Holub Joins UT as Provost
Dr. Robert C. Holub of the University of California, Berkeley, is UT’s new provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
He’ll be on the job in August, succeeding Dr. Anne Mayhew, who is retiring after 37 years at UT. Holub comes from Berkeley’s College of Letters and Sciences, where he has been dean of the undergraduate division.
At UT, he will oversee all academic operations, including eight colleges, all graduate programs, enrollment services, and libraries. He also will help lead the university’s Ready for the World global education and cultural awareness initiative.
In addition, he will work closely with others to strengthen and capitalize on the UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory partnership. “UC-Berkeley has a similar relationship with a national lab, so I’ve had some experience with that,” Holub says. “There are so many positive moves toward big science at UT.”
An Asset for UT
“We are incredibly fortunate to attract a scholar and administrator of Bob’s caliber to Tennessee,” said Chancellor Loren Crabtree. “His skills and service at one of the nation’s premier public research universities will ensure we advance in our goal of becoming a top 25 public research university.”
Holub joined UC-Berkeley in 1979. As dean he managed curriculum and instruction for 18,000 undergraduates in the College of Letters and Sciences.
He has a doctorate in German literature with a minor in comparative literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and master’s degrees in German literature and comparative literature, also from Wisconsin. He earned his bachelor’s degree in natural sciences from the University of Pennsylvania.
The new provost has three children—three- and five-year olds Madelaine and Shoshanah, and Alexei, who is a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology.
Holub and his wife Sabine are avid ballroom dancers and they try to make time to practice at least two nights a week. “We’re looking forward to finding a studio in Knoxville,” he said. He also enjoys watching an “eclectic” selection of movies ordered through the Netflix home delivery system, reading both for fun and professionally, and listening to classical music.
Delights in Sports
Also, he says, he takes special delight in following local sports, especially at the collegiate level, and attending games. “I’m definitely moving to the right place for that,” he said.
Holub is eager to participate in the period of academic growth and development UT is experiencing. “There are very exciting things going on here right now and I want to be a part of it,” he said.
The new provost is ready to help UT become the best institution it can be. But, he adds, he doesn’t want to come in and start immediately making changes. “I’m excited to see what’s going on and what people are thinking about,” said Holub. “Different institutions have different styles and needs. I would like to get the lay of the land.
“I believe UT is poised to move into the top ranks of U.S. institutions, and I will be most pleased if I can contribute to that success,” he said. “In my career, I have emphasized academic excellence in both research and teaching, as well as the important role public universities play in their communities, in their states, and in the nation. I plan to continue this emphasis as provost of the Knoxville campus.”