The following letter of appreciation from University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., on the accomplishments of Marie Lynn Miranda, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost of the University, was sent Dec. 13 to faculty and academic staff:
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the University community, I write to offer my sincere thanks to Marie Lynn Miranda for her dedication and hard work as Provost, and congratulate her on her significant accomplishments during her time as Provost. As you know, she has taken a critical leadership role in increasing faculty and student diversity and creating programs that will serve faculty and students of color as well as those from lower-resource backgrounds. She has championed several innovative educational innovations and has raised the profile of graduate education at Notre Dame. She initiated the “Moment to See, Courage to Act” process, which has generated great excitement and creativity in thinking about our future. On top of all these accomplishments, she has provided critical leadership in helping us navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In a short time as Provost, Marie Lynn has created a legacy on which we, in the coming months and years, can build.
Anyone who knows Marie Lynn knows how deeply she is committed to building a more just world and caring for the most vulnerable. Such concerns have guided her not only at Notre Dame, but throughout her career. In recent months, the pandemic has led her to reflect on how she can best serve society and the causes about which she is passionate. I know you join me in wishing her the best as she redirects her talent and energy. We are delighted that she will remain in the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics as a tenured professor.
My very sincere thanks also go to Christine Maziar, Vice President and Senior Associate Provost, for her willingness to step in as interim Provost beginning January 1, 2022. Chris is a seasoned leader, having served as Provost at the University of Minnesota before coming to us, and in the Provost Office at Notre Dame since 2004. She knows the Provost’s Office and the University extremely well. I will work closely with Chris to ensure the Provost’s Office maintains its high level of service to the University and we continue to move forward. We will work with the deans and the academy to sustain our momentum around key priorities during this time of transition.
I have spoken to Maura Ryan, Vice President and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, about scheduling a meeting with the Academic Council soon to elect a search committee for the next Provost, as the Academic Articles require. The search will be comprehensive, but we will move expeditiously. As the search process gets underway, we will be asking for your thoughts about the qualities we should look for in our next Provost.
Let me conclude by thanking each of you for your commitment to our common work of education and inquiry. Your dedication to our students and to research, despite the disruption of the pandemic, has been truly admirable.
As the semester comes to a close and we look forward to the holiday season, I ask for God’s blessing on Marie Lynn as we give thanks for her many contributions to Notre Dame, and on each of you. May you know the peace and joy of this holy season, and may the coming weeks offer you well-deserved opportunities for rest and relaxation in the company of your loved ones.
Sincerely,
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
Originally published by at news.nd.edu on December 13, 2021.