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July 12, 2001

Student Affairs vice provost steps down

Sharon L. Johnson, vice provost for Student Affairs and dean of students since last July, has stepped down to assume a faculty appointment in the School of Education, according to Provost James V. Maher.

The provost has named Vice Provost Jack L. Daniel interim dean of students, effective July 2. Robert Pack, vice provost for academic planning and resources management, will serve as acting dean of students for July and August during Daniel's long-planned absence from the University, Maher said.

In a July 2 letter to staff in the Office of Students Affairs, Provost Maher said he named Daniel, vice provost for academic affairs, as interim dean of students until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Daniel chaired the search that resulted in Johnson's appointment.

"During this interim period, Vice Provosts Daniel and Pack will work with me to continue the restructuring of the Office of Student Affairs," Maher wrote.

Last July, when Johnson was hired, the title "vice chancellor for Student Affairs" was changed to "vice provost for Student Affairs and dean of students."

Johnson has joined the faculty of the higher education administration program of the education school's Department of Administrative and Policy Studies (APS). She could not be reached for comment.

APS chairperson Glenn Nelson told the University Times he knew of Johnson's appointment to his department but did not know her academic rank or whether her position is tenured.

Acting dean of students Pack declined to elaborate on Johnson's move to the education school, saying the Provost's office would not comment on personnel changes.

Before coming to Pitt last year, Johnson was vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Slippery Rock.

Pack said the ongoing restructuring of Student Affairs "reflects the consistent intention of the Provost's office to move Student Affairs into a stronger collaboration with academic affairs. The title change and the reporting change was the first step in that process."

He said that the Pitt Pathway program, which melds career placement with academic advising services within Student Affairs, is an example of the kind of programmatic links the provost was pushing.

"As a continuing involvement of the Provost's office, we'll be looking for opportunities to reorganize relationships between programs that will help our students navigate with the best possible academic support," Pack said.

–Peter Hart


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