Middlebury Appoints Emily Chan Executive Vice President and Provost

President Ian Baucom sent the following message to the campus community on Thursday, June 25.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

I am delighted to share the news that Emily Chan, who currently serves as vice president and dean of the faculty at Colorado College, will be Middlebury’s next executive vice president and provost effective September 1. 

An accomplished administrator, teacher, and scholar with extensive experience in academic leadership, faculty affairs, and the mission of the residential liberal arts, Emily brings a deep well of experience that will be essential as we begin to implement our new strategic plan.

A social psychologist by training, Emily has focused her research on examining culture and cognition, judgment and decision-making, individual and corporate reputation and branding, and the application of research to educational practices and programs. She has combined her scholarly work with a strong commitment to undergraduate education, teaching courses in social psychology, research design, and intergroup relations, while applying her research to support student success, faculty development, diversity, and academic excellence. 

As executive vice president and provost, Emily will have chief administrative responsibility in leading Middlebury’s academic programs and mission. A lead member of the President’s cabinet, she will play a critical role in advancing Middlebury’s strategic direction as well as in resource allocation and staffing.

Emily will oversee a portfolio that spans the full range of the academic experience across Middlebury, including academic affairs at the College, the final operations of the Middlebury Institute, the Bread Loaf School of English, the Middlebury Schools Abroad, and the Language Schools.

In her current role at Colorado College, Emily oversees a complex academic division with more than 300 faculty and staff spanning 30 departments, 45 majors, and a library, with responsibility for curriculum, planning and operations, personnel, and fiscal stewardship. She co-chairs the campus budget committee with the chief financial officer, leading multiyear financial modeling, aligning academic priorities with divisional resources, and building capacity for data-informed planning and resource allocation. She has held leadership positions on accreditation, enrollment and recruitment strategy, crisis management, and the professional development of faculty and staff over their careers. 

Emily has developed and implemented key aspects of Colorado College’s strategic planning efforts over the past decade. These include overseeing major institutional planning initiatives, including the development of a $168 million science building that integrated academic planning, capital strategy, and fundraising efforts.

During her five years as associate dean for academic programs and strategic initiatives, Emily led the creation of a new Center for Global Education and Field Study, established an office for student research, expanded the Bridge Scholars Program for first-generation and low-income students, launched an innovation institute, and developed summer programs while advancing admissions and recruitment goals.

Originally from Hong Kong, Emily attended United World College of the Atlantic in Wales prior to earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University in 1997. She went on to earn her master’s degree and PhD in social psychology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

I’d like to express my deep thanks to the members of the search committee for their dedication over the past several months in helping us fill this crucial position.

Additional Administrative Updates

Interim Provost

As we prepare for Emily’s arrival, I am pleased to share that Vice President for Academic Affairs Jeremy Ward has agreed to serve as interim executive vice president and provost starting July 1. In this capacity, he will help coordinate ongoing work, support decision-making, and ensure continuity until our new provost joins us in September. Jeremy, who was appointed vice president for academic affairs in May 2023, has been an incredible resource and advisor to me and all of the senior leadership team during my first year at Middlebury, and I am grateful to him for taking on this additional responsibility during the transition. 

Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer

I am also pleased to share that I have appointed Jessica Holmes, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Global Health, to the position of chief of staff to the president, and chief strategy officer. She will report directly to me and serve as a member of the president’s cabinet and senior leadership group.

Jessica brings more than two decades of leadership and institution-building experience to these roles. A longtime member of our faculty, she is known for creating transformative learning experiences that connect the classroom to public life, challenging students to develop policy recommendations that have helped shape legislation and regulation in Vermont.

She has brought that same spirit of innovation to leadership roles across the College, including directing the MiddCORE program and serving as director of Global Health, while also leading a national mentoring program for women economists. Drawing on more than a decade of service on Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board, she has worked with health care leaders and policy makers to address some of the state’s most complex challenges.

As chief of staff and chief strategy officer, Jessica will serve as a senior advisor and strategic thought partner, working directly with me to align and advance our institutional priorities, evaluate strategic opportunities, and strengthen coordination across Middlebury’s academic and administrative units.

Presidential Advisors on AI and Global Strategy

As we move forward with implementing our strategic plan, I am also pleased to announce that I have appointed two special advisors to lead significant efforts related to our new strategic plan.

• AJ Vasiliou, associate professor of chemistry and recent co-chair of the strategic planning steering committee, will serve as special advisor on AI and academic computing. She will advise on strategic opportunities, experimentation, teaching, and discovery while exploring AI implications for society and the future of our climate. 
• Sunder Ramaswamy, distinguished college professor of international economics and director of international and global studies, will serve as special advisor for global strategy. Sunder will collaborate with colleagues across Middlebury to help advance the global vision of our strategic plan and to strengthen connections and partnerships across our worldwide network, the Schools, our office in Washington, D.C., and the College. 

Please join me in welcoming Emily to Middlebury and Jessica to her new role with our leadership team, and in thanking AJ and Sunder for taking on these new responsibilities. And once again, thank you to our current Executive Vice President and Provost Michelle McCauley for her continued dedication and service to Middlebury. 

Thank You 

Finally, as our summer programs get underway and my first year at Middlebury draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to express my deep thanks to all of you for having so warmly welcomed me, Wendy, and our entire family to the Middlebury community. It has been a gift and an honor to join you. We have fallen fully in love with Middlebury. I’m deeply grateful for your dedication and commitment to this remarkable place and for all we’ve had the chance to work on together. I hope you have a fantastic summer and look forward to all our work together in the years ahead.

With gratitude, 

Ian

Ian B. Baucom
President