A PROVOST FOR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

From 1972 to 1994, the academic administrative structure of the Berkeley campus of the University of California was unusual, in that it involved two Provosts, one who was also Dean of the College of Letters and Science, and another who was responsible for the remainder of the academic units, which were for the most part professional schools and colleges. The nature of the Provost – Professional Schools and Colleges position is explored, along with some of the issues addressed by the position and the relative advantages and disadvantages of the dual-provost structure. The value of the position stemmed in substantial part from there being common needs and issues among the professional schools, from an ability to give more attention by the campus administration to these schools and to represent their issues within the administration, and from the fact that Berkeley integrates academic planning, program review, and faculty advancement and promotion across all fields, with important roles played by the Academic Senate, which also covers and integrates the entire campus. An analysis is made of the advantages and disadvantages of this structure in comparison with the “each tub on its own bottom” approach that exists more commonly at private institutions.