University of Texas
History of the Office of the Provost
When The University of Texas opened in 1883, there was no provost or
president. From 1883-1895, the chairman of the faculty acted as the University's
chief executive officer. George Taylor Winston was the first to have
the title of President in 1896 and this title remains in use today.
The history of the title “provost” is more complicated, appearing for the first
time in 1957 when Harry Huntt Ransom was appointed as vice president and provost.
Beginning in 1899, however, a chief academic officer was appointed as second
in command to the president and the history of this position is listed below
in its many incarnations.
Dean of Faculty of the Main Building 1899-1903 |
|
| 1899 - 1902 | David Franklin Houston |
| 1902 - 1903 | Sidney Edward Mezes |
Dean of Department of Literature, Science, and Arts 1904-1905 |
|
| 1904-1905 | Sidney Edward Mezes |
Dean of the College of Arts 1906- 1910 |
|
| 1906-1908 | Sidney Edward Mezes (Mezes became President in 1908) |
| 1908-1910 | William James Battle |
Dean of the Faculty 1911 - 1917 |
|
| 1911-1917 | William James Battle. On December 15, 1914 Battle becomes Acting President AND Dean of Faculty. In 1917 Robert Ernest Vinson becomes President and Battle returns as Dean of Faculty. (At the end of 1917 the title "Dean of Faculty" was discontinued.) |
Dean of the College of Arts 1919 - 1920 |
|
| 1919 - 1920 | Harry Yondell Benedict |
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences 1920 - 1941 |
|
| 1920 - 1927 | Harry Yondell Benedict (Benedict became President in 1927) |
| 1927 - 1928 | Hanson Tufts Parlin, Junior Dean (no Dean listed) |
| 1928 - 1941 | Hanson Tufts Parlin |
Vice President 1941 - 1953 |
|
| 1941- 1945 | John Alton Burdine |
| 1945 - 1953 | James Clay Dolley (Dolley became Acting President in 1953) |
Dean of the University 1953 - 1954 |
|
| 1953 - 1954 | Charles P. Boner (Dean of the University AND Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences) |
Vice President of Academic Affairs 1954 - 1956 |
|
| 1954-1956 | Charles P. Boner |
Vice President and Provost 1957-1963 |
|
| 1957-1960 | Harry Huntt Ransom (Ransom became president in 1960) |
| 1960-1961 | Joseph Royall Smiley (Smiley became president in 1961) |
| 1962-1963 | Norman Hackerman |
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 1963 - 1967 |
|
| 1963-1967 | Norman Hackerman (Hackerman became president of UT Austin in 1967) |
Vice President for Academic Affairs 1968 - 1972 |
|
| 1968-1970 | Gardner Lindzey |
| 1970-1971 | Peter T. Flawn, ad interim |
| 1971-1972 | Peter T. Flawn |
Executive Vice President 1972-1973 |
|
| 1972-1973 | Peter T. Flawn (Flawn became President of UT San Antonio in 1973) |
Vice President and Provost 1973 - 1977 |
|
| 1973-1977 | Stanley R. Ross |
Vice President for Academic Affairs 1977 - 1979 |
|
| 1977-1979 | William L. Hays |
Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs 1979 - 1980 |
|
| 1979-1980 | Gerhard J. Fonken (also Vice President for Research) |
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research 1980 - 1984 |
|
| 1980-1984 | Gerhard J. Fonken |
Executive Vice President and Provost 1985 - present* |
|
| 1985-1994 | Gerhard J. Fonken |
| 1994-1997 | Mark G. Yudof |
| 1997-1999 | Stephen A. Monti, ad interim |
| 1999-2006 | Sheldon Ekland-Olson |
| 2006-2007 | Stephen A. Monti, ad interim |
| 2007-Present | Steven W. Leslie |
* In 1986, Stephen A. Monti and Kenneth W. Tolo became the first Vice Provosts
