The Search for a President Rocky Mountain College The Board of Trustees and its Presidential Search Committee invite nominations and expressions of interest for the position of President. By working with a dedicated community of faculty, administrative staff, students, trustees, alumni, and community leaders, the President has an exceptional opportunity to serve as a catalyst for change and growth.
The College Founded in 1878, Rocky Mountain College is built on the unique tradition of combining a liberal arts-rooted curriculum with professional-development programs. As the oldest institution of higher learning in Montana, RMC prides itself on its rich tradition of educating and developing students to be leaders and professionals through programs focused on the core themes of academic excellence, transformational learning, and shared responsibility and stewardship. Rocky Mountain College traces its history through several separate institutions of higher education. The College of Montana in Deer Lodge, Montana, enrolled its first class in 1878, and several years later, Wesleyan College in Helena was opened. At the beginning of the 20th century, Billings Polytechnic Institute – located on the current site of RMC – began recruiting students. In the early 20th century, the College of Montana merged with Intermountain Union College in Helena due to financial difficulties, and in 1935, Wesleyan College was also incorporated. In 1935, an earthquake destroyed the campus of Intermountain Union College, and Billings Polytechnic Institute, which had incorporated Billings Business College in 1927, invited Intermountain Union College to share their campus. The two colleges operated as separate entities for several years, formally uniting as one college, Billings Polytechnic Institute, in 1939. In 1947, the college was renamed Rocky Mountain College as suggested by a student petition. The combination of these schools and their distinct religious traditions has resulted in a church-related college affiliated with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which considers all questions in an open and non-sectarian manner.
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Located in Billings, Montana, a community of just over 100,000, Rocky Mountain College occupies 60 park-like acres in the center of town. Both Billings and RMC are large enough to offer plentiful entertainment, cultural, and employment opportunities, while still maintaining a safe, friendly, small-town feel. The proximity of Yellowstone National Park, the Beartooth and Pryor Mountain Ranges, and many rivers make RMC’s location ideal for outdoor recreation and classroom field experiences. RMC is home to 1,007 undergraduate students with an additional 80 graduate students, for a total student population of 1,087 (49 percent female, 51 percent male). Fifty-three percent of students at Rocky Mountain College are from Montana, with out-of-state students (43 percent) coming from 47 states and international students (4 percent) representing 16 countries. Forty percent of RMC students are the first generation in their family to attend college. All freshman and sophomore students are required to live on campus, giving RMC a residential characteristic; 44 percent of all students live on campus in one of the four oncampus residential buildings. Nine percent of the RMC student population are considered minorities, with the largest minorities being Hispanic/Latino, Black or African American, and American Indian or Alaska Native (4.1, 2.7, and 2.1 percent, respectively). Rocky Mountain College is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Frontier Conference and sponsors seven men’s and seven women’s varsity sports. Approximately one-third of RMC students are student-athletes. RMC offers 50 majors in 24 disciplines with 35 minor options. Majors in business, education, exercise science, aviation, equestrian studies, and biology account for nearly 60 percent of the student population, while psychology, history, literary studies, communication studies, environmental science, computer science, and the fine arts also have significant enrollments. Three of RMC’s most distinctive programs are the aviation, equestrian, and physician assistant studies programs. The aviation program offers
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concentrations in aeronautical science and aviation management. RMC’s aviation program is one of roughly 30 colleges and universities to be accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International. The equestrian program at RMC offers concentrations in equitation and training, riding instruction, therapeutic riding instruction, equine business, and pre-veterinary medicine. The program operates one of the nation’s four PATH International Therapeutic Horsemanship Centers. Physician assistant studies is the College’s oldest master’s-level program and is one of fewer than 30 physician assistant programs housed at a traditional, liberal arts-based college. RMC strives to make a private college education affordable and available to all. To help with affordability, RMC offers generous merit- and athletic-based scholarships to its students. The average financial aid package awarded to students in 2012 was $19,500. RMC also makes education available to all students by providing an environment where interactions between faculty and students are common and comfortable. With a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students can expect personal attention and interaction with their professors; following graduation, RMC boasts a 99 percent placement rate for students into employment or acceptance into a graduate program. Over the last several years, Rocky Mountain College has undergone various institutional changes, including a renewed focus on core operations. Although some new academic programs have been introduced, the new offerings have been designed to leverage off existing programs. In the summer of 2008, the College enrolled its first cohort in its master’s of educational leadership program. In 2009, minors in reading and organizational leadership were added, and in 2011 a new major in environmental management and policy was instituted. During the past five years, RMC has made significant improvements to its recruitment and admissions processes. A consultation agreement with Noel-Levitz has helped the College better define its market, its message to prospective students, and the processes by which students are recruited. Improvements in admissions and retention have led to significant increases in enrollment;
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a 31 percent increase has occurred in the last five years, and the total student population has increased by 25 percent in the past three years. Rocky Mountain College has been accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1949. The Office of Public Instruction for the State of Montana accredits the education program, which is responsible for the preparation of elementary and secondary teachers. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant accredits the physician assistant program, and the Aviation Accreditation Board International accredits the aviation program. Rocky Mountain College currently operates on a budget of approximately $19.7 million and has an endowment valued at nearly $25 million. The Board of Trustees is comprised of 30 members from various professions and areas of the country, including alumni and religious leaders representing the religious traditions of the College.
