Provost cabinet expands to five

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bruce Carney will soon be expanding his cabinet from three to five members — a move meant to broaden his understanding of what happens at UNC, he said.

On Oct. 1, the top administrators in the admissions and diversity affairs offices will be promoted to vice provost positions and begin to meet with Carney on a weekly basis.

“I’d just like to have more regular insight into what’s going on in the University,” Carney said.

Steve Farmer, associate provost and director of undergraduate admissions, will be promoted to a vice provost position.

Farmer will now oversee the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid and the Office of the University Registrar in addition to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Carney said it was appropriate to bring Farmer into the cabinet, since admissions are a major component of the University.

“He’s going to bring a lot of strength to the discussions,” Carney said.

He said recruiting Farmer to his cabinet was not due to worries about the future of admissions.

“I don’t expect that we’re going to have a harder time recruiting students,” Carney said.

Farmer will receive a pay raise because of the increase in his responsibilities, Carney said.

Farmer said he is looking forward to taking a more coordinated approach to issues of enrollment and undergraduate admissions.

“I hope that the change will be beneficial to all three of the offices involved,” Farmer said.

Terri Houston, interim associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs, will serve in the cabinet until the search for a new vice provost for diversity and multicultural affairs is complete.

Carney said the University is in the final stages of finding someone for the position.

Houston said the timing of the decision will allow the University to respect its commitment to diversity.

“It is saying that we’re even more committed to it than we were in the past,” she said.

In addition to the new positions, current cabinet members will also be promoted.

Dr. Ron Strauss, executive associate provost and chief international officer, will be promoted to executive vice provost.

Dwayne Pinkney, associate provost for finance and academic planning, and Carol Tresolini, associate provost for academic initiatives, will also both be promoted to vice provost positions.

Carney said all the new promotions will allow him to communicate better with different facets of the University.

“It’s just time to get everybody in here,” he said.

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