Northeastern Voice

Zoloth named interim provost

Stephen Zoloth, who becomes interim provost April 1, addresses the Faculty Senate earlier today. At left is Provost Ahmed Abdelal, who is stepping down. / JIM CHIAVELLI

To ensure that the provost's office continues its momentum during a time of transition, President Joseph Aoun has appointed Stephen Zoloth, dean of Bouvé College of Health Sciences, as interim provost effective April 1.

Provost Ahmed Abdelal, who announced last fall he would be stepping down to pursue new opportunities, earlier this week was named provost at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.  He said he would be available to Zoloth as a resource.

“I thank Ahmed for all that he has done for our university, and I wish him great success in his next role,” Aoun said in announcing the appointment.

At a meeting of the Faculty Senate today, Abdelal said he was “really proud of the work we’ve done together,” and lauded the choice of Zoloth as his acting successor.

Zoloth said he looks forward to “continuing in the spirit of collegiality and openness” as he assumes the provost’s role for the coming months.

“I appreciate the confidence the president has placed in me, and I’m very much looking forward to the challenges ahead,” Zoloth said today.

The president said he is “deeply grateful” to Zoloth for taking on provostial duties.

The Bouvé dean holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s of public health in epidemiology and occupational health and health policy from the University of California at Berkeley, and was a postdoctoral fellow at The Rockefeller University. He came to Northeastern eight years ago from Hunter College, where he had served as professor of community health, dean of the School of Health Sciences and associate provost. 

At Northeastern, Zoloth served on the search committee that chose Abdelal.

The current provost search committee, chaired by professor Donna Bishop and comprising faculty and students, has been working with consultant Alberto Pimental. It held several public forums last fall to gather faculty, staff and student input to help shape the search process.

Zoloth announced to colleagues that pharmacy dean Jack Reynolds will serve as acting dean of Bouvé.