Academic Affairs Changes

August 16, 2023
Terence Lau, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear campus community,

I am writing to share some news about a restructuring within the Provost's Office that resulted from a vacancy. As you know, our office is responsible for providing leadership and support to the academic mission of the University. In recent years, we have seen new demands on our services, and we have been working to ensure we are meeting those demands efficiently and effectively.

As part of this effort, we have been reviewing our organizational structure for potential improvements. After careful consideration, we have decided to eliminate the vacant position of vice provost for Academic Affairs after the departure of Daniel Grassian. This decision was not made lightly, and I understand that it will have an impact on the offices that currently report to this position. However, this restructuring will ensure we are best positioned to meet the needs of our students, faculty, and staff, as well as reduce budget expenses.

The duties of that role will be redistributed across two vice provost positions assumed by existing personnel. This will allow us to continue to provide the same level of support to our academic community, while streamlining operations and reducing costs.

These positions are:

• Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Success. This position, previously titled Associate Vice President for Academic Personnel, will lead the Faculty Affairs and Success. This new office will include academic personnel, academic labor relations, Faculty Development, RTP, Chairs Council, and serve as the Institutional Official for Research Compliance. Mahalley Allen will serve in this role.
• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Success. This position previously included only the duties of the Dean of Undergraduate Education. Undergraduate Education will become Undergraduate Education and Academic Success and expanded to include Curriculum Services, EPPC Liaison, academic program reviews, and WASC accreditation. Kate McCarthy will serve in this role. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education position will become the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Success Programs, and Ellie Ertle will serve in this role.

These vice provosts will report to the provost. In addition, Dean for Graduate Studies Sharon Barrios and Associate Vice President of International Education and Global Engagement Jennifer Gruber will report to the provost. In line with Chico State’s commitment to shared governance, the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate was consulted on these changes.

I wish to thank all the staff, faculty, and administrators affected by this change for their patience and understanding, and for their willingness to undertake new roles in the spirit of continuous improvement of our services and operations. Thank you for all that you do, and please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.