Dr Marlene Tromp, finalist for position of university president to interview on campus March 18-19.
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The current president of Boise State University has been named the de facto next president of the university of Vermont. Dr Marlene Tromp was named Monday morning as the lone finalist for the position of president. In recent years a single finalist is named as the presumptive new president until a final vote of the Board of trustees.
Tromp will succeed Suresh Garimella, who stepped down last fall to take over the presidency of the University of Arizona, in a sudden transition. Well-regarded UVM Provost Patricia A. Prelock was named interim president by the Board of Trustees beginning October 1, 2024.
Tromp is a professor of English and a widely published scholar of Victorian literature and culture.
Universities typically keep presidential candidates confidential until naming a single finalist, and ultimate appointment, to protect the candidates' current position while allowing for a greater pool of candidates. UVM said there were "more than" 10 candidates interviewed for the position.
The following message was sent to the University of Vermont campus community from the co-chairs of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee today:
Dear UVM community,
We are delighted to announce that the University of Vermont Board of Trustees has approved Dr. Marlene Tromp as sole finalist for the position of university president. Dr. Tromp will take part in on-campus interviews at UVM on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18 and 19.
Students, faculty, and staff will have opportunities to meet with Dr. Tromp over the course of her two-day interview visit. On Wednesday, March 19 at 3:00 pm the university will host an open forum in the Silver Maple Ballroom of the Dudley H. Davis Center during which the UVM community will have an opportunity to engage with the finalist. An online survey will be available through which members of the campus community can share feedback with the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Tromp has served since 2019 as president at Boise State University, where she led the university to historic advances in graduation rate, research awards, and philanthropy. Prior to that, she served as provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also served as a dean and vice provost at Arizona State University and began her career in academic leadership at Denison University (Ohio). She is a professor of English and a widely published scholar of Victorian literature and culture.
The identification of a finalist follows a six-month national search in which the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, with the assistance of higher education search professionals at Isaacson, Miller, fielded more than 100 expressions of interest. The search committee selected more than 10 candidates for individual interviews with the committee. The Board of Trustees first met with Dr. Tromp in February to discuss the position.
Dr. Tromp’s curriculum vitae and biography are posted on the UVM Presidential Search webpage. A link to view a livestream of the open forum will be posted on Wednesday. We hope that you can join us for this important engagement.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Barnhart
Chair, UVM Board of Trustees
Ron Lumbra
Immediate Past Chair, UVM Board of Trustees
Co-chairs, UVM Presidential Search Advisory Committee
Dr. Marlene Tromp Biography
Dr. Marlene Tromp has served as the seventh President of Boise State University since July 1, 2019. She has worked in partnership with the faculty to increase the academic excellence and research profile of the university and has shattered the student graduation record, research funding record and philanthropy record year after year since her arrival. She has increased access and enrollment for in-state students and provided an affordable education for students from elsewhere, integrating the university deeply with the local economy. With academic leadership, she has created pathbreaking partnerships with industry and nonprofits to advance students and the state.
She brought Boise State University into the UPWARDS partnership at the G7 Summit and oversaw the launch of the Microelectronics Education and Research (MER) Institute to advance efforts to prepare a broad array of students for work in the semiconductor industry. She brought Boise State onto the Council on Competitiveness, designed to enhance U.S. productivity and prosperity for all Americans. She formed strategic partnerships with industry, higher education and government by launching the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity. She supported enormous growth in the health sciences in every sector, graduated more students in education, and increased interdisciplinary thought-leadership through cutting-edge programs like the School of the Environment, School of Computing, and School for the Digital Future. She also had the privilege of opening an award-winning fine arts facility and a world-class engineering facility focused on materials science and pathbreaking qDNA research for quantum computing.
Her passion for supporting students inspired her to increase student access by developing an endowment for the Presidential True Blue Scholarship to reduce the barrier of financial need—giving more students the opportunity to change their lives and bring their gifts to the world. Her conviction that students in rural communities deserved access to quality higher education led her to spearhead the Community Impact Program, which brings education to them, the Hometown Challenge, which helps students return home to give back in their communities. She made Boise State a founding member of REP4, a national effort to engage students themselves in redesigning higher education, so it works better for them, and supported Bronco GapYear, which has provided students with a low-cost, flexible and individualized college learning experience.
