“Dr. Craddock has the experience, talents and, most importantly, the commitment to lead UofL’s efforts in forging effective community partnerships and promoting transformative experiences for our students, faculty and staff through engaged scholarship, outreach and service,” said UofL Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “He will be a superb leader for our programs addressing community issues across the local, regional and national spectrum.”

In his new role, Craddock will build and expand linkages for the university across multiple efforts within the Office of Community Engagement. He will oversee UofL’s Signature Partnership, the university’s initiative to enhance the quality of life and economic opportunity for residents of west Louisville. By partnering with city and state governments, schools and other organizations, UofL coordinates and enhances existing programs and launches new ones to eliminate disparities that residents experience in social, education, health and economic development areas.

In addition, Craddock and the Community Relations team will oversee programs including Cards Come Together, the university’s week of service; the university’s TRIO, Upward Bound and Talent Search programs, which are federally funded efforts that identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds; the student philanthropy program; and UofL’s Annual Engaged Scholarship Symposium.

“The university reaches a broad scope of people and organizations through the Office of Community Engagement,” Craddock said. “Our work encompasses a wide variety of programs including working with college students who want to apply their learning to real-world situations; hosting students or groups who are interested in providing community service; and collaborating with faculty to address community issues.

“At its core, community engagement means meeting people at the place where they currently are, finding out where they want to go and applying the strength of the University of Louisville to help them get there.”

Craddock has served as the provost office’s chief of staff since 2021. From 2020 to 2021, he was chief of staff in UofL’s College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, where he has served as a faculty member since 2017. He also has faculty and administrative experience at the University of Alabama, where he earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

With other faculty at UofL, Craddock founded the��Black Male EDquity Network (B.M.E.N.), a grassroots effort focused on creating a pipeline of Black male educators in multiple disciplines. The effort links Black male students from across disciplines and universities so they have peers to bond with while completing their graduate degrees. Many times, there are few or even just one student of color enrolled in a department’s doctoral degree program.

“As many of these individuals are the ‘only ones,’ it is vital to have a support system to ensure their program of study completion,” Craddock said. “At its core, B.M.E.N. centers on building a linkage of brothers from all levels that can positively impact areas of job hiring, research and publications, teaching and general support that can only be found within the confines of this group.”��

UofL News:��What attracted you to the University of Louisville when you initially applied for the provost role last year?

Lori Gonzalez: Well, first, it’s home. I am originally from Rockcastle County, so Kentucky is home. We’re happy to be closer to family and friends.

More important, the fact that UofL is a premier metropolitan research institution and a community engaged institution was intriguing to me. I saw similarities between the cities of Louisville and Memphis, where I worked at the UT Health Science Center. It was important to me that the institution was committed to addressing the Grand Challenges aimed to bring together all the intellectual capacity across Louisville to improve lives while elevating UofL’s national reputation. As I have stated many times, as UofL is elevated, so are Louisville and Kentucky.

UofL was a match for my interests and experiences – a strong traditional campus and an academic health center. Its rich history in athletic excellence corresponds with a loyal fan base.

I see UofL as an institution that embraces its history, identity and distinctiveness. UofL sets lofty goals then works to achieve them. The acquisition of KentuckyOne Health is an example of taking a risk to achieve important goals. Because of the acquisition, UofL Health made a huge difference during the pandemic, serving over a million patients last year alone. Many lives were saved because of this strategic acquisition.

Finally, I was attracted to UofL because it clearly demonstrates that is a student-first institution. Equity and diversity are hallmarks of UofL, and it leads the way in its continuing quest for becoming the university for all. UofL graduates move into the workplace as leaders ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

UofL News: What was your initial reaction when President Bendapudi announced she was leaving, elevating you to the president’s role in just a short amount of time?

Lori Gonzalez:��It was bittersweet. I was happy that she was tapped to lead such a prestigious institution as Penn State, but I was sad to have her move on. She has been a terrific boss and I was looking forward to our partnership to build on the momentum that I saw when I first applied for the position of provost. I wish her very well and know she will continue to take my calls as I navigate this interim role.

