Julio Rivera appointed as Provost

Julio Rivera, professor of geography and earth science, has succeeded Judith Schaumberg as Provost of the College. The appointment took effect on Aug. 1.

In announcing the appointment, F. Gregory Campbell, president of Carthage, noted: "Mr. Rivera assumes his new duties at a time when the College enjoys accelerating, positive momentum. There is every reason to be optimistic about the future."

Mr. Rivera earned his master's degree in higher education at The Ohio State University, and his Ph.D. in one of the country's most highly rated geography programs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"I want to expand the conversation on undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities, and to engage the entire campus. A strong senior thesis reflects top-level scholarship at the undergraduate level."

— Provost Julio Rivera

He held student affairs positions at Ohio State and UW-Milwaukee, and taught geography at UWM, before joining the Carthage faculty in 1997. He served as Carthage's acting dean of students in 1999-2000. He is a nationally recognized expert in geographic information systems. His Carthage students have a superlative job placement record after graduation.

"I am proud of what Carthage has achieved, and often speak of those accomplishments when I travel to academic conferences," Mr. Rivera said earlier this year. "The faculty and student body compare favorably with those at other distinguished colleges. We have built new facilities and renovated older ones to meet the current expectations of students entering higher education. Simultaneously, we have grown ever stronger financially, even during difficult economic times. Still, this is no time to rest or to become complacent; rather, we should exploit our superlative opportunity to reinforce national respect for Carthage."

Mr. Rivera said his top priority will be the sustained building of the faculty and the curriculum. He noted Carthage's record of hiring superlative teacher-scholars from top graduate programs, and he stressed the need to provide adequate support for their continuing professional development. Concerning the curriculum, he emphasized the need to focus on the senior thesis. "I want to expand the conversation on undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities, and to engage the entire campus," he said. "A strong senior thesis reflects top-level scholarship at the undergraduate level."

Mr. Rivera noted that the College will be preparing for its decennial reaccreditation visit in 2014 by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. He observed that the self-study process in preparation for the visit can reinforce the culture of assessment at Carthage. Although the quality of academic programs is not in question, Mr. Rivera pointed out that "cogent measurements of programs" are critical for the re-accreditation process.

Asked about the challenges facing the College, Mr. Rivera said Carthage confronts many of the issues that cut across higher education in general. But the new Provost added, "We have been fortunate to be among just a handful of schools that are in a good position to face those challenges.

"We have continued to hire faculty; students have come here in ever-increasing numbers, and our budgets are strong," he pointed out. "Other institutions are looking at budget cutbacks and faculty layoffs, and that is not the case here."

In announcing Mr. Rivera's appointment, President Campbell said: "Carthage undertook an exhaustive national search that extended across more than seven months. Initially, the search concentrated exclusively on candidates outside the College. Only after all the campus visits were completed, and the response of the community assessed, did I determine that it would be wise to look within the College, as well. It was at that point that I first asked Julio to consider becoming a candidate."

The new Provost admitted that giving up full-time teaching will be difficult. "I love the classroom. Engaging students in the learning process is very special to me. I hope to teach occasionally, and will miss the times I am not directly involved."

As for his approach to leadership, Mr. Rivera said: "I try to listen to a variety of viewpoints, and to make decisions with a breadth of perspective. Most fundamentally, it is essential to have a guiding vision, and to formulate policies that move Carthage ever closer to its goals."

— Bill Kurtz, Carthage College