Executive dean to become Iowa provost

COLUMBUS - Michael J. Hogan, executive dean of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University and professor of history, has been appointed provost of the University of Iowa, effective July 1.

As executive dean of the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences since July 2003, Hogan has led the restructuring of the colleges to form a consistent, collaborative, and financially sound core of programs. He joined the Ohio State faculty in 1986 with a specialty in the history of American diplomacy and national security affairs, becoming an administrator in 1993 when he was named chair of the History Department. He was dean of the College of Humanities from 1999 to 2003.

President Karen A. Holbrook said Hogan's leadership has been an asset to Ohio State, and his recruitment by Iowa not surprising. "He will be greatly missed as a colleague, a scholar, and a leader. When you have great people, you know they will be attractive candidates for other university positions. We were hoping that it would not be this soon. At the same time, we are very happy that he has this opportunity. He will make a great provost," she said.

Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Barbara R. Snyder agreed. "It certainly is a loss to Ohio State, because he has been a wonderful asset to us in his many leadership positions. Iowa is fortunate to have attracted someone with his tremendous combination of talent and experience. The Arts and Sciences are at the very heart of the university. Mike's achievement in bringing the colleges into a successful working relationship is extremely valuable to the future of this university," she said.

At Ohio State, Hogan's responsibilities include recruiting and evaluating deans in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, which consists of 41 departments, some 1,000 faculty and five colleges: Arts, Biological Sciences, Humanities, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Zuheir Sofia, chair of Ohio State's Board of Trustees, also praised Hogan. "Iowa has found in Mike Hogan an exceptional scholar of powerful intellect and accomplishment and a superb academic leader of high integrity. First as chair of the Department of History, then as Dean of the College of Humanities, and most recently as Executive Dean of the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, Mike has worked with uncommon vision and energy to help The Ohio State University take its place among the premier institutions of higher education in the country," Sofia said.

Before joining Ohio State, Hogan was a member of the faculty at Miami University, Stony Brook University and the University of Texas, Austin. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa, and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa.

As provost at Iowa, Hogan will serve as the chief academic officer and will supervise all academic programs, various issues involving faculty members, student academic affairs and strategic academic planning. He also will serve as a university representative to Iowa's Board of Regents and with a variety of internal and external constituencies. In addition, he will be involved with university-wide strategic planning and budget development, health care services, and direction of research and scholarship.

Snyder said an interim dean will be named soon.