Minor heads to Stanford, vacancy unfilled

Lloyd B. Minor has left his position as Johns Hopkins’ Provost and Senior Vice President for academic affairs to become Dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine. Minor’s appointment began on Sept. 1, commencing a three-month transitional period. Minor will assume his position as Dean on Dec. 1, succeeding Dr. Phillip Pizzo, who has served as Dean since 2001.

After nearly two decades as a Johns Hopkins faculty member, Minor leaves behind an impressive legacy. Prior to his appointment as provost, Minor served as Andelot Professor and Director of the School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Otolaryngologist-in-Chief of The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Along with his colleagues, many of whom he recruited or helped to retain, Minor achieved a 50 percent expansion in departmental research funding, a 30 percent increase in clinical activity and important developments in improving teaching and student training.

As the Chief Academic Officer and second-ranking member of the senior administration, the provost is responsible for promoting and coordinating the university's teaching, research and service mission.

In addition to overseeing the university’s nine schools as well as its many interdisciplinary programs, academic centers and institutes, the provost is tasked with developing and implementing interdivisional programs and coordinating the university’s regional, national, and international activities. The provost also leads the university’s budgeting process and serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees Committee on Academic Policy.

During his three year term, Provost Minor led many successful initiatives aligned with the objectives of the Office of the Provost, such as instituting regular externally led reviews of departments throughout the university.

Understanding the importance of helping students balance academics with co-curricular interests, Minor realigned the structure and focus of Homewood Student Affairs with key university priorities and developed a new Committee on Student Life. Under Minor’s guidance as Secretary of the Committee, the group engaged trustees in examining issues such as student yield, retention and satisfaction.

In the capacity of provost, Minor established many university-wide initiatives to promote faculty excellence by addressing challenges to recruitment and retention. He helped launch the Gateway Sciences Initiative in hopes of enhancing the teaching of introductory science courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Minor was instrumental in the development of a Doctor of Philosophy Board, aimed at identifying opportunities to promote excellence in doctoral education. This initiative included establishing a statement of rights and responsibilities and a new electronic dissertation policy.

President Daniels has launched a national search to identify the university’s 14th provost. The president’s office has formed a search committee comprised of representatives from each of the nine schools, as well as student representation. The committee will be charged with presenting a list of finalist candidates to meet with President Daniels, who will make the final decision.

In the meantime, Jonathan A. Bagger, Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Physics and Astronomy will serve as interim provost, effective as of Sept. 1. Prior to assuming this role, Dr. Bagger served as vice provost for graduate and post-doctoral programs since 2008.

“The search process will likely span four to six months,” Dr. Bagger said.

When considering qualifications for potential candidates, many factors are assessed.

“To begin, a prerequisite is that the person is a distinguished scholar and teacher in his or her own right. The job of the provost is to work with the deans to strengthen the university. Therefore, the provost needs to be a good listener, but also someone who can build and act upon what he or she has heard to get the administration to work together toward the university’s goal,” Bagger said.

Finding a candidate to match Minor’s unique combination of leadership skills will be a challenge.

“Dr. Minor was adept at building a collaborative sense across the university. It was new and energizing for the deans and for the students.” Bagger said.

While Minor will certainly be greatly missed at Johns Hopkins, the university’s faculty is proud of their former colleague as he embarks upon this exciting new professional venture. The oldest medical school in the West, Stanford School of Medicine consistently ranks among the top medical schools in the country.

As Dean of Medicine, Minor will lead more than 1,500 faculty and 1,000 students. The university-wide perspective Minor gained in his tenure as Johns Hopkins’ provost will aid him in his new role at the Stanford School of Medicine, a university similarly committed to interdisciplinary and cross-divisional collaboration.

“At Hopkins, Minor was a department head, which is a very hands on and managerial position, very involved in the day-to-day activity building of your group. To the provost’s office which was much more focused on consensus than on direct commanding control. The deans are very in between, you are closer to the action but you also need to lead by force of persuasion. He’s ideally suited because he’s had experience on both ends. It’s a dream job for him,” Bagger said.

Minor’s responsibilities as Dean of Medicine will include building consensus across the entire Medical School, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto VA and the University. Minor’s commitment to excellence, as evidenced by his history of accomplishments at Johns Hopkins, ensures a promising future in his newest endeavor.