Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost
Welcome from Provost Tom Sullivan
As senior vice president and provost, I provide academic leadership for the Twin Cities campus, with responsibilities related to academic policy, promotion and tenure, faculty recognition, and undergraduate, graduate, and professional education.
Five years ago the University of Minnesota launched a monumental and unprecedented strategic positioning effort with the ambitious goal of transforming our already distinguished university into one of the top three public research universities. We should be proud of our progress. Many new programs have been launched to enhance the undergraduate and graduate educational experience, including a new campus-wide honors program, a new baccalaureate writing initiative, expanded research opportunities for undergraduates, new orientation and academic support programs, extensive new financial support for undergraduate and graduate students, and increased international opportunities for all students. The class of 2013 is the most academically accomplished and diverse in our history. Our students, since 2000 have been awarded more Rhodes scholarships than any other public research university except one.
Read more about the university's transformation.
Featured academic affairs updates:
Provost’s Academic Update
“The reputation of a research university is inextricably linked to the reputation of its graduate programs. I’d like to thank the Committee on Graduate Education for all of the thought and effort it put into this important project. By thinking in new ways, we can enhance the reputation of our graduate programs and of our university even in the face of substantial budget cuts.”
Read the full Apr. 24, 2009, Provost's Academic Update.
New $1.3 million initiative to further arts, humanities and design at U of M
On September 8, 2009, University of Minnesota Provost Tom Sullivan announced a new $1.3 million system-wide initiative designed to support a broad range of faculty activities in the arts, humanities and design. The newly created "Imagine Fund" is supported by a major gift from the McKnight Foundation and will begin this fall, with full implementation in 2009.
Transforming the U academic updates:
November 18, 2009
Holiday Greetings: As We Plan Our Future
November 2, 2009
Henning Schroeder named Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education
October 30, 2009
Jean Quam named Dean of the College of Educatin and Human Development
October 9, 2009
Fall 2009 retention and enrollment data
June 26, 2009
Renewing Graduate and Professional Education at the University of Minnesota
(PDF format)
May 6, 2009
Update on undergraduate initiatives
April 24, 2009
Committee on Graduate Education Report
April 3, 2009
January 29, 2009
Conversation hosted by the provost: our academic mission in a declining economy
Nov. 25, 2008
Educational planning & policy updates:
New Board of Regents copyright policy:
background & resources
Related link:
Board of Regents Educational Planning & Policy Committee