Figlio will take academic leave before returning to his faculty appointments.
David Figlio, the provost and Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics and Education at the University of Rochester, has announced that this August, he will be stepping down from the provost’s role for health reasons. Figlio, who joined the University in July 2022, plans to take academic leave and then return to his faculty appointment in the Department of Economics in the School of Arts & Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Warner School of Education.
“I am grateful to David for being a valued colleague and for the multitude of ways that he has helped advance our University in many strategic areas,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf.
A search for the next provost will begin in the fall, and an announcement of the interim provost is forthcoming.
“Serving as provost and chief academic officer of such an exceptional institution as Rochester has been a true privilege,” says Figlio. “It’s been an extremely fulfilling experience to work with and for Sarah Mangelsdorf, and with such talented and thoughtful colleagues, faculty, staff, and students who every day contribute positively toward the Meliora mission of making the University, the world, and themselves ever better.”
The University’s provost is the chief academic officer, overseeing five of the University’s main academic units of the School of Arts & Sciences; Eastman School of Music; Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences; Simon Business School; and Warner School of Education. Based out of the Provost’s Office are a number of University-wide operations, including faculty affairs, academic affairs and accreditation, undergraduate and graduate admissions, student life, graduate education and postdoctoral affairs, the library system, University Health Service, the Office for Global Engagement, and University IT.
Figlio has made several significant contributions during his tenure that have further strengthened the University, notably leading the restructuring and revitalization of the University’s student experience, implementing the resources and framework for it to be richer and more robust. He also played a key role in the development, launch, and implementation of the the University’s 2030 strategic plan, Boundless Possibility. With the Office of Administration and Finance, he helped develop a new academic finance model for the University, which when implemented will create greater equity of core services and help safeguard the mission-critical activities of the institution.
After stepping down as provost, Figlio will continue as the Gordon Fyfe Professor of Economics. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and an internationally recognized economist whose interdisciplinary research spans educational, public, and social policy, including the link between health and education.
