The University welcomed new Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Risa Palm July 1. Palm replaces previous Provost Daniel Fogel, who left the University in 2002 to become president of the University of Vermont.
Chancellor Mark Emmert said he is “delighted” at the opportunity to work with Palm.
“She is exactly the kind of person I was hoping we would get,” Emmert said.
Palm said she wants to develop projects at the University as part of the University’s Flagship Agenda.
“It is very important to me that we really achieve this Flagship Agenda and make it [the University] the institution of choice both in the state and nationally,” Palm said.
Among the initiatives Palm said she wants to develop are higher research levels at the University, increasing the amount of teaching and advising, reducing class size and hiring more faculty members.
Palm said she also wants to use the University as a way to attract business, industry and jobs to Louisiana.
“I am interested in finding out how LSU can promote Louisiana and be an intellectual center similar to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard in Boston,” Palm said.
Palm was responsible for several similar initiatives at University of North Carolina, where she served as the College of Arts and Sciences dean from 1997 to 2003.
According to the UNC Web site, Palm was responsible for initiatives such as a seminar program for freshmen, establishing an Office of Undergraduate Research to allow undergraduates to work with faculty on research projects and a redesigned academic advising system that made it easier for students to receive academic assistance.
Robert Shelton, UNC executive vice chancellor and provost, praised Palm’s organizational skills.
“She took a College of Arts and Sciences that had a fine reputation, but was completely disorganized, and brought order, organization and clarity of priorities,” Shelton said. “It enabled everyone to focus on the more important academic things.”
Palm said she first wants to meet with every dean at the University to get a sense of possible opportunities. Palm also plans to speak with the deans about issues concerning budgets and long-term planning.
Palm said she believes her combination of experience and academic values will be her biggest asset as provost.
Palm has an extensive background in the classroom, serving as a professor in California, Colorado, Oregon and North Carolina. She said she believes this background will help her in her new role as provost as she attempts to meet the University’s needs.
While Palm also has a background in fund-raising initiatives at various universities, she said Emmert heads all University fund-raising initiatives. But Palm said she would be happy to help Emmert raise the necessary funds.
“I’m very excited to be here and I’m looking forward to beginning the next school year,” Palm said.