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On Monday, March 10 from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Provost Search Committee held a combined virtual and in-person open forum for provost candidate Dr. Elizabeth “Libby” Wentz. Dr. Wentz is the current vice provost and dean of the Graduate School for Arizona State University (ASU). Prior to her current role(s), Wentz was the dean of social sciences at ASU for five years and has been with ASU in various roles for over two decades.
In addition to her vast experience in post-secondary administration and faculty, Wentz has received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Arts in Geography from Ohio State University, as well as a doctorate of Philosophy, Geography from Pennsylvania State University. A part of what has led Wentz to pursue the Provost position at UNH is the university’s position as a Land, Sea, and Space-Grant Institution.
During her introductory remarks and throughout the open forum, Wentz emphasized university’s role as a public good. Wentz asserted the importance of a university’s integration into the surrounding community and the state. “Public good is an important dimension of what universities offer,” she said.
Wentz received a variety of questions from the virtual and in-person audience, ranging from how to support faculty wellness to the university's response to AI and academic integrity. “We need to be nimble and adaptive as those tools continue to grow,” Wentz said on the topic of AI and academic integrity. “Our responsibility as educators is to prepare our students for the workforce of today and the future,” she said.
Dr. Elizabeth Wentz is one of several UNH Provost candidate finalists.