She deepened Boise State’s community engagement and scholarly inquiry through the creation of a President’s Professor of Public Scholarship and Engagement and Office of Community Engagement, designed to bring our faculty’s excellent research into the service of our broader community, as well as the pathbreaking Institute for Advancing American Values, which is designed to bring people from different perspectives together to hear and learn from one another. She serves as one of 24 members of the NCAA Division I Board of Directors from the hundreds of Division I institutions across the country. She is one of a handful of presidents selected by the Federal Reserve Chair of San Francisco to consult on higher education.
She has spent the majority of her administrative career at AAU institutions. She served as the campus provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she oversaw one of the most outstanding faculties on the continent. She also served as a dean and vice provost at Arizona State University, named the most innovative in the nation ten years in a row. She remains a dedicated scholar and is the author of several books and many articles on Victorian literature and culture and its relationship to our current cultural moment.
Marlene Tromp
President, Professor of English
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
President, Boise State University, 2019-present
Chief Executive Officer, overseeing all Vice Presidents, including academics, operations, finances, research, student services, athletics, community and government relations; responsible for university vision and management, liaising with the State Board of Education and elected officials, directing budget preparation and priorities.
Internal Outcomes
• Record-breaking achievements: built the plan, infrastructure, and systems to achieve
▪ 39% increase in graduation rate
▪ 71% increase in research awards
▪ 51% increase in philanthropy
▪ Highest enrollment in university history
• Academic success for students
▪ 39% increase in graduation rate in five years
▪ all-time high in 4- and 6-year graduation rate and grad student academic success
▪ closing equity gaps on grad student success
▪ 33% increase in URM success and female success, 11% increase in-state student engagement, and 21% increase in rural undergraduate student and Latinx enrollment
• UPWARDS: international research and teaching partnership to advance semiconductor industry, featured at G7 summit
▪ bilateral US/Japan semiconductor initiative, sponsored by NSF and the US and Japanese governments, focused on diversity in the workforce
▪ partnering with University of Washington, Purdue, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Virginia Tech.
• Launch of innovative, interdisciplinary schools and colleges:
▪ School of the Environment
▪ School of the Digital Future
▪ Microelectronics Education and Research Institute (MER)
▪ School of Computing
▪ School of Public, Population, and Environmental Health (in progress)
• Community Impact Program: outreach program that brings the university directly into rural communities to increase degree attainment and improve community health and wellbeing, serving traditional and nontraditional students
▪ 50% increase university-wide in returning adults
▪ nearly 100% success rate in completion of credential for underrepresented cohort of students
• Blueprint for Progress: a community-based strategic plan to enhance student success and increase quality career outcomes, to support faculty research through a Grand Challenges research initiative, and foster ongoing campus innovation
▪ over 1400 active participants in the process
▪ “best buy-in” on university wide plan observed by accreditation reviewers
• One of only 11 universities or colleges (out of ~5000) to achieve both Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose and Carnegie Community Engagement Classifications in 2024
• Student athletics success:
▪ top 5% of NCAA DI schools in student athlete academic success
▪ NCAA #1 “Name, Image, and Likeness” (NIL) program
National and International Leadership
• National Board Member, American Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), 250-member association of public research universities focused on increasing access, equity, completion, and workforce readiness; promoting pathbreaking scientific research; and bolstering economic and community engagement
• Chair, APLU Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE), national effort for public universities focused on
▪ Student and workforce development
▪ Innovation, entrepreneurship, and tech-based economic development
▪ Development of community beyond the university through public service, outreach, extension, and engagement
• Presidents and Chancellors Council on Public Research: a founding member of the national leadership effort to ensure translational and collaborative research and public engagement
▪ Partnership with Pew Charitable Trust and other national funding bodies
▪ Created a President’s Professor of Public Service and Community Engaged Research and four new positions to support community engaged research, resulting in a $5M NSF award to support new faculty efforts
• Board Member, U.S. Council on Competitiveness (CoC), national bi-partisan effort to advance US competitiveness through collaboration with higher education, industry, and labor
▪ brought the university into the CoC to drive forward the state’s and nation’s success in cybersecurity; clean energy; and agriculture in partnership with National Labs, industry, nonprofits, labor, and small business
▪ Hosted one of the nation’s first “Competitiveness Conversations” with representatives from across the globe
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (national accrediting body)
▪ Chair (2023-present)
▪ Vice Chair (2022-2023)
▪ Commissioner (2019-present)
• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) DI Board of Directors (2022-present)
