GW Announces Vice Provost Selection


February 23, 2011

Terri Harris Reed

GW announced today after an extensive, nationwide search that Terri Harris Reed will be the university’s first vice provost for diversity and inclusion, effective May 23.

In her new role, Dr. Reed will advance GW’s commitment to all aspects of global diversity that are essential to academic excellence. Dr. Reed will collaborate with many different members of the GW community – including senior leadership, academic departments, student groups and the Division of Human Resources – as well as local and national organizations.

Dr. Reed – who will lead this effort in areas related to student life and enrollment, faculty and talent management, community outreach, institutional advancement and vendor and supplier diversity – will work closely with the President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion on recommendations to be presented to GW President Steven Knapp.

Dr. Reed, currently the vice provost for institutional equity and diversity at Princeton University, says she is delighted and honored to come to GW.

“I have been most impressed by the commitment to inclusive excellence, the thoughtful discourse and active engagement of all members of the GW community,” she says. “I look forward to continuing the dialogue, working with the diversity council and identifying a plan of action to serve as a resource for the many campus partners who are and will be at the heart of this initiative.”

“Terri Harris Reed brings to this new position exactly the right combination of insight, experience, and dedication,” says Dr. Knapp. “I am confident that, working in concert with our university-wide council and our trustee committee on diversity and inclusion, she will effectively lead our efforts to make sure we are fully engaging and supporting the contributions of all members of our community.”

Dr. Reed, who holds a doctorate in rhetoric and intercultural communication from Howard University, has been a senior staff member at Princeton since January 2003. At Princeton, she also served as associate provost for institutional equity and assistant dean of graduate education at the Woodrow Wilson School.

Some of Dr. Reed’s responsibilities at Princeton included co-chairing the university’s diversity council, supervising the Office of Disability Services and overseeing Princeton’s implementation of equal opportunity and affirmative action efforts. In her current role, Dr. Reed has been involved in the enhancement of institutional equity involving internal and external constituents, facilities, teaching, research and extracurricular activities.

She earned an Ed.M. in higher education administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Calvin College.

Dr. Reed came to Princeton from University of Maryland, where she was assistant dean for external affairs at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Affairs and director of student affairs. Her other professional experience includes serving as associate dean of students at University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and coordinating, counseling and coordinating minority recruitment at Oberlin College, Western Maryland College and Calvin College.

“The search committee was composed of individuals representing multiple areas of the university and worked tirelessly for the better half of a year in order to recommend final candidates to the president and provost. The fact student groups, deans, vice presidents and several trustees were involved in the selection demonstrates how devoted the university is to diversity and inclusion,” says Louis Lemieux, chief human resources officer and chairman of the search committee. “On behalf of the many individuals who made time for this selection, we are very excited that Dr. Reed will be joining the GW team.”

According to Provost Steve Lerman, a large number of people devoted time and energy to ensuring the vice provost search was “as thorough and broad as possible.”

“We are extraordinarily pleased with the outcome,” says Dr. Lerman. “As an institution of higher education, one of our highest priorities is creating a learning environment that fosters acceptance, respect and tolerance. Dr. Reed has the experience and expertise that make her perfectly suited to lead our university’s efforts to be an exemplar of how respect for diversity and inclusion can be infused into all of our activities.”