University President Richard Lariviere appointed Lorraine Davis as active provost for the 2011-12 academic year Sept. 19, replacing Senior Vice President and Provost James Bean as he takes a 60 percent sabbatical to recover from a pulmonary embolism he suffered in June.
Davis has worked with the University since 1972 and has held a number of positions including interim athletics director and vice president for academic affairs. Lariviere is confident she will do well using what she learned from her previous positions.
“Lorraine Davis is a tremendous administrator who has proved herself more than capable of stepping into many roles at the UO, and of doing so with vision and integrity,” Lariviere said in a press release. “”As in every other position she has held, I know that Lorraine will serve with distinction as the top academic officer while Jim Bean is recovering.”
Davis received her bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in mathematics, health and physical education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse before earning her doctorate in in health education from the University of Oregon.
She then worked as a professor in the college of Human Development and Performance for 20 years, before taking administrative roles. This position was unexpected, but she is looking forward to what she can learn from it.
“This is not something I sought, but I do it out of a sense of duty and love and gratitude for the University,” Davis said in the release. “With the strong leadership team that is in place, and that I will have the opportunity to work with, I hope to keep the institution moving forward and maintain the University of Oregon’s strong academic status.”
Bean, the provost for the past three years, will return to teaching and research during his sabbatical over the next year.