Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
I write to share with you the news that John Meier will be stepping down from his position as Lafayette’s Provost at the end of the current academic year so that he can return to his faculty position in the College’s mathematics department. I am grateful to John for his dedicated service to the College as Provost and as a member of the senior leadership team since his appointment in the fall of 2019 and for all he has done to support the College’s academic departments, programs, and operations.
John was named Provost a few months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the ensuing months and years, he led a team in successfully navigating the College’s academic operations through the pandemic, helping institute remote education, and implementing numerous vital policy changes as the pandemic unfolded. As demonstrated in that crisis and since, he has collaborated across all campus constituencies, with grace and good humor, to foster excellence in education in service to our students. We are grateful to him.
During his tenure thus far, John has also overseen the addition of 20 new full-time faculty positions, including 13 tenure-track faculty and seven lecturer positions, strengthening the quality and breadth of our faculty with each appointment; and has worked with an extensive team to develop and implement the new Common Course of Study.
I look forward to working with John throughout the rest of the academic year on many critical initiatives ahead and to finding appropriate times and ways to celebrate his tenure as Provost. We will be announcing the initiation of a national search soon to identify our future Provost.
To great things ahead!
President Nicole Hurd