Professor of biology Nancy Nekvasil will now fulfill the position of Provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, President Jan Cervelli said in an email sent to the College community Friday.
Selecting Nekvasil — who held the position on an interim basis since July 1 — involved considering the opinions and feedback of many individuals, Cervelli said in the email.
“I want to acknowledge and thank our dedicated and hard-working Provost search committee, co-chaired by vice president for enrollment management Mona Bowe and associate professor Karen Chambers, and the firm Academic Search for their guidance and for helping Saint Mary’s identify the right person for the College at this time,” Cervelli said. “Feedback from various stakeholder groups — including the Faculty Assembly Leadership, the Provost Search Committee and the Academic Affairs Council — and from many of you following this week’s campus forum with [Nekvasil] made it evident that she is an outstanding fit for the permanent position.”
Nekvasil’s past experience will benefit her immensely, the email said.
“[Nekvasil] brings multiple dimensions to this role,” Cervelli said. “As an accomplished physiologist, a distinguished teacher committed to Saint Mary’s undergraduate and graduate education and an experienced campus leader and administrator, she has demonstrated her wide-ranging expertise and commitment to the College’s mission. I am grateful that [Nekvasil] will continue to share those gifts with the campus community in this vital position.”
