This message to all students, faculty and staff has been approved by FSU President Richard McCullough
Dear FSU Family,
I’m pleased to announce Professor and Dean of the College of Social Work James J. Clark as Florida State University’s next provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs.
Jim is an innovative thinker, noted scholar and researcher and effective administrator. His leadership experience, record of excellence and strategic vision make him the right choice to lead FSU’s academic enterprise. I’m looking forward to working closely with Jim to advance FSU’s strategic goals and continue our upward trajectory.
Jim will start as provost Jan. 3, 2022. He succeeds Sally McRorie, who is returning to the faculty after seven years in the role. Sally has done an amazing job promoting student success and elevating the academic reputation of Florida State University.
I want to thank Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement Janet Kistner for chairing the Provost Selection Advisory Committee and all the members of the committee for their incredible work in such a short amount of time.
I had instructed the committee to consider only internal candidates because I wanted the university’s chief academic officer to have the institutional knowledge needed to hit the ground running and continue to build upon our rising national reputation. I knew we had talented individuals on campus who possessed the desired qualities and leadership skills, and, indeed, the committee’s work yielded a very impressive slate of candidates. I want to thank all the candidates for their interest in this position. It was a difficult final decision to make, but Florida State University is fortunate to have so many highly qualified administrators who are passionate about furthering the university’s academic mission.
The selection process allowed the campus community to provide input on the key characteristics of the next provost and the opportunity to meet with the final candidates. I appreciate and value the feedback from our deans, faculty, staff, and students and thank everyone who participated in the process.
Jim is a collaborative leader, an esteemed colleague, and a champion of students. I am confident in his ability to help lead this outstanding university as we strive to reach even higher. Please join me in congratulating Jim Clark.
Sincerely,
Richard McCullough
FSU President