The UA is losing another member of its administration.
Provost Meredith Hay will be leaving the UA to assume a position with the Arizona Board of Regents, effective Aug. 1. Hay has held the position of provost since February 2008.
Hay is the third member of the UA administration to announce their departure this summer, along with President Robert Shelton, who will become the executive director of the Fiesta Bowl, also on Aug. 1, and Steve MacCarthy, who is leaving his post as the UA’s vice president for external relations to assume a similar position at the University of Pennsylvania.
Hay will become special adviser to board chair for strategic initiatives, working directly under new regents chairman Fred DuVal.
“”I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Hay to the university system office,”” DuVal said in a release. “”Meredith brings tremendous expertise in strategic planning to the table and her insight will be invaluable to the board as we continue to implement our strategic plan and enhance our operations to better serve students and the state.””
Jacqueline Lee Mok, currently the UA’s senior vice president and chief of staff, will assume the duties of the provost until a replacement can be found. Mok will also serve as senior vice president for academic affairs.
“”I believe that taking into consideration the overall experience and the tremendous strength of our academic and administrative leaders throughout the university, these changes will enable me to accomplish my principal goal of making the University of Arizona attractive to an exceptional new president,”” Sander wrote.
Hay wrote in an email that she is honored and proud to assume her new position.
“”(The) Board of Regents has launched a very ambitious and forward thinking Enterprise Initiative to develop a performance funding model and new approaches to budget and finance,”” Hay wrote. “”This effort is going to reshape the way higher education is delivered in Arizona and will be a model for the entire country. I look forward to assisting ABOR leadership and the state in achieving these goals.””
James Allen, president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, said Hay’s departure was abrupt, but that he did not think it would affect ASUA’s relationship with the UA administration. He also said that he thinks both Sander and Mok keep student interests in mind and that he anticipates a fruitful relationship working with both.
Allen wished both Hay and Shelton luck moving forward and said he views the change in leadership as a continued opportunity to strengthen the UA’s shared governance of collaborative leadership among students, faculty, staff and administration.
“”This is a tremendous year of change (in leadership),”” Allen said, “”but we need to embrace that change and move forward.””
More details will follow as they become available.
