Dear Community,
As the new year begins, I wish you the very best for a wonderful start to 2024 and hope that our students and faculty participating in the interim session are enjoying their experiences whether on campus, elsewhere around the country, or abroad.
I write to share with you that John Meier, who previously decided to step down from his position as Lafayette’s provost at the end of this academic year, has been named executive director of the American Mathematical Society (AMS). AMS is a leading national organization for mathematicians–of which John is a highly accomplished one. It is a tribute to John’s knowledge, leadership, and passion for the field that his peers have selected him for this critically important position. We extend our deepest congratulations to him.
John’s departure this summer for this role will conclude decades of important service to Lafayette. A member of our Department of Mathematics since 1992, John became a full professor in 2004. After serving the College as a full-time teacher-scholar for nearly 20 years, John assumed a number of critical administrative roles, including associate provost, dean of curriculum and resources, and dean of the faculty, before becoming provost in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. He led the team that successfully navigated 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 John’s tenure as provost, he also oversaw the addition of 20 new full-time faculty positions, including 13 tenure-track faculty and seven lecturer positions, building on the strength and breadth of our faculty with each appointment. Among his many other contributions to the College across his service as provost, he also worked with an extensive team of faculty 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 the many strategic initiatives under way. During this semester, we will organize a gathering to celebrate his service to the College and his exciting new role with the AMS. Please join me in thanking and congratulating John.
To great things ahead!
President Nicole Hurd