Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Rebecca Thomas has accepted the offer to serve as UK’s next associate provost for faculty advancement, effective July 7. 

Dr. Thomas comes to UK from Transylvania University, where she has served as the executive vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university since 2020. In this role, she provided strategic and operational leadership for academic affairs functions and ensured the academic integrity of courses and programs. She helped initiate and develop new minors through a faculty-centered process.

Dr. Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University, as well as expertise in the area of information technology. Prior to serving at Transylvania University, she held various leadership roles at Earlham College and Bard College.

I know you will join me in congratulating and welcoming Dr. Thomas to our campus. Her experience overseeing faculty services and working with faculty will translate well to the powerful faculty environment we have at UK. I am confident that she will continue demonstrating exemplary leadership for our faculty community and help us continue building our teaching, research and service missions. 

Please also join me in thanking Dr. Lisa Tannock for her service and leadership to UK as she begins a new phase in her career as dean of Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As of today, Rosalie Mainous is no longer serving as dean of the College of Nursing. In order to ensure a smooth transition of leadership, Gwen Moreland, chief nurse executive for UK HealthCare, will serve as acting dean. 

Gwen is a board-certified nursing executive with more than 25 years of nursing experience, including key management positions within UK HealthCare.

She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Kentucky and is also an adjunct faculty member of the College of Nursing. As acting dean, Gwen will help the college maintain an excellent academic experience for our students while supporting collaboration, innovation and leadership for faculty and staff as the college continues its critical work supporting UK’s mission to advance Kentucky.

The UK College of Nursing has a long tradition of outstanding academic excellence and is a highly ranked program — it is vital that we continue this positive momentum as we educate more students and address Kentucky’s nursing workforce shortage.

The college plays an essential role in the health of our state and, as such, this position is critically important. I will provide more information about the next steps in the search process for a new dean soon. 

Thank you for everything you do to advance Kentucky.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Bryan has agreed to serve as interim dean of the Lewis Honors College, effective June 1, 2025. 

Dr. Bryan joined the university in 2019 and has served in various roles, including acting dean of the Lewis Honors College from 2020 to 2022. She brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education and academic leadership into her role as the inaugural T.G. Lewis Faculty Scholar in Organizational Behavior within the college.

Throughout her leadership roles at UK and previous universities, Dr. Bryan has focused on student success and supporting faculty and staff at the same time. As acting dean of the Lewis Honors College, Dr. Bryan helped strengthen the Honors community by leading a collaborative process that resulted in the college’s first strategic plan, fostering faculty, staff and student engagement and developing and enhancing student leadership development programs. 

She is also an accomplished researcher and scholar, concentrating on areas such as academic leadership as well as industrial and organizational psychology. Dr. Bryan has also taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in courses ranging from the science of happiness and well-being and positive organizational psychology to managing effective organizations and leadership.

I am confident that Dr. Bryan will bring a deep focus on student success and continue the college’s positive momentum in this role. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership, and I know the Lewis Honors Community — all students, faculty and staff — will thrive with her guidance. 

Please join me in congratulating and thanking Dr. Bryan. And please also join me in thanking Dr. Christian Brady for his service as dean of the Lewis Honors College.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As you may know, Paul Salamanca’s appointment as acting dean ends June 30, 2025, and he will be taking sabbatical leave during the next academic year. Please join us in thanking him for his service this past year in the UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law (RCOL). To ensure a smooth transition upon his departure from the role, it is necessary to appoint the next interim dean to lead RCOL.  

Anyone in the RCOL community is welcome to suggest names of faculty candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Tuesday, May 27. 

Based on the recommendations of the RCOL community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter.

Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As previously communicated, Dean Christian Brady has accepted the role of president of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He will be stepping down as dean of the UK Lewis Honors College effective May 31, 2025. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an interim dean to lead the Lewis Honors College until a new dean can be hired. 

Anyone in the Lewis Honors College community is welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Tuesday, May 20. 
Based on the recommendations of the Lewis Honors College community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter.
 
Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter.
 
Robert S. DiPaola  
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As the May Commencement ceremonies approach, I encourage you to attend and celebrate our students as they cross the stage. Celebrating our students and their achievements during this milestone is a highlight of the academic year.

Commencement ceremonies will take place on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 at Rupp Arena at the Central Bank Center. Faculty are required to RSVP and wear their regalia. More details, along with the schedule and RSVP form can be found on the commencement website.

