EUGENE, Ore. -- (Sept. 19, 2011) - Versatile administrator Lorraine Davis has been appointed by University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere to serve as acting provost at the UO for next year. She will fill in for Senior Vice President and Provost James Bean, who has been granted a one-year sabbatical during his recovery from a pulmonary embolism he suffered in June.

"Lorraine Davis is a tremendous administrator who has proved herself more than capable of stepping into many roles at the UO, and of doing so with vision and integrity," Lariviere said. "As in every other position she has held, I know that Lorraine will serve with distinction as the top academic officer while Jim Bean is recovering."

Davis, whose appointment is effective Oct. 1, is a retired administrator and faculty member who currently serves part-time as a special assistant to the president, provost and athletics director. She was appointed interim athletics director in March 2010, replacing Mike Bellotti, and served until Rob Mullens was hired and took over the permanent position four months later.

Davis, who previously held the position of vice president for academic affairs, said Monday that she is honored to serve the university and to assist during Bean's recovery. She expects a learning curve as she gets fully up to speed on current academic issues, but intends to maintain what she described as the "upward trajectory" of the institution.

"This is not something I sought, but I do it out of a sense of duty and love and gratitude for the university," she said. "With the strong leadership team that is in place, and that I will have the opportunity to work with, I hope to keep the institution moving forward and maintain the University of Oregon's strong academic status."

Davis joined the UO faculty in 1972 and served 20 years as a professor in the College of Human Development and Performance, teaching graduate research and statistics. She became graduate coordinator and department head in the UO school and community health program, then was appointed vice provost for academic personnel in 1990. Davis served as vice president for academic affairs from 2001 to 2006, with the deans of all UO schools and colleges reporting to her.

She earned her doctorate from the UO in health education, and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics and health and physical education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Bean, who has served as UO provost for the past three years, announced a week and a half ago that he will return to teaching and research during a 60 percent sabbatical appointment over the coming year.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Mosley, UO media relations, 541-346-3606, jmosley@uoregon.edu

SOURCE: Lorraine Davis, acting UO provost, 541-346-2041, lgd@uoregon.edu