Lee D. Baker Appointed Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Longtime Trinity faculty member to lead office overseeing undergraduate academic experience

headshot Lee Baker
Lee Baker, a professor in the departments of Cultural Anthropology and African and African American Studies, has been a member of the faculty for 30 years.

Lee D. Baker has been appointed vice provost for undergraduate education at Duke, Provost Alec D. Gallimore announced today.

Baker, a professor in the departments of Cultural Anthropology and African and African American Studies, has been a member of the faculty for 30 years. He served as chair of the Arts & Sciences Council from 2005-2007, dean of academic affairs in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences from 2008-2016, chair of Cultural Anthropology from 2017-2020, and director of the Program in International Comparative Studies from 2016-2019.

Baker succeeds Gary G. Bennett, who led the Office of Undergraduate Education from 2018-2023, when he was appointed Trinity dean. Professor of Political Science Candis Watts Smith, who has served as interim vice provost of undergraduate education since January 2023, will return to the faculty on June 30.

“I congratulate Dr. Lee Baker on his appointment as vice provost for undergraduate education,” Gallimore said. “Lee is a dynamic and highly regarded member of the Duke community who has an expansive understanding of the university and a keen interest in the undergraduate experience. I look forward to working with him to ensure continued excellence in our support of undergraduate students.

“I also extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Candis Watts Smith for her tremendous service as interim vice provost for the past two-and-a-half years. Candis’ passion for this role, connection with students, and commitment to access, equity, and academic excellence have made a lasting impact on the university. I wish her well as she returns to her distinguished teaching and research in political science.”

Reporting to the provost, the vice provost for undergraduate education plays a critical role in shaping the academic experiences and successes of Duke University’s undergraduate students. The position oversees the Office of Undergraduate Education, with the primary mission of providing a transformative educational experience to all undergraduates at Duke by offering academic support, research and scholarly community, and experiential engagement opportunities.

Baker received his B.S. from Portland State University and doctorate in anthropology from Temple University. He has been a resident fellow at Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Johns Hopkins’ Institute for Global Studies, the University of Ghana-Legon, the American Philosophical Society, and the National Humanities Center.

His books include From Savage to Negro: Anthropology and the Construction of Race, 1896-1954 (1998), Life in America: Identity and Everyday Experience (2003), and Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture (2010). Although Baker focuses on the history of anthropology, he has published numerous articles on subjects ranging from sociolinguistics to race and democracy. He is also the recipient of Trinity’s Richard K. Lublin Distinguished Teaching Award and the Prize for the Critical Study of North America and a member of Duke’s Bass Society of Fellows.

“I am humbled and honored that the provost asked me to serve in this important role,” Baker said. “I look forward to collaborating with partners across the university to create outstanding educational experiences for all our undergraduates.”  

Baker’s appointment will take effect on Oct. 1. Between July 1 and Sept. 30, the Office of Undergraduate Education will report to Executive Vice Provost Mohamed Noor.