Mission and Core Themes Rocky Mountain College functions under a mission that states: “Rocky Mountain College educates future leaders through liberal arts and professional programs that cultivate critical thinking, creative expression, ethical decision making, informed citizenship, and professional excellence.” The mission of Rocky Mountain College is also expressed in its core themes: academic excellence, transformational learning, and shared responsibility and stewardship. RMC pursues the fulfillment of its mission by offering an uncompromising student-centered education executed by excellent faculty devoted to the liberal arts, through a curriculum founded in the liberal arts, and by providing support services and programs developed by professional staff to enhance students’ collegiate experience and to encourage personal development.
Leadership Opportunities & Challenges As a first step in seeking new presidential leadership, the College hosted two days of meetings staffed by the search consultants that engaged all major segments of the Rocky
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Mountain College community; including donors and alumni; members of the Board of Trustees; community leaders; and a strong representation of faculty, staff, and students. The focus of these conversations was the future of Rocky Mountain College and the great opportunities and significant challenges facing the new President, including the following: 1) Articulating the mission and academic vision of Rocky Mountain College There is among all constituencies at RMC a deep and long-standing commitment to the mission of Rocky Mountain College as a liberal arts-rooted institution featuring strong professional programs. There is a deep appreciation for the powerful synergy that flows from the interaction of these educational traditions. A focus on the concept of educating the “whole person” is broadly embraced. There is also a sense that the College’s mission, identity, and academic vision need to be fully embraced and clearly articulated. Doing so is a task for the entire College community working in conjunction with the President. 2) Updating the strategic plan for the College The most recent strategic plan for Rocky Mountain College, developed in 2008, is no longer current. As a result, the campus community is concerned about important issues that merit consideration in an updated strategic plan. These issues include determining the optimal enrollment level for the College, anticipating the implications of enrollment changes for campus facilities, assessing the possible growth and expansion of academic programs, improving salaries and compensation levels, and shaping future development campaigns and endowment growth. The President will be expected to play a key role in leading and engaging the campus community in this planning effort.
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3) Launching a new and expanded development program Two observations stand out: First, over the years, Rocky Mountain College has been built and sustained by a relatively small group of generous and faithful donors. The College's attractive campus, growing endowment, scholarship programs, and annual operating budgets all reflect this support. Second, the College remains highly tuitiondependent. The endowment needs to grow in order to alleviate the pressure caused by tuition dependency. More resources are needed to improve annual funding for operations, address deferred maintenance needs, and execute facility improvements, such as a renovated science building. The RMC community will look to the President, along with the Office of Advancement, for a heightened level of achievement in the College’s fundraising efforts and development program. 4) Lifting the Profile of Rocky Mountain College: Billings and Beyond As the first college established in Montana, RMC is widely respected for its long tradition of service and excellence. Today, the College offers a remarkable mix of liberal arts and professional programs. Yet, there is a strong belief that Rocky Mountain College’s visibility and profile within the Billings community, Montana, and elsewhere is less prominent than desired or possible. The RMC community, including the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students, stand ready to work with the President in reaching out and sharing the compelling message of Rocky Mountain College. 5) Building a stronger campus community One of Rocky Mountain College's great strengths is a clear and strong sense community, which is described by some faculty, staff, and students with the word “family.” There is also a clear feeling that the strong fabric of community has been taken for granted, not
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intentionally nurtured, and, as a result, is weaker today than in the past. There is a strong hope that the President will foster a renewed sense of community and help all members and segments of the campus feel included and valued. 6) Shaping a plan and strategy for future student enrollment As mentioned above, Rocky Mountain College is highly tuition-dependent. In recent years, the College has benefitted financially as enrollment levels have trended upward. A wide variety of opinions exist on the future of enrollment growth. Some urge a policy of aggressive growth, others favor a goal of level enrollment, and still others express concern that even recent increases have put pressure on available resources, facilities, and desired class sizes. Admissions standards, retention and graduation rates, and the level of tuition discounting were also raised as enrollment-related issues. The President will need to engage the Board of Trustees and the campus in developing and gaining support for a plan that addresses these issues. 7) Working to strengthen College governance, leadership, and decision-making The people of RMC love the College; they believe in the mission and academic programs, they love Rocky students, they are dedicated and hard working. They believe strongly that the College should be governed, led, and managed effectively. Across the two days of meetings, a variety of perspectives were aired, including the following: A number believe that the Board of Trustees could be organized and engaged for greater impact, and its operations could be more transparent. Many believe the administrative structure should more effectively facilitate communication among and between the President, the Vice Presidents, and other College personnel. Others suggested ways that both faculty and staff could be incorporated more fully and effectively in planning, decision-making, and executing operations. Collectively, participants described a talented community in search of strong leadership from a President who solicits broad participation, listens and communicates effectively, affirms and honors others, and is committed to the values of transparency, equity, and accountability for all.
