ACU names new provost

Abilene Christian University President Dr. Royce Money announced today that Dr. Jeanine Varner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at ACU, has been named provost. Varner will replace Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen upon his retirement in May 2009.

"I congratulate Dr. Varner on her selection as provost of ACU," said Money. "She has proved to be an exceptional leader the past two years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and I am confident that she will be able to continue the fine work of Provost Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen."

A nationwide search for ACU's chief academic officer began November 2008, under the leadership of Dr. MaLesa Breeding, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at ACU. Ten other faculty members from several different disciplines served on the committee.

"The search was intensive and thorough and I want to thank all the members of the Search Committee, led by Dr.MaLesa Breeding," Money said. "They spent hundreds of hours in their work."

The provost's responsibilities as chief academic officer of the university include both curriculum and co-curriculum, along with the enhancement of students' learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. The academic deans also report to the provost.

Varner brings 34 years of experience in higher education to the position. She served as vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma Christian University for 11 years.

In her current position as dean, Varner has served on the Vision Leadership Team, the President’s Operations Cabinet, the Provost's Cabinet and the Faculty Advisory Committee for ACU Press. She also has assisted in the development and the writing of the Twenty-First Century Vision document, assisted in the implementation planning of the Core Curriculum and the Co-Curriculum and worked on the Missional University Project.

Varner earned her bachelor's degree in English from Oklahoma Christian University in 1973. She earned her master's degree in English in 1975 and her Ph.D. in English in 1981, both from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.

Before serving as vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma Christian University, Varner also served in the roles of chair of the Department of Language and Literature and dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the university.

In addition to her academic experience at Oklahoma Christian University, Varner has been an adjunct faculty member at Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, Texas, a lecturer at The University of Texas in Austin and an assistant professor at Michigan Christian College in Rochester, Mich.

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