|
|
|Dunn leaves Provost’s office to return to faculty
April 5, 2007
Dear Colleagues,
After more than a decade of exemplary leadership in a variety of administrative roles, Dana Dunn has decided to step down as Provost at the end of August to return to the faculty in Sociology. (See her letter below.) As a friend and colleague, I support her decision to resume her teaching and scholarship. As President, I will greatly miss her partnership and wise counsel. Dana has been a superb provost and is widely recognized for her contributions within The University of Texas System and throughout the state. She has been a powerful force in our emergence as a rapidly growing research university and an effective advocate for academic excellence. We will miss her as Provost but welcome her back to the faculty.
We are fortunate to have a knowledgeable, well qualified and highly respected person assume the duties of Provost. Thus, I am grateful that Ron Elsenbaumer, vice president for research, has agreed to serve as Interim Provost. Ron has held key positions at UT Arlington in the Colleges of Engineering and Science before becoming vice president for research in 2004. Ron’s appointment as Interim Provost will be effective September 1, 2007. Kelsey Downum, who joined us this year from Florida International University as associate vice president for research, will become Interim Vice President for Research.
I expect to conduct a search in which both internal and external candidates will be considered and will be appointing a search committee in the next several months.
Meantime, please join me in thanking Dana for the enormous contributions she has made to our university as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Sincerely,
Jim
