Announcing DU's New Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Dear Friends,

I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Jeremy Haefner will join the University of Denver community as Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor effective July 15.

Jeremy has served as a leader in higher education for nearly three decades. He joins DU from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York where, for the past 10 years, he served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Jeremy developed and helped implement RIT’s academic direction to ensure the success and effectiveness of its academic colleges, graduate studies, institutes, and three global campuses (RIT Dubai, Croatia and Kosovo), culminating in the reclassification of the university as a doctoral research university and achieving a top 100 national university ranking. His list of accomplishments is remarkable: enlarging research capacity; elevating student access and success; expanding international education; creating new colleges and schools; prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusive excellence across campus; creating the Innovative Learning Institute, resulting in a global reputation as a provider of online education on the edX platform; and promoting faculty support and success while advancing shared governance. You may find Jeremy's CV here. We have found an academic leader who listens with great care, collaborates to solve issues and create new possibilities, and shares our passion to serve and build the public good.

The search for DU’s next Provost was conducted with careful consideration of the University’s needs and opportunities and with a sensitive eye to cultural fit. The search committee included seven faculty members, four deans, two vice chancellors, a trustee and me. Every degree-granting academic unit was represented. Over 130 candidates applied, and after extensive review of candidate materials, ten were selected for a preliminary interview. Four finalists came to campus for a confidential interview process that included faculty and staff members recommended by the Faculty Senate and various advisory bodies as well as several members of the Board of Trustees. In the end, the search committee unanimously and enthusiastically agreed that Jeremy Haefner would be a Provost who could and would lead our community as we continue to evolve and realize DU IMPACT 2025.

 “While the search committee was constrained by a necessarily limited open process, I am excited that Jeremy emerged to become our new Provost,” said Professor Art Jones, who served on the search committee. “I am particularly impressed with his effective, collegial style of working with faculty and other university constituencies. He’s a great match for our DU culture.”

Jeremy is no stranger to Colorado. Before RIT, he spent nearly two decades at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. There, he held various leadership positions, the most recent being associate vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the graduate school, which he held concurrently with the position as dean of engineering and applied science.

Jeremy offers his direction, insight and expertise on the national and international level, including serving on Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) National Advisory Council and speaking on topics such as global education, the future of work and measuring educational quality.

“From the beginning of this search it was clear that the new Provost has big shoes to fill,” said Dean Andrei Kutateladze, also a member of the search committee. “I am delighted that we were able to attract and recruit an academic leader of the highest caliber. Dr. Haefner has a spectacular track record in higher ed. He is a decorated STEM expert who takes issues of liberal arts education extremely seriously. I am very optimistic about the future of our academic enterprise under Jeremy’s leadership.”

Jeremy holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin and bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. His publications can be found in Communications in Algebra, the Journal of Algebra, American Mathematical Societyjournals and others. He also publishes on issues and topics in higher education, including his latest essay on supporting diversity in university leadership, published by Inside Higher Ed.

Jeremy is an accomplished athlete, with several marathons and Ironman triathlons under this belt, competing most recently in Ironman Lake Placid and Ironman Florida this past year. He and his wife, Maurin, have three sons. Jeremy and Maurin love to travel, visit contemporary art museums, hike, run outdoors, cycle and walk their social but opinionated rescue dog, Gromit.

Those who met Jeremy during the search process remarked on his genuine desire to connect with individuals and learn all that makes DU special. As chief academic officer, he will uphold our commitment to excellence by making it easier for faculty to pursue their research and teaching objectives, especially with respect to innovative, cross-disciplinary and cross-unit work.

Professor Deborah Avant said, “Jeremy understands the need for developing common university elements to allow for cross-disciplinary work, but also the importance of working closely with faculty to ensure that changes are collaborative.”

Please join me in welcoming Jeremy and his wife, Maurin, to our community this Friday, Jan. 19, at 1:30 p.m., in Anderson Academic Commons Room 290 (Special Events Room). Although Jeremy does not begin his role at DU for another six months, he is excited to begin understanding the DU culture and meeting members of our community.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Chopp

Chancellor