April 29, 2020 - Dr. Marie Mora named provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs
Dear Colleagues,
Even in this unprecedented time, as our region and our country face great public health and financial challenges, we at the University of Missouri–St. Louis cannot lose sight of our educational mission.
It is critical that we remain focused on serving our students today as well as positioning ourselves to meet their needs into the future.
That is why I am pleased to announce the two-year appointment of Dr. Marie Mora to help lead those efforts as UMSL’s next provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Many of you have gotten to know Dr. Mora since her arrival at UMSL last summer as the associate provost for academic affairs after serving as the associate vice provost for faculty diversity at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
You’ve seen her passion and drive to foster an inclusive learning environment where students and faculty members of every background, particularly women and traditionally underrepresented minorities, can grow and thrive.
Her vision is well aligned with UMSL’s fundamental purpose to educate and graduate diverse students as they seek different and better lives.
Dr. Mora has worked collaboratively with deans and other colleagues at UMSL and across the University of Missouri System to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our students while supporting our faculty. She played a lead role in strategic planning, assessment and accreditation, including overseeing the process to determine faculty tenure and promotion, over the past academic year.
She also has represented Academic Affairs on the COVID-19 Unified Command pandemic response team and has served on the Chancellor’s Council Academic Affairs Committee.
Her own reputation for scholarship is well established in her field of economics. She is a past president of the American Society of Hispanic Economists, whose expertise has been sought by national and international media as well as policy makers at the highest levels of our government.
Dr. Mora received positive support from the committee, which was chaired by Tanisha Stevens and included Xavier Blackwell, Alice Hall, Tiffany Izard, Andrew Kersten, Joe Rottman, Edward Munn Sanchez, McKenzie Schuessler and Natissia Small.
In the committee’s recommendation, Dr. Stevens relayed Dr. Mora’s strong qualifications.
"Dr. Mora brings an exceptional background in research and scholarship, administrative oversight and leadership experience with a unique ability to build strong collaborative partnerships with all constituents,” Dr. Stevens said. “She has been recognized nationally for cultivating inclusive excellence for diverse populations while understanding the needs, challenges and opportunities available that contributes to maintain the excellence of who we are at UMSL."
I am grateful for the efforts of the vetting committee to work swiftly in a process that blended the needs for transparency and shared governance, and will bring the university stability and allow us to continue to make progress.
Regards,
Kristin Sobolik