• Established three broad goals to guide the provost team work
  • “Developing the best environment for faculty and staff for successful careers at Lehigh”
  • “Articulating the intellectual signatures through scholarly work and distinctive programs”
  • “Creatively enhancing the learning experience of students”
• Restructured the provost office by creating two deputy provost positions one for faculty affairs and one for academic affairs, ensuring that the provost team to be responsive to ALL academic and faculty needs in a timely fashion.
• Continued the practice which started as dean of RCEAS, (working with the deans of the 4 colleges) of strategic faculty hiring to meet university research & academic needs.
• Refocused the provost position to make as a priority the nurturing and retaining faculty through new initiatives such as:
  • Carefully reviewing all assistant professors portfolios for biannual reappointments and writing in-depth individual 2-page letters with critical input acknowledging achievements, highlighting areas that need attention, and future expectations. Similar letters were sent to each faculty member at tenure and/or promotion.
  • Working with deputy provost for faculty affairs, created the Work/Life Balance program to balance the faculty responsibilities of their professional and personal lives. Among the resources made available are Child Care Center, Parenthood family-medical leaves, and extension of the tenure clock. In September 2006 submitted a successful proposal to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation resulting in a three year grant. Lehigh-Sloan research grants of $6000 each which enabled tenure-track & tenured faculty to take Family/Medical Leave (FML) for the care of a newborn or adopted child, or other family member. The program continued until today though other sources of funding.