John Pauly named provost

Dr. John Pauly, dean of the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication, will become provost of Marquette University, effective July 21, Marquette President Robert A. Wild, S.J., announced Tuesday.

Pauly will succeed Dr. Madeline Wake, who left the position in December 2007 to return to faculty status. Dr. David Shrock, past dean of the College of Business Administration and the Graduate School of Management, has served as interim provost since December.

“As all who have come to know him in the past two years have recognized, John espouses our Catholic, Jesuit principles and beliefs,” Father Wild said. “His strong academic background has enabled him in a very short time to work with faculty to advance curriculum and research in the College of Communication, with a particular emphasis on technology. In addition, he is widely respected among his colleagues in university leadership for his well-articulated opinions, his principled positions and his candor.”

Pauly was appointed dean and the William R. Burleigh and E.W. Scripps Professor in the Diederich College of Communication in 2006. Previously, he was a professor of communication at St. Louis University and served as department chair from 1993 to 2002. Prior to his St. Louis tenure, Pauly was on the faculty at the University of Tulsa, UW-Milwaukee, Fordham University and East Carolina University. He earned his Ph.D. in communications at the University of Illinois, where he also did his undergraduate and master’s work.

Pauly was one of three finalists for the provost position. Selected as the result of a national search that started with more than 50 prospects, each finalist visited campus last month for two days of interviews with deans, the University Academic Senate, MUSG, trustees, and numerous academic and administrative leadership teams. Each candidate also appeared at an open forum to discuss “A Leadership Agenda for the 21st Century Marquette University.” Videos of the open forum were posted on the university’s Web site, and feedback was solicited from the entire Marquette community following each forum.

Dr. Patrick Carey, professor of theology and chair of the search committee, said, “As chief academic officer for the university, the provost’s role is critically important. John demonstrated a great combination of leadership, vision and a clear articulation of, and appreciation for, our mission and identity.”

Throughout the interview process, Pauly discussed three immediate demands a new provost must address: (1) Hiring academic leadership; (2) developing an investment strategy that puts resources in line with the university’s academic mission; and (3) shaping the story of Marquette’s colleges and their academic mission for external audiences.

Pauly stressed the importance of the deanship in the Klingler College of Arts & Sciences. “The departments in Arts and Sciences represent the longest traditions of human understanding,” he said. “One of the important priorities for the new provost will be to celebrate those traditions, while also ensuring their relevance in today’s marketplace.” With his appointment as provost, Pauly noted that there will also be a need to hire a dean for the College of Communication. He was confident it would a sought-after position. “I have the most fun job on campus right now … resources, great alumni, a faculty who have risen to the challenge of remaking the college to make it more successful and contemporary,” he said. “To be the dean of the Diederich College at Marquette is one of the most attractive jobs in the country.”

Searches for deans of the colleges of business administration and nursing are also underway. Pauly will be involved in the final selections for those positions.

Pauly expressed a desire to assist in fund-raising for the university, particularly for financial aid for students and for endowed deanships and faculty chairs. He said few people understand the fiscal realities of higher education. “Universities are financial entities, but they are not driven solely by financial considerations. The entire purpose of a university is to embrace the range of human experience and understanding, both contemporary and historical,” he said. “No other institution in society accepts that role (save libraries, in a limited way), let alone pursues it with such vigor despite all its economic challenges. Our goal should be to offer the fullest and best education we can in a way that is economically plausible and sustainable.”

Father Wild said a formal reception for Pauly will be planned in fall.

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