Dear Faculty and Staff:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ed Hugetz as interim senior vice president for Academic Affairs and provost of the University of Houston-Downtown, effective immediately. In this role, he is responsible for the overall academic direction of the University.

Hugetz has served the University of Houston System for 34 years in various academic and administrative roles. He joined the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) in 1978 as an assistant professor and progressed through the rank and tenure process to become full professor with tenure in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. While at UHCL, he served a term as chair of the faculty senate and also served for a time as interim senior vice president and provost. In both positions, he worked to strengthen and streamline the shared governance process. As senior vice president and provost, he oversaw the university's reaccreditation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

As an administrator with the UH System, Hugetz played an instrumental role, under the leadership of Interim Chancellor Bill Hobby, in facilitating the creation of the UH System at Sugarland as a system center. He guided the transition of the University of Houston-Cinco Ranch into the center and worked to create a UH System presence at Lone Star College-University Center. Most recently, Hugetz served as associate vice chancellor of Planning and University Outreach for the UH System and associate vice president of Planning and Outreach for the University of Houston. Throughout his tenure with the UH System, he has advanced the development and growth of off-campus and distance learning across the universities, particularly in the fast-growing regions of Fort Bend and the north Houston, Cypress-Fairbanks region.

Hugetz earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in modern language from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Arts in Humanities degree in media studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

I know you'll join me in welcoming Provost Hugetz to UHD and I look forward to his capable leadership at our University.

Very shortly, I will announce the search committee for the senior vice president for Academic Affairs and provost position and I expect we will move forward quickly to identify permanent leadership for this important role.

Sincerely,

Bill Flores

UHD President