University of Michigan Provost Named First Woman President of University of Virginia

Just got this email announcement:

To members of the University community:

I am pleased to write with wonderful news. Teresa A. Sullivan, the University of Michigan's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and a leading scholar in labor force demography, will become the University of Virginia's eighth president on Aug. 1.

She was unanimously elected by the Board of Visitors today in the Dome Room of the Rotunda.

Terry is a great talent who brings to the University enormous depth and breadth of experience in every aspect of public higher education. She is known as a brilliant administrator and leader, outstanding scholar and teacher and extraordinary collaborator.

She will succeed John T. Casteen III, who announced last summer that he will step down as president at the end of his 20th year.

U.Va. has enjoyed strong leadership in John for the past two decades. The board is confident that in Terry we have found an excellent successor to lead the University as we work to elevate our teaching and research capabilities and to enhance our student experience. We are pleased to have attracted a person of Terry's integrity, experience and vision.

Terry is well versed in academic and student life, and she knows the inner workings of the daily operations of a university, from finance and health care to athletics and how to support a second campus like our College at Wise.

Those of us who have gotten to know her have found Terry to be intellectually curious, creative, direct, analytical, results-driven and empathetic, a great communicator and listener—and good company.

I believe the University family will embrace her warmly, as members of the board and the search committee have already done.

Please join me in welcoming Terry into our University community.

If you are interested in reading more about Terry's career and her aspirations for the University, and to view coverage of today's announcement, go to http://www.virginia.edu/newpresident.

With kind regards,

John O. Wynne
University Rector
Chair, Special Committee on the Nomination of a President

More about Theresa Sullivan here.