SEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE NAMED FOR SELECTION OF NEW PROVOST

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy has appointed a Search Advisory Committee to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of internal candidates for the position of senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost. John McCarthy recently announced he will not seek reappointment as provost after having served in the post for the last five years. His term will end on June 30, 2022.

The 14-member advisory committee will be chaired by Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life. The committee also includes Rolanda Burney, chief of staff for the Chancellor’s Office; Mari Castañeda, dean of the

Commonwealth Honors College; Harley Erdman, professor of theater and department chair in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, Deb Gould, associate provost for administration and finance; Laura Haas, dean of the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences; Mujtaba Hedayet, College of Education graduate student, representing the Graduate Student Senate; Jacquie Kurland, associate professor of communication disorders in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, representing the Massachusetts Society of Professors; Hayden Latimer-Ireland, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences undergraduate student, representing the Student Government Association; Jennifer Normanly, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and department chair in the College of Natural Sciences; Tatishe Nteta, associate professor of political science in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; Mila Sherman, professor of finance in the Isenberg School of Management; Kalpen Trivedi, vice provost for global affairs; and Matthew Westgate, associate professor of music and dance in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.

The committee will screen the applications and select a group for first-round interviews. The committee will then forward to Chancellor Subbaswamy a recommended list of finalists for more detailed consideration.

In charging the committee, the chancellor observed that the position of provost is perhaps the most demanding and complex leadership position on the campus and that only those candidates with extensive experience leading large, multifaceted academic organizations will be considered. He urges individuals who meet these qualifications to come forward as a service to the campus at this time of major change. Interested candidates can view instructions on how to apply on the university's Human Resources website.

The provost is the chief academic officer for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The provost’s overarching responsibility is to advance the academic mission of the university in the areas of discovery, learning and service. The provost works closely with the deans of the schools and colleges, department heads and chairs, and other senior leadership to provide undergraduate and graduate educational programs of the highest quality. Other key priorities of the provost include recruiting, retaining and supporting an outstanding and diverse faculty, and supporting the faculty’s efforts to advance knowledge, engage in creative activity, and serve the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.