Professor of Political Science Wendy Schiller will be the University’s next deputy provost, according to a Thursday Today@Brown announcement from Provost Francis Doyle.
She will assume the role on July 1, succeeding Interim Dean of the Graduate School and Deputy Provost Janet Blume, who is planning to retire after 40 years at Brown.
According to the announcement, Schiller will “lead and implement academic initiatives, coordinate policy, oversee faculty search authorizations and appointments, serve on key university-level committees and manage the Academic Priorities Committee as well as the Academic Affairs Committee of the Corporation of Brown University.”
Doyle wrote that as Schiller steps into her new role, the Office of the Provost is at “a moment of reorganization.” Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Doherty will take on the role of Senior Advisor for Academic Planning. Because of this shift, Schiller’s role will be structured to include responsibilities previously assigned to Blume and Doherty.
Schiller, described by Doyle as “an outstanding teacher, scholar and administrative leader,” received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Rochester.
Since beginning at Brown as an assistant political science professor in 1994, she has served in various leadership roles at the University, such as the chair of the Department of Political Science, interim director of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy.
Schiller’s work has appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Studies in American Political Development and the Journal of Politics. She has served as the political analyst for WJAR Channel 10, the local NBC affiliate in Providence.
Blume’s retirement was announced in a Nov. 6 Today@Brown announcement. Blume, who has also served as an associate professor of engineering, has been deputy provost since 2022.
Jeremiah Farr is a senior staff writer covering university hall and higher education.
