Multiple shifts in leadership have emerged between the spring and fall terms. The school’s top positions– chancellor, president and provost–are all changing.

Danielle Wozniak was hired as provost of the university for the last spring semester, and her acceptance of the role was announced on Nov. 23, 2021. Wozniak announced she would return to her prior job at Yeshiva University, and Nancy Savage, deputy provost, stepped in as interim provost leading for the fall semester.

Savage spoke to President Sheahon Zenger and Chancellor Steven Kaplan about the position around the end of July. This followed news that Wozniak accepted a position at Yeshiva University, where she worked before the University of New Haven, where she is now given the opportunity to “build some global partnerships and do quite a bit of international travel,” said Savage.

Savage has played a number of roles within the university prior to her work in the Provost’s Office. She came to the university in 2005 as a faculty member in the chemistry department as an assistant professor. She has also worked as chair of the department of chemistry and biomedical engineering, and associate dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering.

Savage said that now, as interim provost, she “get[s] to guide these initiatives and keep up the momentum. It is a great opportunity to impact the institution.” She said she was excited for the opportunity.

She also says that now, her focus is “doing my best work for both my colleagues and for students each day.”

“We are piloting a new academic program review process as well as launching a new software program for coordinators to use in course assessment,” she said. “We started the semester with a Faculty Development Day and will add additional faculty development opportunities as the semester progresses. We are looking at ways to support majors that cross disciplines and involve faculty from multiple departments.”

She also discussed lingering concerns about recovery from the pandemic, and said that “it changed our expectations for how we learn and work and shifted how we, collectively, value our personal relationships and mental well-being. It is a necessity that we adapt to this post-pandemic era while continuing to meet the mission of the university.”

Savage said she takes her role seriously as interim provost and realizes that the decisions of a provost can hold a long-lasting impact on the university. She said she wants to make well-informed decisions in administration, as she works alongside Charles Skipton, the new deputy provost.