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8) Focusing on student success and achievement There is a consensus that students are the heart and soul of Rocky Mountain College. Faculty, staff, Trustees, and supporters of RMC speak with excitement and pride about their work and association with students. Student leaders, in turn, express their satisfaction with, and commitment to, the College. This shared commitment and positive energy will provide a foundation for the President to help build an engaged living and learning community that will attract prospective students, support student retention, and encourage student achievement. 9) Grasping an opportune moment. The years ahead are seen by many as a time of great potential and opportunity for Rocky Mountain College. The City of Billings and the surrounding region provide both a beautiful setting and a remarkable environment for study and learning. In addition to longstanding economic drivers such as health care and tourism, strong growth in the agricultural economy and exceptional growth in the energy sector are bringing additional resources and new possibilities to the region. RMC’s strong blend of liberal arts offerings and distinctive professional programs positions the College to thrive in this time of dynamic growth and change. The next President of Rocky Mountain College will be looked to as a leader in this exciting time and place.
Leadership Characteristics Rocky Mountain College is seeking a strong, dynamic, and mission-oriented leader to serve as the tenth President of the College in its current incarnation. Informed by the leadership challenges and opportunities described above, the Search Committee and the Board of Trustees believe that the successful candidate for the position of President will be: 1) An experienced educator who is excited by, and ready to, embrace the mission of Rocky Mountain College, an academic institution that incorporates both the liberal arts and professions-oriented education, and embraces the education of the “whole person.”
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2) A leader with both academic and administrative experience who appreciates the distinctive character and challenges of leading a small, private college, and who is knowledgeable about academic and co-curricular programs, as well as college operations. 3) A gregarious and outgoing person who enjoys and is energized by the public dimensions of presidential leadership and who is capable of representing the College effectively on campus and throughout the city, state, region, and nation. 4) An architect of strategic planning with an evident and strong interest in developing, actualizing, and achieving buy-in for a shared vision for Rocky Mountain College. 5) A fund-raiser with a strong aptitude for, and/or demonstrated success in, development work and building a strong, college-wide fund-raising program that successfully engages a growing body of donors. 6) A recruiter with the ability to understand the complex challenges of marketing a private college, of reaching out to prospective students and their families, and of linking the College's mission and programs to the needs and desires of students and the needs and opportunities of a dynamic region. 7) An astute financial manager who understands the full range of financial issues facing higher education, from tuition pricing/discounting to endowment management, and who is adept at financial planning and budget management. 8) A collaborator with a commitment to effective governance and decision-making, including assisting in the cultivation of a talented and engaged Board of Trustees, promoting a clear and effective system of faculty governance, and ensuring the appropriate participation of the College’s varied stakeholders. 9) An effective manager who communicates clearly, seeks transparency, affirms the roles and work of others, promotes accountability, and advocates for equity and diversity. 10) An advocate for student-centeredness who finds joy and satisfaction in frequent interactions with students.
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The Process of Candidacy Nominations and expressions of interest may be submitted electronically to: Barb Skelton Chair, Presidential Search Committee and Member, Board of Trustees Rocky Mountain College rockymountain@agbsearch.com Candidates are asked to submit electronically in MS Word or Adobe PDF: (1) a letter of interest reflecting on the leadership characteristics noted above, (2) a resume, and (3) the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references. References will not be contacted without first securing the permission of the candidate. To receive full consideration, materials should be received on or before February 6, 2013. This search is being assisted by: Loren Anderson, Ph.D. Senior Consultant AGB Search Cell: (253) 223-3566 lja@agbsearch.com Bruce T. Alton, Ph.D. Senior Consultant AGB Search Cell: (202) 262-8250 bta@agbsearch.com Additional information about the college may be found at Rocky.edu Rocky Mountain College is an equal opportunity employer and encourages the candidacies of women and persons of color.