Christine Harper named associate provost for academic operations
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 15, 2025) — After a national search, Christine Harper has been selected as the University of Kentucky's associate provost for academic operations.
Harper has served as acting associate provost for academic operations since July 2024, helping to support the Office of the Provost, the colleges and faculty in streamlining operational processes.
“I am thrilled to be able to continue working with our faculty and staff to help improve the academic experiences for the entire UK community,” Harper said. “We have amazing work being done by our community, and the more we can streamline what they do, the greater impact we can have on Kentucky and beyond.”
As acting associate provost for academic operations, Harper has helped overhaul the curricular management and approval process to both increase efficiency and maintain rigor in the review.
Prior to this role, Harper served as associate vice president of enrollment and chief enrollment officer for UK, where she led efforts to help grow the first-year undergraduate cohorts and expand access for transfer pathways between UK and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Admissions, scholarships and financial aid are part of the Office for Student Success, led by Vice President for Student Success Kirsten Turner.
Harper began her career at UK in the College of Dentistry as assistant dean of admissions and student affairs, and she has since worked in other areas, including the Office for Student Success and the Office of the Provost.
“Christine has extensive knowledge and insight of how our university works as a cohesive unit,” said UK Provost Robert DiPaola, M.D. “In her acting role, she has used that experience to create new connections between our office and faculty across UK, and I’m confident that she will continue building upon those to help us do more to better serve Kentucky and its people.”
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.