"Being dean was rewarding, he said. The wins were visible, the feedback loop was short and he was well supported."
"But as provost, he didn't feel emboldened to make change, he said; he felt isolated and exposed."
"Each person sees the provost a little differently. The faculty see the provost as administration, although, honestly, around the table at the cabinet, the provost is probably the only faculty member," Heilig said. "The trustees-they see the provost as a middle manager below the president, and the president sees [the provost] as a buffer from issues that are arising."
Julian Vasquez Heilig progressed from faculty appointments to dean and then to provost, later returning to a faculty role. The dean position offered visible wins, short feedback loops, and strong support. The provost role felt isolating, exposed, and constrained in authority despite responsibility for student success, retention, faculty hiring, and academic quality. Different stakeholders perceive the provost differently: faculty view the provost as administration, trustees view the provost as a middle manager beneath the president, and presidents view the provost as a buffer for arising issues. He resigned after two years and resumed a professorship.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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