Athens, Ga. – Jere W. Morehead, who is interim vice president for instruction at the University of Georgia, has been chosen to fill the position permanently.
Arnett C. Mace Jr., UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, said today he is appointing Morehead as permanent vice president on the recommendation of a committee that conducted a national search to fill the position. The appointment is effective Feb. 1 subject to approval by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
Morehead is an award-winning teacher who has devoted much of his attention to classroom instruction since joining the UGA faculty in 1986. He has been interim vice president since Dec. 1 when Del Dunn retired from the post. Previously he was vice provost for academic affairs.
“Interim Vice President Morehead has demonstrated vision and leadership for improvement of the instructional programs at the University of Georgia,” said Mace. “His experience coupled with his commitment to instruction at the university is unparalleled. I look forward to his significant leadership in advancing our instructional mission.”
UGA President Michael F. Adams said the appointment reflects the university’s outstanding academic strength.
“The fact that a national search recognizes Jere as the best candidate for this position is a powerful statement about the caliber of our faculty and administration,” said Adams. “Jere is a proven leader in enriching undergraduate education and I’m delighted that our students will continue to benefit from his enthusiasm, creativity and commitment.”
A Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, Morehead is a professor of legal studies in the Terry College of Business, where he has twice been chosen the college’s teacher of the year. He has also been recognized twice with the Lothar Tresp Outstanding Honors Professor Award.
While serving as vice provost for academic affairs, Morehead teamed with Dunn to lead the Task Force on General Education and Student Learning in 2004-2005. The task force extensively studied ways to strengthen undergraduate education at UGA and issued more than 40 recommendations, a number of which have been put in place or are in the process of being implemented.
In 1997, Morehead was chair of another task force that focused on improving the quality of the undergraduate experience at UGA.
As vice president, Morehead will oversee all aspects of UGA’s instructional program and will be responsible for a number of related academic and administrative departments including the Honors Program, Division of Academic Enhancement, Office of Curriculum Systems and the advising and retention and academic honesty programs. His office also has administrative authority for the Office of the Registrar, the Institute of Higher Education, the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Army and Air Force ROTC programs.
Morehead served as vice provost for academic affairs from August, 2004, until last December. Before that he was associate provost and director of the university’s Honors Program and Foundation Fellows Program for five years, and he served as acting executive director of legal affairs in 1998-99.
Morehead will continue to serve as the university’s faculty athletics representative and as an officer of the Georgia Athletic Association, positions he has held since 2003. He was chair of the search committee that recommended Damon Evans as UGA’s athletic director.
Morehead has taught Honors classes and seminars during his entire career at UGA. In addition to the Meigs professorship – UGA’s highest teaching honor – he has also received the Richard Russell Teaching Award.
He was advisor for the moot court program in the School of Law for nine years, helping student teams win five national championships. His scholarly publications include more than 30 books, book chapters and articles. He is co-author of a leading undergraduate legal studies textbook and has been editor-in-chief of the American Business Law Journal.
