Dr. Dennis Jacobs Accepts Appointment as Provost of Fordham University
Lisa Kloppenberg, J.D., Dean and Professor of Law at Santa Clara University, Named SCU’s Interim Provost
SANTA CLARA, CA, January 14, 2019 – Dennis Jacobs, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Santa Clara University (SCU), has accepted the appointment to be the next provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Fordham University in New York. He will assume his new role on July 1, 2019.
“Provost Jacobs has been engaged in many of the University’s most notable academic and administrative achievements. He led the University’s integrated strategic planning process, promoted a vibrant academic community, inspired meaningful community engagement, and fostered inclusive excellence in all that we do,” said Michael Engh, S.J., president of Santa Clara University. “I am personally grateful for his partnership over these past eight years, and know our community joins me in wishing him well in his next impressive endeavor.”
During his eight-year tenure as SCU’s Provost, Jacobs held executive responsibility for overseeing all undergraduate and graduate educational programs and academic support functions, as well as providing oversight of the Office of Student Life and Information Services Division. Jacobs helped establish new degree programs in business analytics, neuroscience, bioengineering, legal compliance, teacher training for Catholic school educators, and ethnic studies, to name a few. Over the past eight years, Santa Clara University has hired an extraordinary set of talented faculty and gifted administrators who will propel the institution to new heights.
“It has been a privilege and a joy to be part of SCU, which has been among the most transformative experiences of my career,” said Jacobs. “The faculty, staff, and students with whom I have had the pleasure of working are distinguished by their knowledge, care for the world, and embrace of Santa Clara’s distinctive Jesuit mission. This is a uniquely dynamic place, and one that I will miss. At the same time, after eight wonderful years, I am excited to begin a new challenge at Fordham, a nationally acclaimed Jesuit university in New York.”
Jacobs will conclude his tenure at the end of the 2018-19 academic year. The University will conduct a national search for his successor. Lisa Kloppenberg, J.D., dean and professor of law at SCU, has been named interim provost effective April 1, 2019. Dean Kloppenberg joined SCU in 2013 from the University of Dayton School of Law, where she served as dean and professor of law. A West Coast native, Dean Kloppenberg received her B.A. from the University of Southern California and her J.D. from the University of Southern California Law Center. An expert in conflict resolution, Dean Kloppenberg is active with numerous academic and professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Law School Admission Council, and the Association of American Law Schools.
“Among the many important roles of the Provost is working collaboratively with deans and faculty to guide all aspects of SCU’s robust academic life. I have the privilege of working for exceptionally talented colleagues not only within the School of Law, but across all disciplines at SCU, and am committed to working closely with Provost Jacobs over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition,” said Kloppenberg.
“Dean Kloppenberg is a respected, valued leader at SCU who has built many collaborative relationships with faculty, other deans, the President’s Cabinet, alumni, donors, and others to drive continued improvements at the School of Law,” said Engh. “Thanks to her leadership, the School of Law has right-sized enrollment, balanced budgets, and revised core aspects of the curriculum for today’s modern applications. She also led the successful fundraising for the Howard S. and Alida S. Charney Hall of Law, which opened last year. As we continue to advance our standards of academic and operational excellence, I am confident Dean Kloppenberg’s experience and insights will serve SCU well.”
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 9,000 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering; plus graduate degrees in business, engineering, education, counseling psychology, theology, and law. Distinguished nationally by the highest graduation rate among all U.S. masters comprehensive universities, California’s oldest operating higher education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
Media Contact
Deepa Arora | SCU Media and Internal Communications | darora@scu.edu | 408-554-5125