For more than two years, Professor Jerry Baldasty has served as Provost and Executive Vice President with distinction, and I look forward to continuing to work with him through the year to come. When I asked Jerry to serve in the role, he was already planning for the next step in his life, and I will be eternally grateful that he put those plans on hold because of his deep commitment to the University of Washington and its mission. Nevertheless, the time has come to initiate a national search for his successor. Our goal is to welcome our new Provost next summer.
Last week, I officially charged a group of faculty, staff and students to advise me by searching nationally to identify candidates for the UW’s top academic job. In their search for a Provost and Executive Vice President, I have asked them to seek candidates who value our traditions of shared governance, transparency and accountability. I also encouraged them to reach out across disciplines and to individuals who reflect the diversity of our community. Finalists for the position will come to campus to meet with members of our community and talk about their vision sometime in the fall or winter.
The committee will hold forums for input on each campus in the coming weeks and months. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to be part of this process. The Provost’s role touches every part of the University, and we all have a stake in finding the best candidate for the job.
You can find more information about the search and stay updated on the process here. I welcome your feedback, questions and suggestions at provostsearch@uw.edu. Thank you in advance for working with the committee and me to find the very best candidate for this position.