Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

Towson University (“Towson” or “TU”), a recognized innovator in student learning, diversity, research, and community engagement, seeks a visionary President to lead the University into its next phase of growth in size and renown. The President reports directly to the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland (“USM”)—Dr. Jay Perman—and will work closely with USM’s Regents, the leadership of its 12 other constituent institutions, civic leaders in the Greater Towson and Baltimore Metropolitan regions, and major funding agencies and other public and private partners to further Towson’s impact and secure its legacy. With the steadfast support of the USM, in a state historically committed to excellent public higher education and located at the heart of one the most dynamic metropolitan regions in the nation, Towson’s future has never been brighter.

Located on a 330-acre main campus in Towson, Maryland, just ten miles from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and a short drive or train ride to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, or New York City, Towson is the major, comprehensive, public, anchor university in the greater Baltimore metropolitan region. Beyond its main campus, Towson also offers programs across the state, including through TU in Northeastern Maryland (TUNE) and the Towson Learning Network. The University is nationally recognized for quality and value and has a growing research and innovation enterprise that is deeply connected to people and place. It is among the most diverse institutions of higher education in the nation and is well-known for its leadership in inclusive and accessible academics, impactful scholarship, and service to the state of Maryland, with 90% of students coming from the state. Its 19,793 students—of whom 27.9% identify as Black or African American, 9.5% as Hispanic/Latinx, 6.5% as Asian/Asian American, 5.2% as multiracial, 2% as international, and 45.8% as White, making Towson a majority-minority institution that reflects the demographics of the state of Maryland—are enrolled in 66 undergraduate majors, 47 master’s programs, and 6 doctoral degree programs spanning the liberal arts, fine arts, health professions, education, business, technology, and sciences.

Towson’s top priorities are academic excellence and student success, and it is committed to preparing ethical and globally minded professionals who become leaders within their communities and fields of study. The University’s recent major investments in its scholarly enterprise and new programs at the leading edge of research aim to bring the University to Carnegie R2 status within the next five years. The President will bring to bear a deep understanding of the conduits, systems, pathways, and structures that undergird a major academic enterprise committed to both a transformative student experience and impactful scholarship across the arts and sciences. They will be a steady hand at a major inflection point in the institution’s history and will support the pedagogical traditions of Towson while looking to its future as an R2 research institution. Highly visible on campus and adept at strengthening institutional morale and esprit de corps, the President will embody an accessible leadership style that deeply engages the full community. This person will celebrate all that TU has to offer, broadcasting the University’s strengths and successes in scholarship, research, community engagement, athletics, and beyond. They will partner with community leaders to address issues of student safety and success and will be an exemplar of service. The President will be a deft and conscientious steward of the considerable resources of a growing enterprise and will embody Towson’s commitment to inclusive excellence and leadership for the public good.

The Board of Regents and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland have engaged the services of Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, in this recruitment effort. All applications, inquiries, and nominations should be submitted electronically and in confidence through the firm’s website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/towson-university/president

Towson University, an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and University System of Maryland regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.