Dean Tim Tracy to Serve as Interim Provost

Below is an email that I shared with campus last week announcing that Dr. Tim Tracy, of UK's College of Pharmacy, has agreed to serve as Interim Provost. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Tracy on his service in a capacity essential to our continued progress as a University.

I am pleased to announce that Dean Tim Tracy of the College of Pharmacy has agreed to serve the University of Kentucky as our Interim Provost.

Dr. Tracy brings a wealth of administrative and academic experience to this role, having served as Dean of the College since August 2010. He came to our University having spent six years as Department Head and member of the faculty at the University of Minnesota. Prior to that, Dr. Tracy spent 11 years on the faculty at West Virginia University. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical pharmacy from Purdue University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical pharmacology at Indiana University.

In addition to the day-to-day operations of the Provost Office, I have asked Dr. Tracy to focus his time and energy on:

• Providing leadership as the University absorbs budget reductions in 2012-13 and prepares for 2013-14.
• Overseeing the continued strengthening of the University’s undergraduate education.
• Preparing the University to transition to a new budget model effective in 2013-14 (Dr. Tracy will continue to chair the University’s Workgroup on Financial System of Accountability).
• Evaluating changes to the organizational structure of the Provost’s Office.

Dr. Tracy will begin his duties as Interim Provost May 7. Dr. Patrick McNamara will serve as Acting Dean and will oversee the day-to-day operations of the College. Dr. Tracy will be available to the College of Pharmacy (and all colleges and units) to provide counsel on strategic initiatives.

I will begin as soon as possible the process of conducting a national search for a permanent Provost. I aim to have this position filled by the beginning of the Spring 2013 semester.