Athens, Ga. – Two veteran administrators at the University of Georgia will take on additional responsibilities, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Jere Morehead announced today.
Laura Jolly, dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, has been named interim vice president for instruction at UGA. Libby Morris, director of the Institute of Higher Education, will serve as vice provost for academic affairs.
“I congratulate our new provost on these two excellent choices,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “Their presence and abilities will greatly enhance discussions in the Cabinet and other venues, and I look forward to working with them.”
“These are critically important times for the university, and I thank Dr. Jolly and Dr. Morris for agreeing to take on these additional assignments,” Morehead said. “The College of Family and Consumer Sciences has flourished under Dr. Jolly’s leadership, and Dr. Morris brings to the Provost’s Office unparalleled expertise in higher education from her work in the Institute of Higher Education.”
As vice president for instruction, a position most recently held by Morehead, Jolly will be responsible for overseeing continued improvements to teaching, advising and student learning on campus. Jolly was named dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2007, and has worked to make the college one of the most student centered on campus by improving access to student services and increasing support for student leadership and engagement. Under Jolly’s leadership, the college has increased graduate enrollment by 20 percent and launched areas of emphasis, such as child development and international merchandising, within majors. Service-learning opportunities have increased, and study-abroad programs have expanded to new locations. In addition, the college created a student services suite at the entrance to Dawson Hall to enhance support for students. The college also completed a highly successful planned giving campaign known as “100 Legacies in the Making,” with more than $4 million committed for student scholarships, academic programs, student leadership and improving the student learning environment.
“I appreciate the opportunity to serve as interim vice president for instruction,” Jolly said. “The responsibilities associated with this office focus on the quality of the student experience and are essential to supporting and enhancing instruction at the University of Georgia. I am committed to academic excellence and look forward to working with the senior administration, faculty, staff and students to advance the instructional mission at UGA.”
As vice provost for academic affairs, Morris will work closely with the Georgia Museum of Art, the Office of Faculty Affairs, the Performing Arts Center and the associate provosts. Morris also will advise Morehead on student academic honesty appeals, faculty appointments, and promotion and tenure cases. Morris was named director of the Institute of Higher Education in 2006 and has been a faculty member there since 1989. She will continue in both positions.
Under Morris’ leadership, the institute launched an executive doctoral program in higher education in Atlanta, joined the National College Advising Corps-a consortium of colleges and universities that aims to increase the number of low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students completing higher education-and secured more than $600,000 in private funds to place college access advisers in high schools across Georgia. In addition, the institute expanded its international collaborations and research funding while climbing to sixth in national rankings of higher education programs.
“The University of Georgia is an outstanding research university, and I am honored to be asked to serve in this position,” Morris said. “I look forward to working with the provost, the associate provosts, faculty, staff, and students in support of a wide variety of programs and initiatives. The Georgia Museum of Art and the Performing Arts Center are excellent examples of UGA’s accomplishments in the arts, and I am especially pleased to work with these units.”