Lang
10/16/20
The University of Iowa has ended its search for a new Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion without filling the position.
School officials said Thursday that all of the potential candidates withdrew after UI President Bruce Harreld announced his pending retirement earlier this month. Harreld’s contract runs through June 2023, and he’s indicated to the Board of Regents that he will stay on as long as it takes to find his successor.
Liz Tovar, the UI Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services, was appointed to the position on an interim basis last August. She replaced former Provost Montse Fuentes, who filled the interim role until her resignation last summer. Fuentes replaced TaJuan Wilson, who resigned from the position in August of 2019 after only weeks on the job. Before Wilson there were two other interims in the position, who took over after former Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Georgina Dodge left in 2017.
There is no indication of when a new search might begin.