UofL News: Do you feel you’ve settled into the role of interim president?

Lori Gonzalez:��I have been in higher education administration for over 20 years, and I’ve worked closely with several presidents. My experiences as a dean, vice chancellor and a provost have prepared me for this challenge. While the focus of the provost is internal, the work of the president has much more public-facing responsibilities. As both Provost and President I have enjoyed very productive interactions with business, community and governmental leaders as well as our donors and other academic leaders.

I’m just about two months into the job, so I am sure there will be some surprises. I inherited a strong, talented and supportive team and because they excel in their roles, the campus has continued its forward momentum, if not accelerated it. I am also grateful that the Board of Trustees provided such strong support during and after the transition.

UofL News: Now that you’ve had some time to acclimate, what are your biggest priorities in the president’s role?

Lori Gonzalez:��Our three-year strategic plan is in its third year so we will begin work on a refresh of the plan. While the focus will remain on being a great place to learn, work and invest, I would like to see the goals within each pillar focus on those areas that will make us distinctive. We should answer the question, ‘What makes UofL different from any other institution?’

One of our highest priorities will be student success. We want to focus on growing enrollment. I view enrollment as an opportunity to offer the population of the state a high quality and life-changing education that we are honored to provide. Strategies for enrollment range from strategic recruitment of out-of-state, international and transfer students and adult learners to creating exciting, interdisciplinary face-to-face and online options. We should ensure every student has an engaged learning experience and an opportunity to increase their digital literacy. Finally, by focusing on retention as a responsibility of everyone on campus, we can graduate more students in less time and help the state in so many ways, especially in workforce and economic development.

Financial sustainability is critical and through the efforts of our outstanding CFO, Dan Durbin, and our unit leaders, we have had improved budgets for several years in a row. We want to find continuing funding sources for compensation to ensure that employee salaries are competitive. So far, the state budget looks favorable to higher education, and we hope our budget requests are included in the final budget.

Building strong connections with the community, business and industry, donors, governmental officials, friends and fans also remains a top priority. UofL is well positioned to make contributions in the workforce, life-changing research and civic engagement. We want to share our accomplishments and partner with others to address the challenges of the university, city and state.��

UofL News: You’ve made some key appointments since December. How will they support your plans moving forward and what appointments remain?

Lori Gonzalez:��Because my appointment to the interim role happened very quickly, our initial focus was both retaining our current high performing leaders and strengthening our leadership structure. While we needed key positions filled, we needed to take the time to do it right. As we move further into the semester, the leadership team is working well together. I am grateful to those who agreed to important interim roles and to work to keep the business of the university on track.

UofL News: How big a role has athletics played in your first weeks on the job? Has it been more or less what you expected?

Lori Gonzalez:��A strong athletic program is critical to the overall success of the university. Our student athletes are leaders and their dedication to their sports bring students, faculty and staff together as Cardinals. The loyal fans support our teams with enthusiasm and this, of course, builds community.��

As everyone knows, we have had several transitions in athletics, including both the athletic director and men’s basketball coach positions. I have made a point to interact with and support many of our terrific coaches and their staff.��

So, while I have been more engaged with athletics in the interim president role than I did as provost, it hasn’t been surprising. I enjoyed watching our volleyball team at the Final Four and have cheered enthusiastically for our women’s and men’s basketball teams. I look forward to seeing all our teams take to the field, court, track and pool to show the community and nation what a No. 1 athletic program looks like.

UofL News: How would you describe your leadership style?

