Duquesne Names New Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Timothy R. Austin has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Duquesne University, effective Monday, July 15. He will succeed Dr. Ralph Pearson, who will step down as provost but will remain at Duquesne University.

“Dr. Tim Austin brings to us a long and successful history as an administrator in Catholic higher education. He is sure to do the same as he builds on Dr. Ralph Pearson’s success as Duquesne’s provost,” said President Dr. Charles J. Dougherty. “Dr. Austin was enthusiastically endorsed by every constituency that met with him during his on-campus interview.”

Austin currently serves as vice president for academic affairs and dean at the College of the Holy Cross. In these roles, his achievements include establishing a cycle of academic program reviews; helping to develop new policies in intellectual property, data security, harassment and threat assessment; and conducting an organizational review of academic affairs to provide for improved accountability and efficiency.

“In the years ahead, every institution of higher education will be presented with many exciting opportunities as well as some challenges,” Austin said. “Everything that I learned before and during my visit to Duquesne tells me that the University is blessed with the strength and vision to excel in this dynamic environment.”

Prior to joining the College of the Holy Cross in 2006, Austin served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Creighton University. Previously, he taught at Loyola University Chicago, where he chaired the English department from 1996 to 2001 and served as director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Linguistic Studies from 1981-85.

A recognized expert in linguistics, Austin has authored various books and scholarly articles and has presented numerous papers. His work has appeared in the Journal of Literary Semantics, the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, and the Journal of College and Character.

Austin has reviewed programs at various schools as a member of accreditation teams for the Commission of Institutions of Higher Education for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. He is a member of the Saint Anselm College Board of Trustees, for which he chairs the Academic Affairs Committee.

A native of Tonbridge, England, Austin earned his master’s degree in English language and literature from Oxford University’s Lincoln College and his Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

“I am grateful to Fr. McCloskey and the Search Committee for their fine work, to the Faculty Senate for hosting the faculty forum, and to all those who not only helped to evaluate Dr. Austin but, more importantly, who helped make him want to be part of our academic community,” said Dougherty.