. Jim Davis, consultant with AGB Search, is assisting the pursuit. You may direct inquiries to [email protected] or phone 540-539-9415. For a copy of the profile or institutional information, please consult www.ferrum.edu or www.agbsearch.com.

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENTFerrum College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran status, sex or handicap in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities. Ferrum College affirms the dignity and worth of every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and will not tolerate harassment or discrimination toward any individual. Ferrum College is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Documents

Ferrum College Presidential Search Profile