URC 32, UMass Dartmouth, Office of the Provost records

The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the chief academic officer, reports directly to the Chancellor, may act on the Chancellor’s behalf in his absence, and provides leadership and administrative support to the academic divisions of the University: the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Industry, Engineering, Nursing, and Visual and Performing Arts; the Library, the Registrar, Enrollment Management, Graduate Studies, Research and Sponsored Programs, Continuing Education, Computing and Information Technology Services, and a variety of student academic services. She/he may also act as the Executive Vice Chancellor with broad responsibilities for the internal management of the campus. Primary responsibilities include oversight of academic affairs and academic centers, program and personnel development and evaluation, budget and resource development, leadership of the Councils of Academic Deans and Directors, supervision of other academic support services, and encouragement and support of grant writing efforts. The Provost and Vice Chancellor collaborates with the academic leadership of the other campuses in the University of Massachusetts system, works with the leadership of UMass Dartmouth’s other divisions to ensure the effectiveness of services and support programs, serves on the Chancellor’s Executive Advisory Council, and assumes other duties as assigned by the Chancellor. The provost position was preceeded by the position of Dean of Faculty, from 1967-1985.

The first Dean of Faculty was Vincent P. Wright (1967-1969), followed by Joseph Orze as acting (1970-1971), Richard M. Fontera (1971-1982), L. Bryce Andersen as interim (1982-1983), and Donald S. Douglas (1983-1990), who started as Dean of Faculty and ended his term as Provost. Robert C. Dagleish was Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs September, 1990-July, 1993. L. Bryce Anderson served as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs from January, 1994-May 31, 1994. Benjamin F. Taggie was named as the first permanent Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs as of August 15, 1994. Chancellor Cressy announced Dr. Thomas J. Curry as his selection for Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs on April 14, 1999. Louis Esposito began his term as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs on July 1, 2003. Anthony Garro began his term as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in August 2006. John Farrington began his term as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in January 2012. Alex Fowler began his term as Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs in November of 2012. Mohammad Karim has been Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for Aademic and Student Affairs, Chief Operating Officer since 2013.