On May 4, Oakland University President Gary Russi announced via email that former Senior Associate Provost Susan Awbrey has been appointed as interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. 

“The process to select an interim senior vice president and provost involved soliciting suggestions from faculty and consulting with OU’s Distinguished Faculty on the selection criteria and the process for a national search,” Russi said in an email to faculty. “I am pleased to announce that Senior Associate Provost Dr. Susan Awbrey has been named interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, effective immediately.”

According to the Oakland University website, Awbrey joined the university in 1991. Before coming to OU, Awbrey had been a faculty member and administrator at the University of Illinois, Michigan State University and the University of Texas Medical Branch.

“She has outstanding leadership abilities and has spent most of her career in various key academic and administrative roles,” Russi said in the email. “I’m confident that Dr. Awbrey will do a tremendous job during this important transition period.”

Russi also stated in the email that OU will conduct a national search to find a permanent senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, and he will discuss more information about the search as it becomes available.

Virinder Moudgil, former OU senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, was recently appointed as president of Lawrence Technological University.  In his email to faculty, Russi discussed plans for a reception to honor Moudgil that will take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30.