Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Steve McLaughlin has announced several organizational changes within the Office of the Provost. In alignment with the Institute strategic plan, the new structure is centered on the student and faculty experience, with the goal of creating a transformative learning and teaching environment focused on strategic values, support services, and excellence in educational operations.

The changes follow an internal organizational assessment including stakeholder meetings with the College deans, Office of the Provost direct reports, and input gathered from other campus stakeholders over the past year. McLaughlin received feedback on the effectiveness of the Provost Office’s service to the community, alignment with the Institute’s values, and the capacity of the leadership to meet strategic goals.

“Conversations with my colleagues were invaluable in helping to understand the organizational evolution that is necessary to achieve the ambitious goals set in the strategic plan,” said McLaughlin. “Students are our top priority, and if we are to meaningfully keep that commitment and provide an exceptional academic experience, we need a holistic view of the student experience and a stronger focus on faculty.”

McLaughlin added that with the growth in graduate student enrollment over the past decade, Georgia Tech needs a dedicated vice provost to meet the unique needs of the graduate student population and growing postdoctoral community. Further, the diversity and complexity of Georgia Tech faculty have increased over time. Greater holistic support for faculty development as well as services that enable faculty to try new approaches, and innovate, focus on excellence, and connect with their colleagues, are all critical in an increasingly competitive hiring and retention landscape.

Effective immediately, organizational changes will include establishing a new Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Education and Learning, creating two new positions, and implementing several modifications to existing positions and reporting relationships to help clarify roles and create better organizational alignments.

The following new positions will be created:

The Senior Vice Provost for Education and Learning (SVP-EL) will provide dedicated operational leadership and strategic oversight of the student educational and learning experience for both undergraduate and graduate education. Reporting to the provost, the SVP-EL portfolio will include the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, and the Center for Teaching and Learning. The SVP-EL will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet.

The Vice Provost for Faculty will provide direct supervision of faculty support services within the Office of the Provost and provide leadership in promoting and ensuring excellence within the faculty. Reporting to the provost, this position will have oversight of the Office of Faculty Affairs, Faculty Professional Development, and the Assistant Vice Provost for Advocacy and Conflict Resolution.

The following modifications have been made to the scope of existing positions and/or reporting relationships:

The Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, formerly the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development, is a modified position. Inaugural incumbent, Bonnie Ferri, will report to the SVP-EL and have oversight of the Office of Graduate Studies, the Office of Professional Development and Postdoctoral Services, the Graduate Student Ombuds, and the Career Center (now a dual report to the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education).

The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, currently served by Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Steven Girardot, will report to the SVP-EL and have oversight of the Honors Program, Serve-Learn-Sustain, and the Career Center (now a dual report to the Vice Provost of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education), as well as the Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and units that will continue to report up to this position.

Additional organizational reporting changes include shifting the Office of Summer and Special Session Initiatives to report solely to the Office for Enrollment Management.

Other organizational changes that will now be reflected within the Office of the Provost structure, but occurred under separate recent actions, include:

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Darren Hubbard, whose primary reporting line is to the Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance Kelly Fox, will become a dotted line report to Provost McLaughlin. Vice President for Student Engagement and Well-Being Luoluo Hong, whose primary reporting line is to President Ángel Cabrera, will also become a dotted line report to Provost McLaughlin. Additionally, the Tech Applications Group will now report to the Office of Information Technology.

Lastly, a title modification has been made for Jennifer Herazy, both for organizational consistency and to reflect job duties more accurately. Herazy will now serve as the Associate Vice President for Strategy and Administration in the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research.

Internal searches for the SVP-EL and Vice Provost for Faculty will begin later this month. The SVP-EL will be recruited from among current senior tenured faculty at Georgia Tech. The Vice Provost for Faculty will be recruited from among all current academic faculty. An internal search for the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, also recruited from among all current academic faculty, will follow in the coming weeks. More information will be made available at the Office of Provost website.

Written by: Susie Ivy