New Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Patrick Farrell began his duties Monday.
The UW-Madison administration defines the provost position as the chief operating officer of the University and deputy to the chancellor in the overall academic leadership and administrative management of the University,\ according to the Provost's Office's website.
Also, ""the provost acts as the chief executive officer of the institution in the chancellor's absence,"" the site reads.
Farrell said he plans to spend the beginning months in his position assessing the University community environment and familiarizing himself with lesser-known aspects of the UW-Madison campus.
""I plan to make it clear that campus-wide input will be important from the start,"" Farrell told University Communications in March, when the University administration announced his new position. ""One of my key agenda items will be to begin building a more cohesive vision for the campus.""
Farrell's most recent position was the executive associate dean of the UW-Madison College of Engineering.
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