Search Timeline for Georgia Tech’s Next Provost Extended

Posted May 4, 2020

The search for Georgia Tech’s next provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs is moving forward, with some accommodation for the logistical challenges imposed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Provost Rafael L. Bras announced in January that he will step down and return to the faculty following a decade as the Institute’s chief academic officer. The original timeline for the search for a new provost has been extended in order to allow both search committee members and candidates to focus on addressing the immediate issues all colleges and universities are facing at this time. Conditions permitting, a final decision is expected before the end of the calendar year, with the goal of having the next provost by January 2021. To accommodate this change, Bras has agreed to continue to serve. 

The search firm Heidrick & Struggles has been selected to assist with the search and will support the work of the 18-member advisory committee, including co-chairs Charles Isbell, dean and John P. Imlay Jr. Chair of the College of Computing and Susan Lozier, dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair of the College of Sciences.

Two town halls were held in March, and feedback was used to shape the position description and search process. Additional town halls and opportunities for input from the community will be planned throughout the search. The next town hall is scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 1 p.m. The search co-chairs and search firm partners will discuss the search’s progress to date as well as next steps.

Nominations and applications are still being accepted and should be directed to GTProvost@heidrick.com.

To attract the best candidates for this position, the names of the finalists will not be announced publicly. But representatives of the faculty, students, and staff will have an opportunity to meet the finalists in a confidential setting and provide feedback to the search committee. Elected representatives of each of these groups have been contacted to discuss the search process.

A position profile, as well as details about joining the May 15 town hall, can be found at president.gatech.edu/provost-search. Additional details, including an application link, will be accessible on the site as soon as they are available.