Lori Gonzalez:��I characterize my leadership style as open and informal with an emphasis on building consensus. An institution is strongest when all the members of the campus are engaged. When an academic leader builds consensus, enables talent and establishes priorities, the campus can achieve its strategic vision. I believe that when core principles are at question or at stake, leaders should be prepared to work hard to reach consensus, if possible, but they must be able to make difficult decisions when necessary. I have spent my career focused on outcomes and taking action to meet the goals of the institution.��

My approach to leadership has been influenced by my father. He taught me that any opportunities I was given weren’t afforded to me because I deserved them more than any other person. My life is shaped by the belief that with great opportunity comes great responsibility. Giving back to one’s community and world was expected of me, and I also believe it represents one of the core principles of higher education.��

The Cardinal Principles resonate with me and the one I keep in top of mind every day is Noble Purpose. The Noble Purpose is my ‘why.’ I believe in the transformative power of education and work every day to ensure our students have an engaging experience in and out of the classroom and that our employees can thrive while meeting the academic mission of our university. By having the Noble Purpose as my touchstone, I have a constant reminder of UofL’s role in shaping the future.

On a lighter note, in the commonly used StrengthsFinder program, my five top strengths are: Arranger, Maximizer, Futuristic, Relator and Individualization.��

UofL News: What would you consider some of your biggest professional wins?

Lori Gonzalez: These wins aren’t mine alone. They resulted from the collective efforts of so many people. I’ll just list of few of the accomplishments from my past that bring me the most pride.

• As dean at UK, I invested in the research mission of the College of Health Sciences through hiring of strong research faculty. This investment, along with funding from the university, allowed the college to move from 44^th in research funding for schools of allied health by NIH in 2004 to 12^th in 2009.
• As provost at Appalachian State University, I led the strategic planning process that evolved to embrace sustainability as a core value underlying our plan. We had broad campus support and the plan, The Appalachian Experience: Envisioning a Just and Sustainable Future set the stage for the campus to move forward in very meaningful ways.
• As vice chancellor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, I led an effort to execute a plan to education students to address health equity and inculcate a focus on health as a human right by addressing the social determinants of health throughout our institution. Through our plan, titled Community Engaged Care, we created classroom and engagement activities to educate students about the social determinants of health.
• Thus far, as provost at UofL, we opened the Center for Engaged Learning which came of out the UofL strategic plan. The center will be the hub for students to become engaged in the high impact practices of undergraduate research, experiential education and community engagement.
• I am equally proud of my contributions toward the university’s enrollment stability since assuming the provost role. Our retention numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels. This stability is critical to ensure students remain on track toward their academic success.
• The campus safely returned to in-person classes in the fall and we continued in the spring. We were successful and our campus remains one of the safest places in Louisville.
• I should mention the 1 percent salary increase for our full-time faculty and staff. Although the increase is small, our team continues to explore ways to support our faculty and staff.
• I am also very proud of the individuals I have mentored over the years. It is so fulfilling to see them move into positions of leadership in higher education including positions of chair, dean, vice president and president.

UofL News: What are some challenges you’ve overcome in your professional career?

Lori Gonzalez: Throughout my career, I’ve faced challenges large and small. I have had to deal with budget reductions that resulted in loss of positions and have had to discontinue low enrolled programs. I have addressed scientific misconduct and academic integrity cases. One of the biggest challenges came during my time as provost at Appalachian State. I placed a faculty member on administrative leave with a pay-pending investigation related to complaints about discrimination, retaliation and creating a hostile environment in the classroom. A small but vocal group of faculty members claimed that due process and academic freedom had been violated. The faculty senate considered a vote of no-confidence, and the motion carried by one vote.

I was fortunate to have strong public support from both the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees throughout and after this situation. Most importantly, I had overwhelming support from most of the other faculty along with many of the staff and students. As closure, all the documents associated with this situation were reviewed in full by our independent accrediting body (SACSCOC) review team during their onsite reaffirmation visit and they found no issues or irregularities with how the situation was handled.

While the vote was unfortunate, I stand by the decisions made because the role of the provost is to uphold the integrity of the academy. I went on to successfully lead the campus in the creation of the strategic plan and a review of academic programs. Because of the public nature of this challenge, I made a point to openly discuss the situation throughout the interview process at both the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and here at UofL. I also shared the details with President Bendapudi during my interview with her.

