Beale to Chair Committee Leading Search for New Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Provost Sally Kornbluth has formed a search committee to assist in the identification of a new Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. The position is currently vacant following the departure of Keith Whitfield who was named provost at Wayne State University.

Chaired by Sara Sun Beale, Charles L. B. Lowndes Professor of Law, the committee has been charged with developing a diverse pool of candidates by soliciting nominations and applications from within the Duke community, conducting interviews, and submitting to the provost a list of three finalists from whom she will make the final selection. 

Nominations and applications may be sent to susan.booth@duke.edu by Sept. 1.  Nominations should include a brief statement of why the individual is being nominated and the nominee’s qualifications for the position.  Applications should include a CV and brief letter of interest that should describe the applicant’s qualifications and experience.  All nominations and applications will be held in strict confidence. 

“This is a key position within the university’s senior administration,” Kornbluth said.  “The vice provost must have an understanding of the university’s operating structure and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all members of the university community.”    

The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs will: 

• Provide strategic support to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Duke University Board of Trustees and the university’s Academic Programs Committee (which is advisory to the Provost) by working with the chairs to develop meeting agendas and to monitor issues, proposals, and reviews.
• Provide guidance for the creation of new degree programs and the development of academic initiatives requiring faculty and/or Trustee approval.
• Oversee implementation of the strategic plan and ongoing strategic academic initiatives, including new programs delineated in the plan.
• Work with the graduate school on the coordination of program/departmental reviews.
• Facilitate cross-department and cross-school faculty hiring with the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies.
• Represent the Provost in multiple venues, including with external audiences.
• Champion and support institutional accreditation and assessment processes with the key assistance of an Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and stay abreast of contemporary SACS policies and procedures. 
• Oversee state authorization processes with key assistance of an Assistant Vice Provost for Educational Compliance and stay abreast of contemporary state authorization processes and procedures.
• Oversee Duke’s efforts in online education.

The complete position description is available online here.

Questions may be directed to the members of the search committee:

Sara Sun Beale – Chair Charles L. B. Lowndes Professor of Law sun@law.duke.edu

Kafui Dzirasa Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences kafui.dzirasa@duke.edu

Thavolia Glymph Associate Professor of African and African American Studies thavolia@duke.edu

Guo-Juin Hong Associate Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies gjhong@duke.edu

Randy Kramer Professor, Environmental Economics and Global Health Deputy Director, Duke Global Health Institute kramer@duke.edu

Candice Odgers Associate Professor of Public Policy, Psychology and Neuroscience and Associate Director of the Center for Child and Family Policy candice.odgers@duke.edu

Leela Prasad Associate Professor of Religious Studies leela@duke.edu

Jim Roberts Executive Vice Provost for Finance and Administration james.roberts@duke.edu

Peter Ubel Professor of Business Administration, Madge and Dennis T. McLawhorn University Professor, Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy, Professor of Medicine, Affiliate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, Member of Duke Cancer Institute peter.ubel@duke.edu