Tucson Standard

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella has announced Patricia Prelock as the new senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Prelock, an expert in clinical speech-language pathology, is scheduled to begin her role overseeing the university's academic operations on May 19.

Prelock has been serving as interim president at the University of Vermont since October and has been its provost since 2019. She also served as the dean of the UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences and chaired the Department of Communication Sciences. Under her leadership, UVM grew its enrollment by nearly 1,000 students and reached Research 1 university status.

"Dr. Prelock is a world-class academic leader and the ideal person to serve as our provost as we align the U of A around our strategic imperatives," said President Garimella. He expressed gratitude to the search co-chairs Cindy Rankin and David Hahn and highlighted the community's involvement in the selection process.

Prelock was chosen from four finalists following a comprehensive search by a 14-member committee from various university sectors. "My visit to the University of Arizona confirmed for me the extraordinary talent of the faculty, staff and students," remarked Prelock regarding her selection. She appreciated the rigorous search process and the chance to connect with members of the campus community.

Before her recent leadership roles, Prelock was a long-term faculty member at the University of Vermont. Her research focuses on autism in children, interprofessional education, and family-centered care. She has authored over 220 publications and secured nearly $25 million in research funding. Prelock will take over from Ronald W. Marx, who served as interim provost.

"Dr. Prelock brings a depth and breadth of leadership and scholarship experience that resonates across the entire academic enterprise," said search committee co-chair David Hahn. Cindy Rankin highlighted Prelock as a proven leader and mentor, anticipating her partnership with President Garimella and the leadership team.

Prelock holds a doctorate in speech-language pathology from the University of Pittsburgh and degrees in speech pathology from Kent State. She is also being considered for a faculty position at the University of Arizona.