June 22, 2023 – Appointment of Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Campus Community,

As Interim Provost Steve Perez prepares to transition into the role of Chico State’s 13th president, I’m pleased to announce Terence Lau has accepted the position of interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs effective July 1 and until the role is permanently filled. The search process will begin this fall.

As dean of the College of Business since 2018, Terence’s expertise and guidance at Chico State have been instrumental, and he will no doubt provide stability and vision for Academic Affairs in the months to come. The many accomplishments of his tenure here include the launch of a new online MBA and online BSBA programs, the successful reaccreditation of the College of Business, and working with University Advancement to secure two testamentary gifts for a new building for the college. He also stepped in and continued to show great leadership in serving as the interim dean of the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management for the last five months.

Prior to his tenure at Chico State, Terence served 16 years at the University of Dayton in Ohio, where he was program director, department chair, and associate dean in the School of Business Administration. He also worked as in-house counsel in Ford Motor Company's legal department in Dearborn, Michigan for five years and spent a year as a Supreme Court Fellow assigned to the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C.

Incoming President Perez will address the dean roles in the Colleges of Business and Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management in the months to come. If anyone has an interest in stepping forward to serve in an interim role in either of those colleges, and has not yet expressed it, let Steve know as soon as possible.

Please join me in congratulating and thanking Terence for stepping forward to serve in this critical role.

Sincerely,
Gayle Hutchinson