With the unanimous support of the University of Rochester Board of Trustees at last week’s Board meeting, I am appointing Rob Clark to be Provost of our University effective July 1, 2016. Rob will continue as Senior Vice President for Research. On June 30, 2016, Rob will complete his service as Dean of the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. We will soon begin a national search for a successor as Dean of the Hajim School.
Both as Senior Vice President for Research and Dean of the Hajim School, Rob’s service has been exemplary. During the past seven years under Rob’s leadership, the Hajim School has more than doubled undergraduate enrollment while increasing the size of the faculty and significantly increasing the number of students enrolled in master’s programs. At the start of Rob’s time as Dean, the Hajim School assumed responsibility for computer science. In 2014, Rettner Hall became operational, including a new fabrication facility, computer labs and audio and video recording studios. Wegmans Hall, which will house the Goergen Institute for Data Science, is now under construction and will be dedicated in October 2016.
As Senior Vice President for Research, Rob developed and is now implementing our first University-wide Research Strategic Plan. He has expanded the role of UR Ventures to better manage our intellectual property portfolio and supervised our online learning initiatives. Notably, he led our successful effort to be a founding member of AIM Photonics, which has helped secure more than $600 million in support from the federal and state governments as well as private industry to support a national consortium to accelerate development of United States advanced photonics manufacturing.
Rob has been particularly effective working with current Provost Peter Lennie and his fellow deans as well as developing effective senior leadership teams both in the Hajim School and in his role as Senior Vice President for Research.
The Provost is our Chief Academic Officer, a member of a three person committee that includes the University President and Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance who review all divisional budgets, strategic plans and facilities projects above a specified size. I anticipate in the event of the University’s President incapacity, death, or departure that the Provost would serve as interim President. Deans will report to the Provost during Rob’s time as Provost with the exception of Peter Lennie in his final year as Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences and Engineering, who reports to the University President. The Provost will usually be asked to be responsible for decanal reviews. The Provost is a member of the University Senior Leadership Group and President’s Cabinet.
In considering Rob’s appointment as Provost, I spoke to the University Board of Trustees, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, each University Dean, and approximately 25 senior administrative and academic leaders. I was impressed by the virtual unanimity of support for Rob’s new role.
I also was impressed by the frequent articulations of gratitude to Peter Lennie for the outstanding role he has performed as Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences and Engineering.
Our University motto is ever better. We achieved that under Peter. I look forward to further progress with the appointment of Rob.