History

On June 1, 1940, in response to increasing demands upon the President's Office, President Herman B Wells created the position of Dean of Faculties to assume many responsibilities once overseen by the university president. This included overseeing the administration of academic affairs. In creating this office, university president Herman B Wells hoped to distribute his duties, particularly during his absences, by giving the dean of the faculties responsibility for undertaking some of the public appearances, acting on academic problems and proposals, and serving as a member of all university faculty groups.  After administrative re-organization in 1969, the dean of the faculties came to report to the chancellor of the Bloomington campus, with responsibilities for faculty matters, including appointment, leaves, promotion and tenure, and grievances, and review of curricular and degree program proposals for the campus. In 2010 the name of the office was changed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs with the mission of working to enrich our campus community by furthering the primacy of the academic mission, advocating for faculty, and enhancing teaching and learning.