Announcing the Search for the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Dean of Admission

January 31, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community:

I am excited to announce a comprehensive search for Carnegie Mellon’s next vice provost of enrollment management and dean of admission. As I recently shared, Dr. Kris Wong Davis has made the decision to return to her alma mater, the University of Arizona, to serve as vice president for enrollment management and dean of admission in March 2025. 

The vice provost of enrollment management and dean of admission plays a critical role in advancing CMU's strategic approach to student recruitment and institutional growth. This leadership position navigates complex challenges, including demographic shifts, expanding access to higher education, and addressing affordability in a competitive market. The role requires innovative thought leadership and collaboration across all aspects of the field, including marketing, enrollment, student success and institutional outcomes.

To guide this search, I have charged a search committee that includes faculty, staff and students from across the university:

  • Co-Chair: Becky Culyba, Vice Provost for Operations and Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff to the Provost
  • Co-Chair: Michael Murphy, Distinguished Service Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Studies
  • Alaine Allen, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, College of Engineering
  • Miguel Alvarez, Director of Access and Opportunity and Tartan Scholars Recruitment and Enrollment Manager, Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
  • Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean, Tepper School of Business
  • Gina Casalegno, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
  • Jeffrey Eppinger, Professor of the Practice, Software and Societal Systems, School of Computer Science
  • Anne Lambright, Department Head, Paul Mellon Distinguished Professor of Hispanic Studies, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Sheika Lugtu, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment, College of Fine Arts
  • Kelli Lammie Maxwell, Associate Dean of Student Success, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Gabriel Mendez-Sanders, Student, College of Engineering
  • Wesley Pegden, Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Mellon College of Science
  • Dudley Reynolds, Senior Associate Dean for Education, CMU-Qatar
  • Henry Zheng, Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning

WittKieffer Executive Search will support the committee in conducting this search. The committee will build an inclusive candidate pool through active recruitment and nominations, as well as seek input from faculty, staff, students and other key constituencies to define role requirements and identify potential candidates. We aim to complete the selection by the end of this academic year.

To learn more about this role and the search process, as well as to submit confidential inquiries, nominations or applications, visit the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Dean of Admission search website. Additionally, I invite you to utilize this form to share your feedback on the role description, particularly regarding critical characteristics and opportunities.

I extend my gratitude to Kris Wong Davis for her leadership, to Keith Gehres for overseeing Enrollment Management operations during this transition, and to the entire Enrollment Management team for the positive impact they have on the future and current students of CMU each day. I also thank the entire CMU community for supporting the search process — your insights and engagement are invaluable as we seek a leader to build on the many successes of our vibrant academic community and advance CMU's mission and values.

Sincerely,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer