Who or What is a Provost
QUIZ SHOW
Friday, April 8, 2022
“Isn’t provost one of the floors here (in the Student Union),” Schully said. The provost, the head of the academic affairs department of the university, resides in Whitehurst Hall on the west side of the OSU campus — not the Student Union. The provost Chris Becker is a key figure in the universiEditor-in-Chief ties hierarchy serving just below the president in most Two Oklahoma State students sat universities, which through chatting and scrolling through their interviewing numerous phones, playing their part in an ordinary students students are afternoon inside the Student Union. largely unaware of the Andrew Schully and his friend duties or the name of the Tom Davis shared a table while other OSU provost. students bustled around, studying and Since April 1, 2021, eating lunch on a crisp spring Thursday. Jeanette Mendez sits as The pair had finished their lunch and the interim provost since were relaxing when The O’Colly posed the retirement of Gary some questions, including: Sandefur. What exactly does a university With one of provost do? the top offices in the Schully and Davis were stumped, university hierarchy as were many OSU students pressed with open for the taking, similar questions by The O’Colly report- The O’Colly hit the ers who conducted a survey on the role campus to poll stuof the provost. It’s an important job; a dents’ knowledge of provost is the chief officer in charge of the search, and the academic and budgetary affairs and OSU position. currently seeks a new one, a process In game involving a search committee, which is show-esque fashcomposed of students and faculty from ion The O’Colly different areas of campus. This group asked students two will head the three-part search. questions: For Schully and Davis, the provost Do you know who the current OSU question broke out a conversation which provost is? involved no shortage of humor, intended Do you know what the provost and unintended. does? If not, they were told, take a guess. “Well they’re a pro, so a profesNone of those who answered knew sional. A pro-activist. What does a ‘vost the precise duties of the provost, aldo, Andrew?” Davis said, puzzled. though a handful were in the ballpark. Schully, equally unsure of the No one knew the name of the current answer, took his guess. OSU provost.
“Obviously, it’s a position of power from context, but I don’t know exactly.” - Brennan Smallwood
“The academic side of what the president does. I don’t know, that’s all I got.” - Lauren Whitmire
“Are they like the pope of the school?” “I’d assume something with education.” - Anonymous Student - Cecilia Smith
“Some kind of publication manager.” - Seth Long
“Pro-vost. They promote vascular operations of standard trajectories.” - Declan Simmons
“I’m going to guess it’s a board over an environment thing, I don’t know.” - Hayden King “The provost is the one in charge of academics in each major, right?” - Gabriel Parker
“It sounds like Latin. I’m guessing it has something to with money.” - Noah Greeson “They’re a consultant for the president. Like somebody Dr. Shrum goes to if she needs help making decisions.” - Emily Taber
Contributions to this article provided by Adam Engel and Abby Cage Graphic and design of page by Abby Cage
“It’s like you said something in a different language and told me to guess, that’s as far as my knowledge goes on this. I have no clue.” - Caleb Burson
“Something with maybe administration... developing university policy?” - Bethany Merino
“It’s not the president but it’s like below it.” - Nicole Ziske
“I was thinking, an advocate for some department.” - Lilyana Sestak
“Not a clue, maybe like a counselor?” - Jessia Foster
“They’re one of the higher ups, I know they’re overhead people.” - Darren Cartwright “I have no clue, they might be an advocate for the university.” - Isabel Webb
“I should know this, I work in leadership in campus life.” “Maybe to establish rules wider across the board like not just in Stillwater. Maybe the state?” - Lexi Marroquin
“Maybe they communicate more with the students, to see how students feel, they’re like the connecting part between the students and the president.” - Kate Douglas
“It has something to do with academics, they make a lot of important decisions.” “I do not. Has organizational and leadership - Lauren Quinlan duty within the college, I would assume.” - Robert Paddack
“I’m guessing it’s supposed to be an important person that isn’t given enough recognition. I didn’t know that was a word.” - Bradey Wilson news.ed@ocolly.com