January 13, 2016
Dear Tulane Community,
Tulane University is launching a nationwide search for our next Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, a post that plays a central role in the values and aspirations of Tulane. The new Provost will ensure the excellence of the University's teaching and research by leading academic programs, community engagement and development of our outstanding faculty. At a time of great opportunity for Tulane, the next Provost will help define our future and carry on the excellent leadership of Dr. Michael Bernstein. Since 2007, Michael has worked tirelessly to strengthen our faculty and make public service a hallmark of a Tulane education.
Two co-chairs will lead a search committee for his successor: Dr. Tonette Krousel-Wood, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Associate Provost and Senior Associate Dean of the School of Medicine; and Dr. Steven Sheffrin, Professor of Economics and Director of the Murphy Institute. We also will engage a professional search firm to help us in this effort. I invite you to write back and share your input on the search, the goals for our next Provost and the qualities of great candidates. I will share the feedback with the committee. Also feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with members of the search committee, who are listed below.
If the search extends beyond this spring, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Nick Altiero, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering, has agreed to serve as Provost on an interim basis. Nick is an extraordinarily respected and effective dean who has magnificently grown interdisciplinary collaboration at Tulane over the years. Dr. Janet Ruscher, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs at SSE, will serve as acting dean until he returns. Janet is highly regarded among her colleagues at SSE and across the University.
Thank you everyone for your support of this incredibly important search.
Warmly,
Mike Fitts
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Search Committee Members:
Rosanne Adderley, Associate Professor, School of Liberal Arts
James Alm, Professor and Economics Chair, Liberal Arts
Pierre Buekens, Dean, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Catherine Burnette, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Teresa Cole, Professor and Printmaking Chair, Liberal Arts
Samir El-Dahr, Professor and Pediatrics Chair, School of Medicine
Michael Friedman, Member, Board of Tulane
Lynn Hannan, Professor, A.B. Freeman School of Business
Sarah Hostetler, President, Associated Student Body
Rick Matasar, Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Effectiveness
David Meyer, Dean, School of Law
Brian Mitchell, Professor, School of Science and Engineering
Jeanne Olivier, Member, Board of Tulane
Stacy Overstreet, Professor and Psychology Chair, Science and Engineering
Dusty Porter, Vice President for Student Affairs
Kentaro Tsubaki, Associate Professor, School of Architecture
Mark VanLandingham, Professor, Public Health