▪ leading through NCAA Transformation process, including realignment, NIL, and student athlete mental wellbeing
▪ navigating ongoing complexities of conference and athletics realignment
• NCAA D1 Finance Committee (2023-2024); making financial distribution and budget recommendations for all of NCAA athletics
• REP 4 (Rapid Educational Prototyping) (2022-present), national effort to pilot learner-designed innovation into higher education and better serve our students
▪ Significant success with first generation students and new strategies for improving student wellbeing for all
▪ Introduced new underrepresented cohorts to higher education and paved the path to higher education
• Harvard Higher Education Leadership programming (collaboration between Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Graduate School of Education), featured speaker on academic leadership in times of crisis, 2021-2024
UC Santa Cruz (AAU) Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (CPEVC), 2017-2019
Chief Academic and Administrative Officer for the campus, overseeing all Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, Academic Deans, and academic personnel; responsible for providing administrative leadership for academic and administrative operations of UCSC, including all curriculum, finances, operations, and facilities; leading and guiding long-term planning for the campus, including strategic planning and policy development; directing the annual budget preparation; coordinating academic program development with faculty and the UCSC Academic Senate; overseeing and managing allocation of UCSC resources; liaising with UCSC's Academic Senate; advising the Chancellor on all campus issues. key outcomes:
• “Super” Target of Excellence hiring initiative and interdisciplinary cross-college cluster hiring initiative sought to create new high-level research collaborations and to eliminate obstacles to high quality research, teaching, and service and increase UCSC’s national and international impact (extramural funding grew 23.5% in the wake of new collaborations)
• leadership of all four campuses—Santa Cruz Campus, Coastal Campus, Silicon Valley Campus and the Lick Observatory—to improve the local and global footprint of UCSC
• opened and developed new housing and research facilities, from donor engagement and Regents approval to ribbon cutting
• new goal setting and assessment for all of university priorities and assessment of key offices to improve critical areas, including University Relations (development and communications) and the Office of Research
• EVC Fellows Program to aid Associate Professors to advance their scholarship and progress to Full Professor
• new retention and support program for underrepresented faculty
• enhanced academic and social support for underrepresented students
• comprehensive leadership development program to improve the effectiveness and leadership skills of the Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, and Deans
• UC-wide Academic Planning Council (2017-present) and Chair of “Articulating the UC’s Academic Mission” workgroup provided system-wide academic leadership
Arizona State University (AAU), Dean New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, 2013-2017
Leading interdisciplinary liberal arts college, with high first-generation, veteran, and students of color populations; engaging in collaborative vision work; creating meaningful programs of support and development of diverse group of students and faculty; supporting thoughtful planning of curriculum; recruiting and retaining top faculty and students; overseeing budget; leading fundraising efforts; creating and sustaining effective relationships with fifteen other colleges at ASU.
key outcomes:
• led largest growth in the college’s history; including high revenue generating programs that supported the college’s academic mission, supporting students and faculty
• exceeded fundraising and development goals for college, supporting research and creating new professorships and programs
• designed Faculty Fellows program, collaborative research groups to support faculty development and success
• developed “Growth Mindset” learning program to increase student success
• launched large-scale student service learning projects in community
• developed student-support “Experience Team,” dedicated to student academic and personal success in each year, for graduate and undergraduate students
• created Interdisciplinary Global Learning and Engagement (IGLE), offering innovative, flexible study abroad, in-broad, and breakaway trips
Arizona State University Vice Provost, ASU’s West Campus, 2014-2017
Overseeing ASU’s West Campus, the small liberal arts college environment at ASU, and its seven campus colleges; fostering healthy consortium-style relationship with ASU’s four other campuses and locations; promoting positive community relations; leading development and fundraising efforts for campus; overseeing ASU’s and campus’s strong commitment to sustainability. key outcomes:
• engaged all colleges (business, health, liberal arts, public service) and community in campus-wide summer Community Read experience
• developed annual campus theme (“Community,” “Family,” “War and Peace”) that supported faculty research and drove student and public engagement
• created faculty exchange program with other campuses
• supported campus sustainability programs that leverage 5 MW solar campus, two LEED Gold buildings, and electric institutional vehicles
Arizona State University School Director, School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies, 2011-2013 Lead interdisciplinary humanities, fine arts, and cultural studies unit, including women and gender studies; race, ethnicity, and first nations studies; queer studies, and American studies; worked closely with faculty to invigorate humanities and arts education; fostered students’ comprehension of liberal arts as meaningful approach to a professional life.
