USC’s executive vice provost for academic affairs will leave USC at the end of this semester to become provost at Boston University.

End of an era · Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Jean Morrison will leave at the end of the semester to become provost at Boston University. - Photo courtesy of BU Now

Jean Morrison will be the first female provost in the history of BU and will assume her position in January. She is also the first external hire for the provost position at the university in 30 years.

Morrison said she is looking forward to the new position.

“The opportunity to serve as provost under Boston University President Dr. Robert Brown is an extraordinary opportunity,” she said.

Morrison has worked at USC since 1988, when she joined the faculty as a full-time professor of earth sciences.

She has served on multiple National Science Foundation panels because of her research on the evolution of the earth’s crust, and has also led USC’s Women in Science and Engineering program since 2002.

Over the last few years, Morrison expanded her role at USC to include a number of administrative positions. She has served as vice provost for academic affairs and graduate programs, vice provost for graduate programs and associate dean in the graduate school.

Elizabeth Garrett, interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, said Morrison has made great contributions to USC’s graduate programs.

“She’s led our graduate programs for several years and was responsible for creating data portfolios for all of our Ph.D. candidates,” Garrett said.

In her current position as executive vice provost of academic affairs, Morrison oversees the Office of Undergraduate Programs, the USC Graduate School and the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Programs.

Garrett said Morrison has been extremely influential in creating excellent and innovative academic programming.

“Over the past several years, she’s played a real role in bringing schools together and moving forward in interdisciplinary relationships,” Garrett said.

Garrett said this new position at BU will be a great opportunity for Morrison.

Michael L. Jackson, vice president for student affairs, said Morrison will be missed by those who have worked with her.

“She has been a great friend, colleague and mentor to many of us at USC,” Jackson said in an e-mail. “Boston University is very lucky to have attracted such a capable, energetic and super smart person to become their next provost.”

Her successor at USC will be chosen by the provost at a later time, Garrett said. Information about potential candidates for this position has yet to be released .

In her new position, Morrison said she hopes to help Brown fulfill his agenda for the university.

“Boston University is a large research university that has ambitions to become an even stronger and more competitive university,” she said.

Though Morrison said she is excited about this new position, she said she is also sad to leave USC after 22 years.

“I love my colleagues here and will miss them,” she said. “It’s bittersweet.”