Office of the Provost

Ralph W. Kuncl Provost and Executive Vice President Provost Kuncl's CV Watch the video of the Provost's Inaugural "Meliora" Address Oct. 10, 2007 large file (200 mg) | smaller file (84 mg)

What IS a ? If you don’t know the answer to this question, you’re not alone.  The term "provost" had its origins in the Middle Ages, derived from the Latin word "praepositus" (meaning “a person placed over”) and was used as the proper title of both ecclesiastical and secular officers. From Medieval times to the 19th century, "provost" referred to the wardens of the forerunners of modern prisons and hospitals. Today in American higher education the word "provost" refers to a high-ranking administrator – usually the chief academic officer – of a university.  A provost is generally second to the president as a senior member of the university’s administrative cabinet, responsible for guiding development of the academic agenda and overseeing its implementation, including allocation of resources in support of its goals, and for championing the academic enterprise on campus and in the community.  At the University of Rochester, the position of Provost was first established in 1948.

Advocacy and support of the academic programs and intellectual life of the University community define the mission of the Office of the Provost. The Provost provides leadership for academic programs, research, and other endeavors involving faculty and students.  As the person responsible for the academic integrity of the entire institution, the Provost provides broad oversight of all programs of instruction and research, and works collaboratively with the deans and vice presidents to ensure their quality. In addition, the Provost has final approval for recommendations brought from the schools for faculty tenure appointments, faculty promotions, and doctoral degrees granted by the University before they receive ultimate approval by the Board of Trustees. 

The Provost works closely with the President to carry out these responsibilities effectively. The Provost also works closely with the Senior Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering and with the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO of the Medical Center.  In the absence of the President, the Provost presides over University affairs. 

The senior leaders reporting to the Provost include:

• Dean of the Eastman School of Music
• Dean of the Simon School of Business
• Dean of the Warner Graduate School of Education
• Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
• Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity
• Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Studies
• Vice Provost for Information Technology
• Vice Provost and Dean of the River Campus Libraries
• Director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. 
• Director of the Memorial Art Gallery

The Provost also oversees other university-wide activities such as:

• Susan B. Anthony Center for Women's Leadership
• Institutional Research
• Intercessor's program
• Office for Human Subjects Protection
• University Health Service 
• University of Rochester Press

The Provost works with the university community to ensure that the needs of the faculty and students are being met and that the university is able to fulfill its mission.  The overall goals of the Provost reflect the University's motto — Meliora — the Latin exhortation to become ever better.

We encourage you to learn more about the office, who we are, and what we're working on by exploring these pages.

Provost Ralph W. Kuncl, MD, PhD

Ralph Kuncl was appointed Provost of the University of Rochester in August 2007.  He received his A.B. degree at Occidental College and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at Johns Hopkins University, where he then built a faculty, research, teaching, and clinical career for twenty-two years, eventually rising to the position of Vice Provost.

Among his many honors, Dr. Kuncl held ACE Fellowships at both Johns Hopkins and at Bryn Mawr College, and received a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Chicago in 2002. In national higher ed leadership, he has been a member of the National Executive Board of The Reinvention Center since 2001, was an assembly representative at COFHE, served in various leadership positions in the American Neurological Association and its top journal, the Annals of Neurology, and currently serves as Director, Board of Directors, Tuition Plan Consortium, sponsor of Independent 529 Plan. His research interests include motor neuron pathobiology, neuromuscular disorders, drug development, and federal funding for higher education.

Provost Kuncl is a long-time supporter of the fine arts, and has performed professionally and volunteered with community ensembles. For twenty years he performed in the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, one of the most respected professional choral groups in the mid-Atlantic region. He is currently a member of the Eastman Rochester Chorus.

Committees

The standing committees and councils below are chaired by the Provost or coordinated by the Provost's Office staff, and are charged with advising the academic leadership of the university in matters pertaining to academic priorities and resource allocation.

• Conflict of Interest Committee
• Data Security Task Force
• Faculty Committee on Honorary Degrees
• Faculty Performance and Discipline Committee
• Multidisciplinary Advisory Council
• Technology Transfer Policy Committee
• University Council on Environmental Sustainability
• Search Committees for Deans (various, ad hoc)
• Middle States Accreditation (ad hoc during accreditation cycles)

Initiatives

• Center for Computational Innovation in Health

Contact Information:
Office of the Provost
200 Wallis Hall
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
Phone: (585) 275-5931
Fax: (585) 461-1046
email:

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