Tammara Durham to be new Vice Provost of Student Affairs
- Aug. 15, 2012
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If the new Vice Provost for Student Affairs seems familiar, its probably because she isn’t new. Tammara Durham was selected to fill the position last May out of the three candidates recommended by the Provost’s search committee. Durham, who had already held the position in the interim during the search process since last September, now assumes a more permanent role as an advocate for students.
During the interim, Durham approached the position as though she was the acting vice provost for student affairs, but focused on short term goals, she said.
“If you want to be successful, you have to act as if the interim isn’t there to be productive,” Durham said.
Durham is now working on a long term strategic planning initiative under the University’s Bold Aspirations, which she expects to be finished in six months. Durham sees herself as an advocate for students in and out of the classroom, which means she will represent the interests of the students to administrators when students are not present, Durham said. In addition, Durham acts as an adviser to Student Body President and Vice President Hannah Bolton and Brandon Woodard, respectively.
“I help with their platform and use them as a sounding board for the current student perspective,” Durham said. “It’s a two-way street.”
While the relationship between student leadership and the vice provost’s office has not changed much since the official appointment, it has become more stable, said Bolton.
“Since she’s been finalized for the role, it’s been easier to work with her because we know she’ll be here for the entirety of the year,” Bolton said.
Bolton said Durham has advised she and Brandon on how to present the changes they suggested in their campaign platform approved by faculty senate,.
Sara Rosen, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, pointed to Durham’s background in both student and academic affairs when selecting her to permanently fill the position.
“Her background is a particularly good fit for KU in supporting our goal to raise the awareness and stature of the academic mission of the university in all student affairs units,” Rosen said. “She is creative and innovative, and she is a great advocate for our students.”
Durham said she has an open door policy, and students should feel free to voice their concerns, especially during her office hours on Tuesdays from 10 am to noon in 133 Strong Hall.
—Edited by Kelsey Cipolla
Marshall Schmidt is a graduate student majoring in biomedical engineering from Mount Hope. Read more from Marshall Schmidt.
