University of Virginia President Scott Beardsley announced this week he will step down as chair of the University’s provost search committee due to his new commitments and responsibilities as president.
Stephanie Rowley, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Education and dean of the School of Education and Human Development, has agreed to serve as chair for the remainder of the search.
The position of executive vice president and provost, the University’s top academic officer, has been open since Ian Baucom accepted the presidency of Middlebury College in Vermont in spring 2025. Brie Gertler, then the deputy provost and senior vice provost for academic affairs, has served as interim provost since Baucom’s departure.
Beardsley said the search committee will soon add more members, with a goal of selecting a provost by March.
Nominations for the University’s next provost, along with opportunities to apply and give feedback, remain open on the .
