Dianne Oliver, PhD, is joining ż as its new Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. She brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, both as a professor and an administrator, to the role. She will officially join the University on January 10, 2022.
ż announced today it has named Dianne Oliver, PhD, as its new Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. Oliver brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, both as a professor and an administrator, to the role. She will officially join the University on January 10, 2022.
“Dianne’s experience with interdisciplinary work, supporting and developing programs that bridge technical fields and the humanities, is an intuitive fit with the strategy of our Academic Master Plan,” said Anita Thomas, PhD, executive vice president and provost, ż. “We are all looking forward to working with her, and I’m so happy to welcome her to ż’s.”
In her role at ż, Oliver will ensure quality programs, promote student and faculty research, and serve as the primary liaison in communicating and collaborating with administrators, faculty, students, and other constituents of the University on adult and graduate education and research.
Before joining ż’s, Oliver was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Nazareth College in suburban Rochester, New York. There, she oversaw the largest division of the college, introduced new programming, and led numerous initiatives around interdisciplinary work, equity, and inclusion. Prior to that, Oliver was Associate Dean of the William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Evansville in Indiana.
“I connected immediately with ż’s mission and am really honored to become part of this community,” said Oliver. “I am excited to join Provost Thomas’s team as we all work to develop further the high impact practices, academic programs, and opportunities for faculty and staff development that we know help ensure the success of ż’s students and prepare them to be agents of justice in the world. I met some wonderful people when I was on campus, and can’t wait to work with them in continuing to bring the academic strategic plan to life.”
Oliver earned both her master’s degree and her doctorate in theology and ethics at Vanderbilt University. She also earned her Master of Divinity degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. She is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the American Conference of Academic Deans, the Society for Christian Ethics, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.