39: Amy Dittmar (Rice) on Effectively Working with Your Provost

On this episode of Deans Counsel, moderators Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Finance at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business since 2022. Amy is also a Professor of Economics at Rice's School of Social Sciences. Amy comes to Rice from the University of Michigan, where she held a series of top-level administrative roles, including acting provost, senior vice provost, executive vice president for academic affairs, and chief academic and budgetary officer. In this wide-ranging discussion, Amy talks about key issues for provosts today, holding the mission for the broader institution, and what keeps a provost up at night. Also covered:• Dean, remember you are part of the broader institution • Combating the criticisms of higher ed with student success. • Using the Provost as the “bad guy” when dealing with tough decisions • Bringing solutions when sharing your problems with the provost• Learning to compartmentalize so that key stressors don’t overload you • Knowing your own personal de-stressing mechanisms • Being sensitive to the volatility of your costs and revenues Learn more about Amy DittmarComments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note at [email protected] for listening.-Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts--DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn FerryDeansCounsel.com