The experience was quite some time ago, but I continue to carry the lessons learned as a leader. Leadership within higher education, as with many large organizations, requires the ability to make difficult decisions under pressure and with the integrity of the institution and the students we serve in mind. I learned how important it is to seek advice and counsel in balancing the difficult task of applying policy and accountability. It is rare when everyone agrees with a decision, and it is important to hear other opinions and perspectives. However, at the end of the day, the leader must make hard decisions if the public investment in an institution is to be honored and sustained.

UofL News: Is there any issue or concern that keeps you up at night?

Lori Gonzalez: Along with so many UofL faculty and staff, I want to ensure our students have access to critical services, especially services focused on mental wellbeing. The pandemic has been hard on everyone, but especially our students. We know they are anxious and nationally the number of students with depression has increased over this period. While they’re enjoying classes and engagement on and off campus, they’re observing what is going on in our world – from political polarization to the devastating effects of climate change and – this too, must add to their anxiety levels.

Our faculty and staff deal with these same concerns. They have had many challenges balancing work and personal commitments in the most difficult circumstances. They’ve worked hard through this extraordinary time, and I want to be sure that we can begin to find the means to increase compensation that is too long in coming. We are working to identify strategies for long-term sources of funding to make UofL a truly great place to work.

UofL News: What would you say so far is your favorite thing about UofL?

Lori Gonzalez: That’s an easy one; its people. When I came to campus to interview, I received such a warm welcome from everyone. I told my spouse, Randy, that I just had to get the job! So many people have reached out during the transition with words of support and encouragement. Their actions, along with a fantastic leadership team, underscores that UofL is a great fit for me.

UofL News: What about the city of Louisville?

Lori Gonzalez: I feel a bit like Goldilocks – Louisville is just the right size – not too big and not too small. Randy and I have come to love the city and we are proud to call it home. The rich history and culture and the wonderful food scene are all part of why we enjoy living here. But as I said before about UofL, it is really the people that make us feel at home. We received such a warm Kentucky welcome when we returned home, and we are so glad to be back in the commonwealth.

UofL News: How do you spend your free time?

Lori Gonzalez: Randy and I are serial remodelers. We are currently working on our third house renovation. The kitchen and living room are completed and the bathrooms are up next. This is our third remodel and I must admit, I hope it is our last.

Our son, Clay is a musician and composer, so by extension, we are music lovers. We enjoyed going to his performances when he was an undergraduate and master’s student. He broadened our exposure to many different types of music. Our tastes run from the beautiful Bluegrass music of Kentucky to alternative rock.�� Two of our favorites are John Prine and the Avett Brothers.

I enjoy baking although I am not a master baker. We just finished watching every season of the Great British Baking Show and the amateur bakers put me to shame. Their creations made me realize I’m really not a baker, I just put things in the oven and hope they turn out!

UofL News: Are you a candidate to be the permanent president?

Lori Gonzalez:��Since becoming interim president, I have been working to ensure the campus moves forward and that important initiatives continue and are successful. I will spend time reflecting on the position and whether I can add value in this role and then decide about applying for the permanent position. It was an honor to be tapped for the interim role and right now I’m focused on doing my best to lead our campus forward.

UofL News: Any other messages you want to share with the Cardinal community?

Lori Gonzalez: UofL is a catalyst for engagement, economic development and the creation of future leaders. I believe in UofL and will spend my time articulating the value of higher education to the state and the value of an education at UofL specifically. In the next few months, we will be working on spreading the amazing story of UofL to national audiences in ways we haven’t done before. This campaign will help extend our current Here and Beyond new branding initiative.��

Gonzalez announced Wednesday that School of Dentistry Dean Gerry Bradley will serve as interim provost. Dean since 2016, Bradley has extensive academic and administrative experience, previously serving as associate dean for research and graduate studies and chair of developmental sciences at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. Since coming to UofL, he has played a key role in many important initiatives at the university, including serving as chair of several dean searches and co-chairing the Executive Budget Steering Committee.

