Nathan selected as interim provost, vice president for academic affairs

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Vini Nathan, Auburn University’s dean and McWhorter chair in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, has been named interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, President Jay Gogue announced Thursday.

Nathan will succeed Provost Bill Hardgrave on March 7. Hardgrave was named president of the University of Memphis and begins his appointment on April 1.

As the university’s interim chief academic officer, Nathan will provide leadership to Auburn’s 13 colleges in addition to numerous academic programs and units that support the university’s instruction, research and outreach mission.

“Dean Nathan is a seasoned academic leader who is knowledgeable about Auburn’s culture, traditions and policies,” Gogue said. “She has a demonstrated commitment to students, faculty and staff as well as all aspects of Auburn’s land-grant mission. I am confident Vini can seamlessly move into the interim position and provide the provost’s office with expert leadership.”

Nathan earned her doctoral degree in architecture from the University of Michigan in 1994. She began her appointment at Auburn in 2011 when she assumed the CADC deanship and McWhorter chair. Previously, she was the dean and professor in the School of Architecture at Thomas Jefferson University (previously Philadelphia University) in Philadelphia, department chair and assistant professor of interior architecture at the New York Institute of Technology and an assistant professor of Interior Design at Michigan State University.

“I am honored to be named the interim provost,” Nathan said. “I am excited to partner with Auburn’s students and faculty to continue to advance the university’s world-class academic reputation, unparalleled student experience and robust research and outreach mission. I look forward to working with President Gogue and incoming President Roberts.”

Under Nathan’s leadership, the College of Architecture, Design and Construction increased student enrollment and faculty lines, expanded its undergraduate and graduate program offerings, and experienced an increase in philanthropic support for endowed student scholarships, graduate fellowships, professorships, new and upgraded facilities and programmatic support.

“I look forward to working with Vini in this role,” said Chris Roberts, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering who was named Auburn’s 21^st president on Feb. 4. “We have both served as deans for the past 10 years. In that time, I’ve been able to get to know her well and I’ve appreciated her leadership in her college and on campus.”

Incoming-President Roberts will begin the nationwide search for a permanent provost following the start of his presidency on May 16. As interim provost, Nathan will not be a candidate for the permanent provost position.

An acting dean for the College of Architecture, Design and Construction will be named in the coming weeks. Nathan will return to the dean position in the CADC when a permanent provost is selected.