Auburn University names Vini Nathan as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs

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Vini Nathan has been named as Auburn University’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, President Christopher B. Roberts announced today.

Nathan, whose appointment is effective immediately, has served as the interim provost and vice president of academic affairs since March 2022. She previously served as Auburn’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction dean and McWhorter chair since her arrival in 2011, where she is also a tenured professor of architecture.

As the university’s chief academic officer, Nathan will provide leadership to Auburn’s 12 academic colleges and the graduate school in addition to numerous academic programs and units that play a crucial role in supporting the university’s instruction, research and outreach mission.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Nathan to the role of provost and senior vice president for academic affairs,” Roberts said. “I am confident in her leadership as she has demonstrated a strong commitment to Auburn. Dr. Nathan brings great talent and enthusiasm to the position, which will serve our students, faculty and staff well.”

Nathan earned her doctoral degree in architecture from the University of Michigan in 1994. Previously, she was the dean and professor in the School of Architecture at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, department chair and assistant professor of interior architecture at the New York Institute of Technology and an assistant professor of Interior Design at Michigan State University. Additionally, Nathan is a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council.

“I am humbled and honored to continue to be part of the outstanding Provost’s office team and to serve President Roberts and the AU community,” Nathan said. “I look forward to continued collaboration with President Roberts in advancing his vision and implementing intentional strategies in delivering exceptional student experiences, supporting faculty in their research and creative scholarship pursuits, and fostering an institutional culture that is characterized by organizational excellence and innovation.”

As the CADC dean for more than a decade, Nathan led several nationally ranked programs, including graduate and undergraduate programs that are consistently recognized among industry outlets as the best in their fields. With more than 150 full-time faculty and staff members, CADC maintains an enrollment of 1,800 students across its Schools of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, Industrial and Graphic Design, and the McWhorter School of Building Science. During her tenure as dean, Nathan worked to strengthen the academic reputation and visibility of the college, resulting in record levels of student enrollment, extramural research funding and philanthropic support.

Karen Rogers will continue to serve as the interim dean of CADC until a nationwide search is conducted later this year.

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Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.