Margaret Hill, associate dean for academic affairs, will lead the School of Dentistry as interim dean.

Gonzalez also appointed Gail DePuy, professor of industrial engineering and interim vice provost in the Center for Engaged Learning, to serve as interim senior vice provost. She will have oversight of the other vice provosts and oversee key initiatives in the provost’s office. ��A former acting dean of the Speed School of Engineering, DePuy has been instrumental in developing and shepherding the university’s strategic planning effort since 2019.

Paul DeMarco, professor of psychological and brain sciences and interim director of undergraduate research and creative activity, will assume the role of interim vice provost for the CEL.

The appointments are effective immediately.

“With these changes to our already strong leadership team, and with the continued outstanding efforts of you, our faculty and staff, we are well positioned to continue our growth as a premier anti-racist metropolitan research university that creates thriving futures for students, our community and society,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also said she expects to fill two other key positions, the vice provost for faculty affairs and the vice president for diversity and equity, “in the coming weeks.”

Reporting directly to President Neeli Bendapudi, Gonzalez works closely with deans, vice presidents�� to advance the teaching, research and service missions of the university.����

Gonzalez is focused on��getting university members back on campus, safely,��over the summer and by the fall as the pandemic lingers.��She also��wants to��help the��campus community��rebuild��its sense of belonging.��

“The human connection is part of the fabric of a��university.��You know, it’s in those moments��you’re walking to the library, you’re going to get a cup of coffee and you see someone that you haven’t seen in a while and you catch up.��I think being detached (during the pandemic)��increased everyone’s anxiety. I know it did mine.��So��any problems become a huge problem. Feelings get hurt more quickly. There’s something about sitting face-to-face with people,” she said.

For the long-term, Gonzalez wants��to partner with the campus community on deciding how we will define and measure being a premier metropolitan university.��

“There’s no set of criteria that would say you��are��a premier, metropolitan university. There are tons of��metrics out there��you can do, so how are we going to define that?��How are we going to measure and operationalize what that will mean for UofL? And becoming a premier, anti-racist campus goes hand in hand with that,” she said. “What is��it going to mean to��show we’re moving closer and closer to being an anti-racist campus? At the end of the day, how will we��know that we’ve moved the needle on both of those things?”����

UofL News had a chance to sit down with the new provost, originally from a small town in eastern Kentucky,��to get��to know more about her��personal and professional��background, as well as her goals as provost.��

UofL News: What motivated you to work in higher education?��
Gonzalez:��I’m a speech-language pathologist by education and early on in my career I was invited to do a series of continuing education activities for other speech��pathologists��and��I realized I loved teaching.��But the real reason, I think, is my father. He was a graduate of Berea College, he was the first in our family to go to college and education was always talked about in my house. He encouraged people in our little town to get a degree and at his funeral, I remember somebody saying, ‘I’m a nurse because your dad told me I could be.’��I was��just��inculcated with the notion that education is a transformative experience. You can transform a person, a family, a community and really our world. That’s my ‘why.‘

UofL News: Did you have a favorite course in college that you remember? A favorite professor?��
Gonzalez:��Yes.��I took a course in phonology��with my professor,��Alice Dyson, who later became my mentor in my doctoral program.��Studying��phonology is��working out the puzzle of a child’s speech when no one can understand them. They have their own rules.��I started unlocking the puzzle of��children’s��speech��and that course set me on a career path of wanting to untangle challenges. When��someone comes to my office��with��a real need and it’s a tricky situation, it’s a puzzle��and I��have to��find the pieces. Sometimes it’s money. Sometimes it’s a��barrier. Sometimes it’s connecting someone to someone else. But it’s all a puzzle that you can solve.

