Organizational Changes in the Office of the Provost
Date: September 3, 2009
To: University Leadership
From: Peter Salovey, Provost
Re: Organizational Changes in the Office of the Provost
Dear Colleagues:
As we begin the new academic year, I wanted to bring to your attention some changes in the Office of the Provost designed to enhance our service to the Yale community. The mission of the Office of the Provost is focused primarily on strategic planning, long-term decision-making, and the allocation of resources in order to promote academic excellence in all parts of the University. Many of the policies affecting faculty and students throughout the University are designed, vetted, or implemented by the Office of the Provost.
Arts and Humanities
With the University’s commitment to the arts in the Yale Tomorrow fund-raising campaign, Barbara Shailor, Deputy Provost for the Arts, has agreed to be “on assignment” to the Office of Development. In this role, she will be instrumental in working with Vice President for Development Inge Reichenbach on campus-wide arts planning, promotion, and development, and will continue to convene the Arts Area Advisory Committee.
Deputy Provost Emily Bakemeier will oversee the humanities departments of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences 1 and at this time will add the Schools of Architecture, Art, Drama, and Music to her portfolio. Ms. Bakemeier will be supported by Associate Provost for the Arts Thomas Masse, who was formerly Deputy Dean of Yale’s School of Music, and Assistant Provost for the Humanities Brian Lizotte, who was an Attorney in the Office of the General Counsel. Mr. Masse, a clarinetist, has held teaching posts at Yale, the University of Michigan, and the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Lizotte, a Snow Prize winner at Commencement from Yale College, completed graduate work at Boston University and earned a J.D. from the Yale Law School.
Science and Technology
Steven Girvin is the Deputy Provost for Science and Technology. He and Assistant Provost Robert Burger support science strategy throughout the University, including the science departments of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Schools of Engineering & Applied Science and Forestry & Environmental Studies, and basic sciences in the School of Medicine and the Peabody Museum. They have been joined by Associate Provost Timothy O’Connor, replacing Bruce Carmichael, who is now Deputy Dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science. Mr. O’Connor previously served as Vice Chair and Associate Research Professor in the Department of Genetic Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University. His areas of expertise include ecological and evolutionary physiology, genetics, and genomics.
Mr. Girvin will also play an enhanced role in collaborating on strategy for basic science in the School of Medicine. He will focus on efforts to synthesize scientific direction among the departments on Science Hill and the Medical School by working closely with Deputy Dean Carolyn Slayman, Vice President for West Campus Planning and Program Development Michael Donoghue, and the FAS Science Chairs Council.
Social Sciences
Frances Rosenbluth, the former Chair of the Department of Political Science, will move full-time to the Office of the Provost as Deputy Provost for the Social Sciences and Faculty Development. For the 2009-10 academic year, Ms. Rosenbluth and Deputy Provost Charles Long will work together to oversee the social science departments of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences 2 and the Schools of Law, Management, and Divinity, and the Institute of Sacred Music. In his role as Deputy Provost for the University, Mr. Long will continue to focus on all matters of University policy affecting faculty and students. He will represent the Provost whenever needed in any matters campus-wide and will be instrumental in mentoring the new members of the provostial team.
Health Affairs and the West Campus
Deputy Provost Stephanie Spangler has been appointed as the first Associate Vice President for West Campus Planning and Program Development and will spend part of her time working directly with Vice President Michael Donoghue on overseeing the development of the West Campus. Together with Assistant Provost Cynthia Smith, Dr. Spangler will continue in her role as Deputy Provost for Health Affairs, with responsibility for the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health, as well as a number of other health-related activities throughout the campus, including the University Health Services and Environmental Health and Safety. She will also work with colleagues from around the campus to fortify and consolidate the University’s programs and procedures relating to academic integrity. Associate Vice President for Research Administration Andrew Rudczynski has assumed responsibility for many of the research compliance functions over which Dr. Spangler previously exerted oversight, including human subjects protection and animal care and use.
Faculty Development
An Office of Faculty Development is being organized at Warner House that will provide management of all processes, procedures, records, and systems relating to faculty recruitment, appointments, promotions, and leaves. This office is responsible for developing programs and services to ensure that academic departments have the ability to attract, develop, and retain an outstanding faculty. The Office of Faculty Development will be directed by Diane Rodrigues, formerly the Senior Deputy Registrar for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Ms. Rodrigues arrived at Yale in 2002 and provided guidance on a number of innovative technical projects that have greatly improved efficiency throughout the course management and registration process. As announced last winter, Frances Rosenbluth has succeeded Judith Chevalier as Deputy Provost for Faculty Development. In this role, she will focus her efforts on diversity initiatives and mentoring programs and oversee the Director of the Office of Faculty Development.
Academic Resources
Lloyd Suttle is the Deputy Provost for Academic Resources and in this role he will continue to work with others at the University on facilities planning. He will also take on oversight responsibility for most of the collections that support Yale’s academic mission, including the University Library, Beinecke Rare Book Library, Yale University Art Gallery, Center for British Art, aspects of the Peabody Museum, and the Office of Digital Assets and Infrastructure. Mr. Suttle will continue to support the Deans of Yale College and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as well as the Director of Athletics.
Because these organizational changes are broad and complex, I have attached a chart summarizing the new responsibilities of the various members of the Office of the Provost. Additional information is available at www.yale.edu/provost/.
My colleagues and I wish you the best for a productive and satisfying new year. Please call on us if we can be of help to you.
Peter Salovey, Provost
Yale University
1 With the exception of the Department of History and the Program in the History of Science and History of Medicine, both of which will be overseen by the Deputy Provost for the Social Sciences.
2 With the exception of the Department of Psychology, which will be overseen by the Deputy Provost for Science and Technology.
