Dr. Alan Boyette became UNCG’s provost and executive vice chancellor last fall after serving as interim provost since spring 2024. His history with the University goes back more than three decades.
Boyette began as a valued faculty member in political science and then served important administrative roles, providing leadership in academic program planning, institutional research, learning assessment, and budgetary oversight for the Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Research divisions.
This is an exciting time for academics at UNCG, says Provost Boyette.
“National changes are pushing all of higher education to think more about the value it offers. One result is that there are new and important conversations happening on campus about ways we can better marry our newest research foci with learning opportunities for students that directly connect with promising career paths.”
We must build an institution that continues to contribute to Greensboro, the Triad, and North Carolina for another 135 years.
— Provost Alan Boyette
He’s been looking for new talent to guide UNCG forward, actively directing searches for academic deans in multiple schools within the University. UNCG attracts top-level candidates, he says. “We find that faculty from across the nation are interested in and energized by our identity and our mission. We are very much a research university, but we have maintained a strong focus on excellent teaching and excellent mentoring of students.”
Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. agrees that the future of academics at UNCG is in good hands. “Dr. Boyette is unwavering in his dedication and commitment to UNCG’s mission and values. Likewise, he is dedicated to our students, faculty, and staff,” says Chancellor Gilliam. “He is trusted across our community and will be able to make tough decisions that are in the best interest of the University.”
With a new strategic plan, “Forward Together,” in place, UNCG is ready for the future. So is Provost Boyette. “It’s exciting to know that we are on our way to best-in-class graduation rates even as we reach for Research 1 status. We want every student who works hard to graduate on time. There’s more to do, but that’s already happening for more and more students every year.”
By Mercer Bufter ’11 MA
Photograph by Sean Norona ’13