UofL News:��Do you have a��favorite thing��yet��about UofL?����
Gonzalez:��The warm, welcoming people.��I’ve been astounded by it.��Even from the time it was announced that I would assume the position, people reached out to me and were so welcoming.��I haven’t been able to interact a lot��with large groups of students, faculty or staff, but I think it’s a spirit here that is recognizable.

UofL News:��What is your favorite quote or best piece of advice you’ve received?��
Gonzalez:��It’s a proverb:��fall down��seven times, get up eight. It’s all about resilience. When somebody stumbles, sometimes they think that a failure is going to derail them forever. But what you do is, you get yourself up, dust off and then you go forward. You reflect on what happened, but��you just get up every time, every time, every time.

UofL News: How do you like to spend your free time?��
Gonzalez:��I’m a��baker. I like to bake. It’s one of the reasons��I’ll��be��glad to get back into an office, so I can bring baked goods in!��I read a lot.��I also��like to walk. My husband and I, we walk every day when we’re together.��We��also��enjoy renovating homes.��We like to get a house that needs a little��love and put��our own stamp on it. We’ve done that three times.

UofL News: What do you want our students, faculty and staff to know about you?����
Gonzalez:����I would want everyone to know that I see academics as our core mission. It is why we are here. So, we��have to��be a��student-first campus focused��on��how��they can be successful as students and as engaged citizens upon graduation.��But we cannot do that without dedicated, engaged faculty and staff. I’m committed to making sure that our students are successful and supporting and developing our faculty and staff. It’s this synergy we get when we all��have the goal of creating the next generation of engaged leaders,��the��next generation of health care professionals,��poets, musicians, etc.��As we do all those things together, it is, as we say in the Cardinal Principles, our Noble Purpose.��

Beth Boehm, outgoing executive vice president and university provost, provided senators with updates on COVID-19 vaccine availability. On the afternoon of March 2, invitations for the COVID-19 vaccination were sent via email to all faculty, staff and students between the ages of 60 and 69. Boehm encouraged those who fall within this age range and did not receive the email from Student Health Services to contact Phillip Bressoud, executive director of Campus Health Services.

Boehm introduced her successor to the executive vice president and university provost position, Lori Stewart Gonzalez. Boehm was thanked for her years of service by Faculty Senate Chair David Schultz and other members of the Faculty Senate. Gonzalez, a Kentucky native, will assume the role on April 1.

Boehm stated, “I just wanted to thank you all for welcoming me back to the senate these past three years. It’s been an honor to serve in the role of the provost and to work with all of you.”

Senators received information on student enrollment by Vice Provost of Enrollment Management and Student Success Jim Begany. Begany reported a peak in enrollment during the fall 2020 semester with over 23,000 students. While public 4-year universities nationwide saw an average 10.5% decrease in enrollment during the fall 2020 semester, UofL reported a 2.7% increase in student enrollment. The university also saw an increase in the 6-year graduation rate, which is the common measure among institutions. The current 6-year graduation rate is at 60.4%, an improvement from the 52.9% rate reported in 2015.

When addressing the current 6-year graduation rate, Begany stated, “this is what I’m most proud of. This is a university-wide effort. It’s our faculty working with students in the classroom, our advisors, our student affairs, our entire university. When we see numbers that are improving, it’s reflective of all the work that we’re all doing to get our students to graduate.”

Updates about the Canon printer policies were provided by Chief Procurement Officer Sally Molsberger.����

Under the updated Canon printer policy, existing single function and desktop printers can continue to be used until they are non-functioning, at which time they may not be repaired or replaced. Toner and ink for existing single function and desktop printers will not be provided through Canon and should be ordered through the contracted office supply vendor, Staples. All paper purchases should go through the university . The policy further states that university funds cannot be used to pay for desktop printers or personal printing. Those with questions or concerns about the updated printing policy were encouraged to contact either or with Procurement Services.

Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs Tracy Eells provided the current draft of the intimate relationships policy. In December 2019, Boehm charged a committee to review and make necessary changes to the policy on intimate relationships between students and members of faculty and staff. The policy will apply to all university employees.

Four types of intimate relationships will be prohibited under the policy:

• An instructor, staff or administrator and an undergraduate student
• An instructor, staff or administrator and a graduate or professional student, when the instructor, staff or administrator has a current or expected supervisory or instructional role with the student or when the instructor, staff or administrator and student are in the same academic school, college, program or department
• A graduate or professional student and an undergraduate, graduate, or professional student when there is a supervisory or instructional role
• A supervisor and the supervisor’s direct report.

Committee reports and a of the virtual meeting can be accessed on the . The next faculty meeting is scheduled for April 7 via Microsoft Teams.

Lori Stewart Gonzalez, vice chancellor for academic, faculty and student affairs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, will assume the position as UofL’s provost by April 1, pending approval by the UofL Board of Trustees. She succeeds Beth A. Boehm, who has served as provost since 2018. Boehm is returning to her role as dean of the Graduate School.

Reporting directly to the president, the executive vice president and university provost is the university’s chief academic officer, overseeing undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The provost works closely with deans, vice presidents and other administrative officials to advance the teaching, research and service missions of the university.

“The University of Louisville is a unique institution that combines a national reputation for teaching and research with a firm commitment to its community,” Gonzalez said. “This opportunity to make a real difference both locally and globally stands out among higher education institutions. I look forward to being part of its continued and growing success.”

Gonzalez brings a wealth of administrative experience to the role of provost. As vice chancellor at the UT Health Science Center since 2015, she oversees the offices of academic, faculty, student and international affairs, education services, equity and diversity, community engagement and others. As interim dean in 2016-17, she oversaw the departments of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Health Informatics and Information Management, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.

Previously, she had served as senior advisor to the senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Carolina General Administration, as provost and executive chancellor at Appalachian State University, and associate dean and then dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky.

“Dr. Gonzalez boasts an impressive resume of strong academic qualifications and administrative experience in the liberal arts and sciences and the health sciences,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “Just as important, she brings high energy, a devotion to students, faculty and staff and a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. I look forward to working with her as we continue to advance UofL as a premier anti-racist metropolitan research university here and beyond.”

Search Committee chairs David Jenkins and Gerry Bradley, deans of the Kent School of Social Work and School of Dentistry, respectively, called Gonzalez a great fit for UofL.

“After a national search including thorough vetting and conversations with the finalists, Dr. Gonzalez clearly stood out,” Bradley and Jenkins said. “She brings a breadth of leadership experience in academia and was the consensus choice across all campus constituencies.�� Dr. Gonzalez showed a clear and decisive commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that fits perfectly with President Bendapudi’s strategic work in this area. And she was truly impressive in her interactions with students, faculty and staff. We look forward to welcoming her to the University of Louisville family.”

A native of Rockcastle County, Kentucky, Gonzalez earned her bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology from UK and her master’s degree in communication disorders from Eastern Kentucky University. She earned her doctorate from the University of Florida Department of Speech.

There hundreds of nominees, but just four are chosen. This year, those four include:

• Cynthia Metz, assistant professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Physiology
• Danielle Franco, associate professor, Analytical, Semiconductor-based in the Department of Chemistry
• Roman Yampolskiy, associate professor in the Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science in the Speed School of Engineering
• Audrey Kline, associate professor of Economics in the College of Business.��

Here are our 2019-20 Faculty Favorites in their own words.

Cyndi Metz.��Notably, Metz was battling cancer during the 2018-19 school year. “[My students] responded with such compassion and kindness and I was so proud of them.”��

Danielle Franco:��“I love doing what I do.”

Roman Yampolskiy. “Teaching well takes a lot of time and it makes a difference.”��

Audrey Kline. “Economics is hard for a lot of students. Working with them to get to that place where everything falls in place and they finally understand is very rewarding.”

All faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants who receive nominations receive a formal letter of recognition from the Provost as well as a certificate. They were also recognized recently at the annual Faculty Favorites Reception.

Boehm was appointed executive vice president and university provost effective Sept. 1. Dean of the School of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies and vice provost for academic affairs, she has served as interim provost since May 2018.

A member of the UofL English faculty since 1987, Boehm holds a PhD from The Ohio State University. She has published in her academic discipline of English and also on the topic of graduate education and has presented at many scholarly meetings on both subjects. She has won teaching and service awards and has served on more than 90 departmental, college and university-wide committees. Her two-year appointment will expire on Aug. 31, 2020.

Hoy was appointed general counsel effective Oct. 1. A graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Law, Hoy has served as interim general counsel since May 2018. He has been a practicing attorney in Louisville since 1980, first with Woodward, Hobson & Fulton and then, following a merger of the two companies, with Dinsmore & Shohl. Hoy’s expertise is in general business and corporate law, with an emphasis on the health care industry. His appointment will expire on Sept. 30, 2020.

The university will conduct national searches for both positions following the expiration of Boehm’s and Hoy’s respective tenures.

1.) Dr. Pinto was born in Bombay, India, and experienced a childhood “as different from Louisville as you can imagine.” He credits his parents for their commitment to education as enabling him to succeed.

“They invested heavily in our education and that gave me an advantage and prepared me for my future,” he said.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in India, Dr. Pinto went on to Penn State University, where he earned his MS and PhD in chemical engineering and served as a teaching assistant. This sparked his interest in teaching as a career and he honed this interest as a professor at the University of Cincinnati before joining UofL as Dean of the Speed School of Engineering in 2011.

This was not the path he expected.

“My original plan was to come back (to India) and work with my dad on my business. But I started to love academics and gain an interest in research as a graduate student. At Cincinnati, I met students whose path was different from mine and it was a sort of an evolution once I understood my true job: exposing them to the highest level of education you can have – that’s what’s driven me.”

2.) Dr. Pinto believes UofL exists because of the students: “They are the center of our decisions. That is how I approach my responsibilities.”

He shared some strategies for student retention and student success that he hopes will enhance the university’s reputation. These strategies will focus on resources and how to be strategic in investments, including with the new Student Success Center, expected to open in the new Academic Building in the fall of 2018. The building will include more open spaces, career advising and academic support spaces and more. The SAC renovation scheduled for completion at about the same time also revolves around student spaces, encouraging learning outside of the classroom.

“Student engagement is important to every aspect on campus. In that context, we have a strong commitment to success of our students,” Pinto said.����

3.) International recruitment is also a priority for Dr. Pinto.

“For a university of our stature, the goal is globalization and the impact that’s going to have on our students in the future is something we have to address very aggressively,” he said.

The number of UofL students who have international experience has steadily remained around 800 to 900 throughout the past few years, and Dr. Pinto recognizes economic barriers in raising that number dramatically.

“There is a different way of doing this and that is to bring the world here and to have a diversified group of students peppered in with our students,” he said. “International students benefit from their education here, and our students benefit from them being here as well.”��

4.) Dr. Pinto was asked how to boost morale of faculty and staff on campus and he said it’s important to remain focused on why we’re here.

“The work we do is so important to society that we have to focus on the reason we do this. There are factors we can’t control, but we can control what we choose to focus on and be energized by,” he said. “It all goes back to why are we doing this – because it’s important and worth it and we can make a difference.”��

5.) Dr. Pinto hopes to achieve his goals by better anticipating the future and promoting education’s benefits.

“Can we be known nationally for original thinking, for new paradigms that will help us change the game?” he asked. “To do that, you have to ask the big questions. What will education look like in 30 or 40 years?”

Dr. Pinto added that it’s incumbent upon faculty to get out there and tell people why education is important.

“We can’t just sit back and wait for the applications to come in,” he said. “Universities are a big part of the engine of progress in this country. We’re repositories safeguarding society’s values.”