Lesley Reid was promoted to provost at the University of Alabama. She has held the role on an interim basis for the past six months.
Before her interim appointment, Dr. Reid served in a variety of key leadership roles, including senior associate provost for academic and administrative affairs, associate provost for faculty affairs, and interim dean of the School of Social Work. She also teaches as a full professor in the department of criminology and criminal justice. As a scholar, Dr. Reid focuses her work on the characteristics of places, from neighborhoods to correctional institutions, that shape safety and risk of criminal victimization.
“I am honored to serve The University of Alabama as provost and excited for the work ahead,” said Dr. Reid. “With President [Peter J.] Mohler, our deans, faculty, staff and students, I look forward to building on UA’s momentum and advancing a future-focused academic mission that expands opportunity, drives discovery and strengthens our impact across Alabama and beyond.”
A graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dr. Reid earned her master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Tulane University in New Orleans.
Lynne Cossman is the new provost of the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Most recently, Dr. Cossman served as founding dean of the College for Health, Community, and Policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Earlier in her career, she served as chair of the department of sociology and anthropology at West Virginia University and held faculty and administrative roles at Mississippi State University, the University of Central Arkansas, Miami University, and Florida State University. A medical sociologist and demographer, Dr. Cossman examines community health, health disparities, and the healthcare workforce, with a recent focus on effects of COVID-19 on subjective life expectancy, protective behaviors, and health behaviors.
“Opportunity is abundant at UMass Lowell, for students and for those working to deliver a life-changing education and college experience,” said Dr. Cossman. “While my departure from the University of Texas at San Antonio is bittersweet, I cannot wait to be part of the River Hawk community.”
Dr. Cossman is a three-time graduate of Florida State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and women’s studies, her master’s degree in sociology, and her Ph.D. in sociology and demography.
Brooke Blevins was selected to serve as interim provost and executive vice president at the University of Idaho.
For the past four years, Dr. Blevins has served as dean of the university’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Before coming to Idaho, she was the Conwelll G. Strickland Endowed Chair and chair of the department of curriculum and instruction at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Prior to transitioning to higher education, Dr. Blevins was a high school teacher in Texas. Her scholarly expertise centers on civics education, critical historical inquiry, teacher education, doctoral education, and leadership.
“Brooke is a thoughtful, collaborative leader who understands the importance of student success, academic excellence and strong partnerships across Idaho,” said University of Idaho President Scott Green. “She has a proven record of advancing innovation and expanding opportunity, and I am confident she will provide steady leadership for the university in this important role.”
Dr. Blevins received her bachelor’s degree in economics and speech education and her master’s degree in secondary teaching from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas at Austin.