Paula Short
After former senior vice chancellor of UH-System and UH provost John Antel returned to UH faculty, the chief academic officers of the UH-System had a vacancy. President and Chancellor Renu Khator announced via email Wednesday morning that Paula Short will be acting as the interim provost.
“(Short) is a highly regarded administrator who is recognized as a leader on the impact of higher education reform on student success and completion and the role of the organizational culture in academic quality in higher education,” Khator said.
After serving about 10 years as vice chancellor of Academic Affairs for the Tennessee Board of Regents, Short came to UH in 2012 as the director of the Institute for Policy, Research and Evaluation and a distinguished professor in the College of Education.
In the 1990s, Short served as editor of the Journal of School Leadership and three terms on the editorial board of Educational Administration Quarterly. She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership, the Handbook on Research in Educational Administration, Cases in Educational Administration and International Studies in Educational Administration.
“Dr. Short will provide day-to-day operation direction to the Division of Academic Affairs,” Khator said. “I have also asked her to provide leadership in reorganizing the Provost’s Office in preparation for its transition to new leadership and to initiate the process of building a case statement for the forthcoming capital campaign.”
“Dr. Short will serve in this interim role, effective immediately, until a permanent senior vice chancellor and provost has been appointed.”
Khator said the UH-System is beginning a national search to fill the position of provost and invites faculty members to email her any thoughts, ideas or suggestions. Short will not be a candidate for the permanent provost position, but she is glad to serve temporarily.
“I am honored to be asked by President Khator to serve the University of Houston in this important role,” Short said in a statement. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff and administrators to advance the exciting goals of the University of Houston.”
