Provost Announces Interim Appointments

Jeffrey Vitter, provost and executive vice president for academics, has announced that Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives Karan L. Watson has been named interim vice president and associate provost for diversity, effective Dec. 31, in addition to her current duties.

Watson will succeed Tito Guerrero who is serving in a new capacity as special advisor to the provost. In making the announcement, Vitter said President Elsa Murano would initiate a review to determine how the university can best position and structure this important office to help Texas A&M fulfill its diversity goals in the future.

He said Murano plans to ask the university’s Council on Climate and Diversity and the Faculty Senate Diversity Subcommittee, with support from Watson and Assistant Vice President for Diversity Becky Pettit, to help lead this activity. Based on the recommendations of these groups, Murano would proceed with a search for a permanent vice president and associate provost for diversity.

Watson, who is a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, will step down from her role as dean of faculties, effective January 20. Watson previously served as interim vice president and associate provost for diversity from November 2005 to September 2006.

In a related appointment, Paul A. Parrish, Regents Professor of English, has been named interim dean of faculties and associate provost to fill the position vacated by Watson. His appointment will be effective January 20. Howard B. Kaplan, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and chair of the Distinguished Professors, will chair an internal search for a permanent dean of faculties and associate provost, which is expected to begin in January.

Parrish has been a member of the Texas A&M faculty since 1974. During his career, he has held several administrative positions, including associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and head of the Department of English. Parrish is a member of numerous professional organizations and societies. In making the appointments, Vitter said that both Watson and Parrish would assume active leadership roles in their interim positions, building upon the momentum developed over the last few years. “I expect Karan and Paul to leverage the strengths of the existing programs and to use their strong and visionary administrative skills to lead the programs over the coming months,” Vitter noted.