University Distinguished Professor Ann Austin has been appointed interim associate provost and associate vice president for faculty and academic staff affairs, effective July 1.
Austin succeeds Suzanne Lang, who has elected to return to the faculty after serving for nearly two years as associate provost and associate vice president for faculty and academic staff affairs. A search for the next associate provost and associate vice president for faculty and academic staff affairs will begin in the fall.
Austin currently serves as interim dean in the College of Education until July 1, a position she has held since July 1, 2021. Prior to that she was associate dean for research in the College of Education, where she has been a faculty member in the Department of Educational Administration since 1991. From August 2019 through June 2020 she served as interim associate provost for faculty and academic staff development. She was named a University Distinguished Professor, one of the highest honors at MSU, in 2019.
“Dr. Austin’s broad range of leadership experiences and research background in higher education position her as an ideal interim leader of the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs,” said MSU Provost Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. “I am grateful for her again stepping into an interim role in support of the university, and appreciative of the extensive skills she brings to the task.”
Austin is a renowned leader in the field of higher education, both in the U.S. and internationally, with a particular focus on faculty development across the career stages. Her work has centered on improving teaching and learning, organizational change, and creating more inclusive higher education environments, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She is the author of many publications, journal articles, chapters, and monographs concerning higher education in the U.S. and international contexts, and has served as a consultant for a number of universities and colleges around the world.
“It is an honor to be asked to serve the university in this role,” said Austin. “The support we provide for our faculty and academic staff is directly related to the quality of our university. I look forward to supporting our colleagues and the university through assuming the responsibilities of this role.”
During her tenure as interim dean in the College of Education, Austin oversaw millions in research grants and funding coming into the college, including two USAID awards – the USAID Empowered Youth project and the USAID Higher Education Career Development Initiative – and Project STEMM-UP, the largest grant in the history of the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education. Austin also led the ongoing development of the college’s strategic plan, involving the work of eight planning groups working on identifying directions for the future in key priority areas of the college. She also facilitated initiatives to enhance a more caring and nurturing culture with the college; a greater sense of community and belonging among faculty, staff, and students; and more explicit connections and cross-conversation among college leaders and their units.
Austin has had a variety of additional accomplishments while leading the College of Education over the past year. They include: supporting the Teacher Preparation Program in several major initiatives; supporting efforts to develop more explicit career advancement pathways and review processes for academic specialists and fixed-term faculty; and encouraging the planning and establishment of a new college center, The Center for Services, Training, and Research for Independence and Desired Employment, to meet the critical need to support individuals with disabilities in achieving meaningful community engagement, including competitive integrated employment, independent living, and post-secondary education. In 2021 Austin received an inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Michigan School of Education, for significant contributions to her profession and accomplishments that exemplify leadership, innovation, and passion for advancing the field of education.