When University Provost Teresa Sullivan was announced as the next president of the University of Virginia yesterday, it left many on campus wondering who would fill the shoes she will leave behind.

Sullivan is set to assume her new role at UVA on Aug. 1, having been offered a 5-year contract with the school. In a series of interviews following yesterday’s announcement, University officials described Sullivan as having an innate understanding of both budgetary and academic affairs — skills administrators and regents alike described as necessary for her successor.

And while officials say they're confident that a qualified replacement will be found, uncertainty remains as to who specifically will take over the position of provost and executive vice president of academic affairs when Sullivan leaves Ann Arbor on July 31.

And it begs the question whether history will repeat itself.

When University President Mary Sue Coleman hired Sullivan in 2006, it was the first time the top two spots in the University’s administration were both held by women and the first time that neither the University president nor the provost was hired from within the University.

The latter fact caused some in the University community to raise objections, claiming that Coleman had applied pressure on the search advisory committee to give preference to candidates from outside the University.

Reports by The Michigan Daily at the time outlined allegations from sources familiar with the process who claimed Coleman had leaned on committee members to only recommend outside candidates for the position. Coleman denied such action in several interviews after the allegations were raised.

Criticism of the nine-month, national search that resulted in Sullivan’s hiring also came from a member of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs at the time. In response to claims that she was neglecting to consult faculty on the decision, Coleman told SACUA members that the decision was hers alone, the Daily reported.

In response to a request from the Daily yesterday, University spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said in an e-mail that it was too soon to comment on how Sullivan’s successor would be chosen.

“We’re fortunate that the provost has given the University time to consider the next steps in the process,” Cunningham wrote. “I don’t have anything to report right now.”

And while details of who will serve on the advisory search committee for the next provost have yet to be released, many administrators and regents are hoping Sullivan’s replacement will be someone who exemplifies some of the same qualities Sullivan brought to the table.

Dean of Libraries Paul Courant, who served as the University’s provost from 2002 to 2005, said in an interview yesterday the two main tasks of the provost — controlling the budget and academics at the University — will require a unique set of qualifications from Sullivan’s successor.

“The provost is the chief academic officer and the chief budget officer at the institution,” Courant said. “The budget times are going to be tough over the next while and the provost has to be able to ensure that the academic missions of the university – learning, teaching, research – are always in the foreground as choices are made, especially in tough times.

However, Courant said he is confident a candidate with the right set of skills will emerge to take over as provost.

“We’ve always had provosts who are willing and able to do that and I have every confidence that the next one will as well,” he said.

Despite his confidence that a suitable candidate will be found to replace Sullivan,
Courant said it was too early to speculate whether the next provost would be chosen from within the University or from the outside.

“I just wouldn’t want to speculate,” Courant said.