Denison University Chair and Director of Women’s Studies, 2002-2008 Led interdisciplinary program with 32 faculty at a liberal arts college; advocated for interdisciplinary programs and women’s studies with other chairs and administration; quadrupled student majors in two years; built Laura C. Harris lecture series, comprehensive, year-long highly interactive series that engaged with every department at the college; founding member of Queer Studies program and Diversity Advisory Council; Faculty of Color and International Faculty support group.
Denison University Chair of Faculty, and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect of Faculty, 2002-2004 Led faculty assemblies; fostered shared governance and faculty voice; worked with administration to develop vision, academic plan, and student experience program for university; supported development of Diversity Advisory Council; named Charles A. Brickman Endowed Chair for outstanding teaching, research, and service.
ADDITIONAL KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
▪ Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Board of Commissioners (2019-present), Vice Chair (2022-2023), Chair (2023-present)
▪ National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I Board of Directors (2020-present)
▪ Presidents and Chancellor’s Council on Public Scholarship (2024-present), Founding member of this national effort to foster public scholarship, engagement with communities, and to impact the public impact and image of universities.
▪ Mountain West Conference, Board of Directors (2019-present)
▪ MWC Executive Committee (2022-present)
▪ Idaho State Board of Education, President's Leadership Council (2019-present)
▪ National Advisory Board for NSF-funded Women of Color in Engineering (2020-present)
▪ City of Boise Economic Recovery Taskforce (2020)
▪ President, North American Victorian Studies Association, largest Victorian Studies body in world, with over 1000 members (2014-2017); Vice President, North American Victorian Studies Association (2013-2014); Member, Board of Directors (2011-2012, 2017-present)
▪ Vice President, President-Elect, and Member Board of Directors, Nineteenth-Century Studies Association, international interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the study of the 19th century (2011-2014); Member, Board of Directors (2000-2008, 2009-2019)
▪ Co-Editor XIX, Newsletter of the Nineteenth-Century Studies Association (2003-2008)
▪ Co-Chair Sexual Violence Prevention Taskforce, ASU (2013-2017)
▪ Study Abroad Advisory Committee, ASU (2013-2014)
▪ Project Humanities Advisory Committee, ASU (2011-2013)
▪ Diversity Advisory Council, attending to the support and retention of faculty and students of color, advisory to the president and provosts, Denison University (2009-2011)
▪ Faculty Development Committee Chair (2010-2011), Member (2009-2011) focusing on faculty professional development in terms of research, teaching, and service; conducts faculty development audits and campus-wide, annual Faculty Symposium on faculty development
▪ Queer Studies Committee (1999-2011), director of Queer Studies Reading Group (2011)
▪ Women’s Studies Committee (1997-2011)
▪ Mellon 23 Program on Interdisciplinarity (2008)
▪ Chair, Senior Administrative Review Committee (2002)
▪ Faculty Advisor for Women’s Emphasis, feminist student group (2002-2009)
▪ Faculty Advisor for Centered Margins, student-run national queer theory magazine (2000-2001)
▪ Co-Chair Great Lakes College Association GLCA Women’s Studies Conference Co-Chair (1999- 2000)
▪ GLCA Women’s Studies Committee Representative (1997-2011)
▪ President, Board of Directors, SAFE domestic violence, sexual assault agency, (1995-1997)
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Boise State University, 2019-present Professor of English University of California Santa Cruz, 2017-2019 Professor of Literature and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Arizona State University, 2011-2017 Professor of English and Women and Gender Studies Denison University, 1997-2011 Professor of English and Women’s Studies, 2006-2011 Associate Professor of English and Women’s Studies, 2001-2006 Assistant Professor of English and Women’s Studies, 1997-2001 University of Wyoming, 1995-1997 Visiting Assistant Professor of English and Women’s Studies
EDUCATION
Ph.D., University of Florida, May 1995
Dissertation: “The Private Rod: Marital Violence, Sensation, and the Law in Victorian Britain.”
Certificate in Women’s Studies
Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honors
Master of Arts, English, University of Wyoming, May 1990.
Thesis: “The Threatening Father: Browning’s Dramatic Speakers and Their Struggle with God.” Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honors
Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, English major, psychology minor, Creighton University, May 1988.
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