Memorandum

To: Faculty and Staff
From: Robert C. Holub, Provost
Subject: Appointment of Vice Provost for Academic Operations
Date: Dec. 13, 2006

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Todd A. Diacon to the position of Vice Provost for Academic Operations. The appointment will be effective January 1, 2007.

As Vice Provost for Academic Operations, Dr. Diacon will have chief responsibility for unit reviews, which are essential for quality control of programs on the Knoxville campus. He will also have broad authority over programs and initiatives relating to undergraduate education. Working closely with academic and non-academic units on campus, he will be charged with improving student retention, perseverance, and graduation rates. He will also be centrally involved with the quality enhancement program, Ready for the World.

Dr. Diacon has been with the university since 1989. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Latin American history with minors in anthropology and comparative world history. At Tennessee he has occupied several key administrative positions. Since
2002 he has been the head of the history department after previously serving for five years as the director of the Latin American Studies Program. He is also currently serving as the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative.

Dr. Diacon is an outstanding scholar, who specializes in Brazilian history. His second book, "Stringing Together a Nation" (Duke UP, 2004), won the 2005 Warren Dean Prize for the best book on Brazilian history published in 2003-2004. He is also recognized as one of the campus's outstanding classroom teachers.