Linda M. Delene has been named interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois Springfield. She will begin her role on Monday, Jan. 9, with the U of I Board of Trustees expected to complete the formal approval process at its Jan. 26 meeting.
Delene is a seasoned administrator in higher education with extensive experience at the provost level. In the past five years, she served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Brockport and Belmont Abbey College.
“In her interview process, Delene was well-supported by all members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and the Senate Executive Committee,” said UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch. “She is an excellent communicator, confident in her leadership approach and is very knowledgeable of contemporary higher education issues.”
In the interim provost’s role, Delene plans to engage in conversation with faculty, staff and students in order to understand and advance the university’s goals.
“I want to understand potential academic growth areas, listen to all colleagues about their aspirations and foster a climate of acceptance and inclusion for faculty, students and staff,” Delene said. “This will be done within the context of being a comprehensive university for current and future students who seek knowledgeable yet practical programs of excellence.”
Delene holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Toledo; an MBA from the University of Hawaii-Honolulu and a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Michigan.
Since 1968, Delene has served four public universities and four private colleges as a staff member, an administrator, a faculty member and finally as provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Delene began her career as a faculty member in 1977, as an associate professor of marketing at Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. At WMU, she also served as director of WMU's Service Quality Institute, project director for the Haworth College of Business's successful re-accreditation effort, assistant to the provost for strategic planning and vice provost for academic planning and assessment. In 2004, she was named WMU provost and vice president for academic affairs.
She has been the author or co-author of numerous referenced journal articles on topics in the marketing field, in addition to presenting at conferences. In 2008, she was honored by the Michigan legislature for her work in higher education.
Delene will serve as UIS interim provost until the successful completion of a full, comprehensive search for the next permanent provost.