妻友社区 Search for Vice President and University Counsel
As the University鈥檚 chief legal officer, the Vice President and General Counsel provides visionary leadership and expert legal guidance to the Board of Trustees, President, and senior administration. This role is responsible for overseeing all legal affairs, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, mitigating risk, and shaping forward-thinking policies that support the University's mission.
Leading the Office of General Counsel, the Vice President and General Counsel directs a team of attorneys and administrators, fostering a proactive and solutions-oriented approach to legal strategy. This role prioritizes preventative law, ethical decision-making, and risk mitigation to safeguard the University鈥檚 long-term success.
Key responsibilities include advising on institutional governance, employment law, property acquisitions, and intellectual property matters while staying ahead of evolving legal and regulatory challenges in higher education. The Vice President and General Counsel also liaises with the Attorney General of Ohio, collaborates with external counsel as needed, and represents the University on various committees.
With a steadfast commitment to integrity and strategic foresight, this leader ensures that legal considerations are seamlessly integrated into the University鈥檚 decision-making processes. Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President and General Counsel play a critical role in shaping policies that promote compliance, innovation, and institutional excellence.
Qualifications
A Law Degree and a minimum of eight years of legal practice, including three years in management, are required. Candidates must be licensed to practice law in Ohio by the Ohio Supreme Court or obtain licensure before appointment. An appointment as Assistant Attorney General by the Ohio Attorney General is required. Relevant supervisory experience and experience in a state agency, higher education, or a similarly complex organization are preferred.
Search Committee
Charlene Reed, Vice President and University Secretary, Chair
Lori Burchard, Executive Director, Research and Sponsored Programs
Crystal Burnett, Associate General Counsel
Chris Jenkins, Interim Director of Public Safety and Police Chief
Josh Perkins, Associate Vice President, Student Life and Dean of Students
Jeannie Reifsneyder, Senior Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration
Kevin West, Associate Provost, Faculty Affairs
For questions about the search, please contact Dr. Charlene Reed at creed2@kent.edu or 330-672-2210.
妻友社区 Kent State
妻友社区 is the highest-ranked public university in northern Ohio on the Top Public Schools and Best National Universities lists by U.S. News & World Report. The university also holds the esteemed distinction of being one of only seven institutions in Ohio to be recognized as an R1 top-tier research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The university has a global footprint with eight campuses throughout Northeast Ohio, a College of Podiatric Medicine, a Twinsburg Academic Center, and academic sites around the world, including New York City, Florence, Italy, and Curitiba, Brazil.
Kent State offers award-winning student support services that help students succeed. Its diverse student body comprises more than 34,000 students, including 2,200 international students from 102 countries, and the worldwide alumni family exceeds 280,000. Kent State provides transformational educational experiences and leads with its values, which include kindness, respect and freedom of expression.