As the first organization dedicated to higher education executive search, our service model has always focused on outstanding executive recruitment for colleges and universities. We have years of experience in the sector and understand the unique needs higher education institutions have when hiring.
We’ve proudly concluded more than 2,600 successful searches for Presidents/Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents, and Deans in a variety of disciplines.
Administrative Areas:
Academic Affairs | Admissions & Enrollment | Advancement | Business & Finance | General Counsel | Human Resources | Information Technology | Marketing & Communications | Operations | Student Affairs | Student Success | And Many Others
Academic Disciplines:
Architecture | Arts & Humanities | Business & Economics | Education | Healthcare/Nursing | Hospitality | Libraries | STEM | And Many Others
We’re With You Every Step of the Way
Academic Search serves as your partner in a collaborative search effort. Our senior consultants interact extensively with your search committee to assist with organizing and managing the search process, and informing the crucial decisions of the search committees and hiring authorities.
We use a four-step process to frame our higher education executive search process: organize the search; lead recruitment; evaluate, select, and interview semifinalists; and close the search.
Organize
Academic Search works side-by-side with our partner institutions to analyze your needs, set specific goals, and develop operating guidelines. During this preliminary phase, we meet with appropriate departments such as human resources to ensure that the search process conforms to the regulations, requirements, and culture of our partner institution or organization.
Recruit
A key step in the search process is building a strong candidate pool with the unique qualifications of the open position. By getting to know your institution well, we guarantee we are finding candidates who fit with the mission and culture of the role. We cast a wide net to find the very best candidates, locally, nationally, and globally, and tap into our extensive networks to identify a broad group of candidates.
Through our connection to leadership development programs through our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute, and many of our consultants actively participating in conferences and programs across the country, we are able to tap into an even larger range of candidates who are ready for their next role.
Evaluate, Select, and Interview
We partner with your search committee in designing and implementing a selection process tailored to your needs and campus culture. Our process involves working with you to develop an objective review method for evaluating candidates. Our senior consultants are actively involved in recruitment and evaluation and openly share insights into conversations with candidates and others throughout the interview process.
Close the Search
Our senior consultants work with you to not only select the finalists but also perform background checks and reference calls. We ensure consistent communication with all finalists throughout the process.
Once the campus interviews are completed, we ensure the search is brought to a successful conclusion. Our consultants can help develop recommendations to the hiring authority to facilitate a smooth transition for the newly hired candidate which might include communications strategies and a transition plan.
Beyond the Search
Leadership transitions can be both energizing and stressful times for institutional communities. We strive to guide you and your institution through these changes throughout the leadership lifecycle by providing transition and onboarding support as well as executive coaching.
Why Academic Search
As the first executive search firm dedicated to higher education, we bring a deep understanding of the evolving challenges and opportunities within the higher education landscape. Our team is composed of higher education leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and expansive networks. Through this experience, we are uniquely positioned to understand, appreciate, and address the specific needs of each institution we partner with.
High Retention Rates
The very high percentages of appointees from our searches who remain in office five years later is strong evidence of our careful attention to institutional/appointee fit.
Meet Our Senior Consultants
Stacey Morgan Foster
Senior Consultant
Stacey.Foster@academicsearch.org
Ms. Stacey Morgan Foster’s substantial higher education connections, attention to transparency and ethics, and ability to engage campus stakeholders to create a compelling leadership agenda for the search process distinguish her as an invaluable senior consultant.
Ms. Foster joined Academic Search in 2018 and brought with her a breadth of experience at public and private universities, particularly in student affairs, enrollment management, community relations, auxiliary services, athletics, and compliance/legal affairs. As a Senior Consultant at Academic Search, she has managed myriad searches, including those for provosts, academic deans, diversity and inclusion officers, and student affairs/enrollment executives. Thirty-plus years in higher education leadership roles have provided her with an understanding of cabinet-level responsibilities/roles, board of trustees dynamics, entrepreneurial enterprises, community/development opportunities, and crises/communication management. Ms. Foster is passionate about helping students thrive and achieve their goals, investing in generational transformation and upward social mobility. She continues to mentor her former students and is generous with her volunteer work in coaching others regarding leadership development.
Ms. Foster began her career as a high school teacher (public and private), attending law school (George Mason University/Antonin Scalia Law School) at night while working and having a baby. Her specializations were in Land Practice and Admiralty Law. She was recruited for a position at the US Attorney’s Office in Washington, DC. In a serendipitous twist of fate, a number of positions in the federal government were eliminated, and she found herself drawn to a student affairs job at American University. From there, she moved through progressively responsible leadership positions as associate dean, associate VP/dean, and ultimately VP, successfully merging her legal training with her student development and teaching passion. She has extensive experience in the CSU system (San Jose State University and CSU Stanislaus) and in Washington state (Eastern Washington University).
Many of Ms. Foster’s searches are conducted by request from prior institutions, reflecting the trust and confidence these universities have in her judgment and management. Campus clients credit her with important attributes that they appreciate: attention to detail, excellent writing and listening skills, transparency and communication with the campus, and guidance regarding compliance and best practices.
We look forward to partnering with you. Contact us for a complimentary search consultation or request for proposal.
1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-2657
Phone: 202-332-4049
Fax: 202-234- 7640
