In a Feb. 2 email, university President John J. DeGioia announced that the university has decided to reappoint Robert M. Groves as university provost. The decision will be effective as of July 1 of this year, when Dr. Groves will begin to serve a five-year term. Prior to serving as provost of Georgetown, Dr. Groves taught at the University of Michigan and worked as director of the U.S. Census Bureau.
“This moment in higher education is one of both extraordinary challenges and unparalleled opportunities, and Provost Groves’ vision and thoughtful leadership over the past four years has strengthened our University in innumerable ways,” DeGioia wrote.
In an e-mail to the Voice, university spokesperson Rachel Pugh said that during his time as Provost over the past four years, Dr. Groves has established the Provost’s Committee for Diversity, where students are currently undergoing training to lead discussions with their peers in the spring on issues of race and diversity on campus. He also began new interdisciplinary graduate programs such as the M.S. in Analytics, the M.A. in Educational Transformation, the M.A. in Learning and Design, and the Ph.D. interdisciplinary concentration in Cognitive Science.
Groves said he was excited and hopeful for the future. “I am looking forward to continuing our work with students and faculty in the coming years, he wrote in an email to the Voice “As a team, the Office of the Provost has tried to improve the educational experience at Georgetown for our many communities. I am grateful for the president’s confidence in me and am very excited about the opportunity to help shape Georgetown’s future.”
