A letter to the YU community this past March announced Dr. Morton Lowengrub’s decision to step down from his role as Provost of Yeshiva University at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year. In the letter, President Joel revealed that a search committee chaired by Cardozo Dean Matthew Diller would be tasked with finding Dr. Lowengrub’s successor. Now, five months closer to Dr. Lowengrub’s last day as Provost, the search is officially underway. In an interview with The Observer this summer, Dean Diller discussed the challenges and progress of the newly formed search committee he now leads.
The provost of a university is like the director of a movie: behind-the-scenes but critically important. Whereas most students know—or at least know of—their dean, the provost can often slip under the radar. Yet, as the university’s chief administrator of all academic programs, the provost has a direct impact on the experience of the student body. In the words of Dean Diller, a provost “takes the president’s vision and operationalizes it, providing leadership on the academic side of the University.” This entails involvement in tenure and faculty appointments, academic policies and supervision of academic budgets. The provost works closely with the president, the deans and faculty.
To fill this very important position, President Joel has enlisted a search committee of about a dozen members, including graduate and undergraduate deans, as well as the services of Korn/Ferry International, an executive search firm. Led by Dean Diller, the committee is currently in the process of vetting and screening applicants. After an initial round of screening, the strongest candidates will engage in what Dean Diller describes as a “long courtship”—spending time at the university and meeting with its deans and administrators. When the pool has been narrowed to about 2 to 5 applicants, the committee will then present the candidates to President Joel. Though the committee is in charge of putting forward the strongest and best options, the appointment will ultimately be President Joel’s decision.
According to Dean Diller, the student body can expect to hear about its new provost sometime over this academic year. However, he noted that it is too early to tell if the provost will come from the outside or from within the YU community.
For a candidate to stand out from the pool of applicants, he or she must meet very specific requirements. According to Dean Diller, a strong candidate is someone “who is sensitive to and excited about the mission of the university,” “committed to high academic standards,” and “committed to excellence but is also excited about innovation and new ways of providing high quality education.” Obviously, the provost will also need to be someone who works well with the faculty and the president and who can “carry forward the president’s vision.”
Dr. Morton Lowengrub will be a tough act to follow. Before coming to Stern, Dr. Lowengrub served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University. In his letter, President Joel praised Dr. Lowengrub for his “incredible service” and for “the magnificent role he has played in building a university faculty of great distinction, while adding his own elements of decency, menshlechkeit, and Jewish passion to the performance of his duties.”
The search for the new provost is no small project, but Dean Diller is up for the challenge. “I was very honored when the President asked me to chair the committee,” he commented. “Of course I am happy to make the time for it—it is high-priority.”
The appointment of a new provost will mean changes for the student body and the university at large. “Being a provost is an exciting job,” Dean Diller remarked. “For academics who think broadly about the future of higher education—and the mission of the university—it is a great opportunity.”