Please contact the commencement coordinator at commencement@uky.edu if you have questions. I look forward to seeing you there.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D.
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

This year, we have faced challenges amid growing scrutiny on what we do as an institution. Through that scrutiny, however, my belief in that mission — and in the faculty who help carry out that mission — has never wavered. Your work is invaluable to the university and the communities we serve.

From your research exploring how disruptions to circadian rhythms and sleep impact health…

To the way you help shape our students’ journeys through academia and through life…

And expanding access to specialized care to ensure Kentuckians can receive care closer to home.

These are important reminders of the power our faculty hold through research, teaching, service and care. Our faculty drive impact to improve our Commonwealth and its people. 

As we continue to navigate the landscape, I encourage you to continue to stay up-to-date on the university’s response via https://pres.uky.edu/monitoring-federal-changes-2025.

Highlighting and sharing your work as faculty, researchers and instructors is a vital way of demonstrating the importance of what the University of Kentucky does and is capable of.

Thank you for continuing to uphold UK’s mission to advance Kentucky.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,
  
As previously communicated, Dean Rodney “Kip” Guy has accepted the role of dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. He will be stepping down as dean of the UK College of Pharmacy effective July 31, 2025. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an acting dean to lead the College of Pharmacy until a new dean can be hired.

Advisory Committee Nominations
  
I will be forming an advisory committee of faculty, staff and students from the College of Pharmacy and meet with them to solicit their recommended names of acting dean candidates. If you would like to nominate an individual(s) or yourself to serve on the advisory committee, please click here.

Acting Dean Nominations
 
In addition, anyone in the College of Pharmacy community is welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as acting dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an acting dean, including a brief justification.Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially.

To ensure full consideration for both advisory committee membership and acting dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Wednesday, April 30.  
  
Based on the recommendations of the advisory committee and College of Pharmacy community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an acting dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter. 
  
Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter. 
  
Robert S. DiPaola
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

On Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10, UK will hold its spring commencement ceremonies to celebrate our students who are graduating.

Commencement is one of the events that I most look forward to each year, since it highlights so many ways that our university has a positive impact on all our lives. For our students, it is a milestone. It is both an ending — of this academic journey — and a beginning. Commencement is the first step of many toward their dreams. 

For you, our faculty, commencement can evoke similar feelings. A vital component of your work involves your students, and watching them cross the stage and receive their diplomas marks a significant moment of pride and joy. 

Our strategic plan emphasizes putting students first — and that is exactly what you have done. You have helped guide your students to this moment, where all their hard work, dedication and belief culminate in this momentous achievement. 

You volunteered your time to make sure your students understand the foundational concepts of your class so they could succeed in their future classes.

You invited students into your research labs and taught them the importance of inquisitiveness in the journey to discovery.

You have helped your students grow into passionate and creative individuals with bright futures ahead of them. 

I encourage and invite you to join us at UK Commencement this May to celebrate with our students — after all, their journeys have been your journeys as well. 

You can find more information as well as a schedule and link to RSVP on the Commencement website. 

Thank you for continuing to uplift our students and create brighter futures for all of us at UK and in Kentucky.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce that Christine Harper has accepted the offer to serve as associate provost for academic operations after a national search. 

Christine has served as the acting associate provost for academic operations since the role was created last summer.  

Since joining the University of Kentucky in 2010, Christine has worked in many areas of the university including the College of Dentistry, the Office for Student Success and the Office of the Provost. 

Before being named acting associate provost for academic operations, she served as associate vice president of enrollment and chief enrollment officer for UK, where she led efforts to foster the university’s success in growing our first-year undergraduate cohorts and expanding access for transfer students to join UK through mapped Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) pathways. In addition, she served on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) compliance review committee through UK’s last accreditation. 

As a reminder, moving forward, any questions you may have about admissions, scholarships and financial aid should be directed to the Office for Student Success, led by Vice President for Student Success Kirsten Turner.  

During the past several months in her acting role, Christine has been able to translate the vast experience she had working closely with college faculty and staff to support their individual enrollment goals to this acting position. Her leadership has facilitated a much more focused collaboration on academic operational efforts between the Office of the Provost and UK’s colleges and programs.

I am happy Christine will build upon this momentum, and I am confident that she will use her experience — both in the acting role and during her time at UK — to ensure we are meeting the academic administration and student success missions of the university.

Please join me in congratulating Christine. 

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost