The search for a new campus leader who will focus on improving student retention and on-time graduation has reached the finalist stage.
Three candidates for the position of associate vice provost for student success will visit campus in mid-April; in a recent development, one of the original finalists has withdrawn from the search. The campus presentations by the finalists are scheduled for April 11, 14, 18 and 20.
The new associate vice provost will be responsible for designing and implementing a universitywide strategy for improving undergraduate student retention and degree-completion rates. The position reports to Provost Scott Coltrane and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies Lisa Freinkel.
In October, the UO launched an effort focused on improving student success. Among the initiatives is a goal to increase four-year graduation rate, currently at 50 percent for first-time freshman. While this rate is the best of Oregon’s public institutions, UO President Michael Schill has said that is not good enough. He has set a goal to increase graduation rates by 10 percentage points by the year 2020.
“This position is key to the UO’s commitment to improving student access and success,” Coltrane said. “We have great people and programs working with students all across campus, and we are hiring more advisors, but we need all of these efforts to work together if we are to be truly successful.”
Members of the campus community are invited to attend the candidates’ public presentations and ask questions in an open forum. Information about the candidates will be posted on the Office of the Provost website three days in advance of each candidate’s visit.
“Our faculty, staff and administrators are strongly encouraged to attend these public presentations and meet each candidate,” Freinkel said. “Our student success AVP will need to work with all of campus to help our students be successful. It’s important the campus help select this key leader.”
Public presentations will be posted online after each candidate has presented and surveys will be available to provide feedback on the candidates.
—By Jennifer Winters, University Communications
This story was updated 4/18/16 to reflect the withdrawal of one of the four original finalists.