Timothy Smith hired as Randolph’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs
Timothy Smith
Randolph College announced today the appointment of Timothy Smith as the new provost and and vice president for academic affairs. The announcement comes after nearly a year-long, highly competitive, national search.
Smith, who currently serves as interim provost at Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, will begin his tenure at Randolph July 1.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Tim Smith to Randolph College as our next provost and vice president for academic affairs,” said Randolph President Sue Ott Rowlands. “Tim impressed the search committee with his knowledge, experience, and commitment to student success. Tim brings a wealth of experience in recruitment, retention, high impact practices, and best practices in liberal arts education to his new role. His commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will also help build our campus community and contribute to the health of the region.”
An art history professor with a 17-year tenure at Birmingham-Southern College, Smith served as associate provost for five years before assuming his most recent position as interim provost in March 2022. He also served as interim provost in 2018. He was also a visiting assistant professor at DePaul University between 2002 and 2006, and he served as instructor in art history for Florida State University between 1994 and 1996. Smith was also an art history instructor for the Florida State University London Study Center in 1996 and 1998.
“I am truly honored to join Randolph College’s talented team of faculty, staff, and administrators at an important time for the institution,” Smith said. “With the TAKE2 curricular model in place and new academic programs being introduced, I look forward to working closely with the campus community to continue this exciting trajectory and further advance academic excellence, innovation, and student success.”
Smith said he looks forward to getting involved in the Randolph community and working closely with faculty, staff, and students on a daily basis.
“Randolph College’s student-centered mission aligns well with my own educational philosophy as I firmly believe in the benefits afforded by small, liberal arts colleges: emphasis on interdisciplinary inquiry, development of critical reasoning skills, and a high level of direct engagement between students and faculty,” he added. “As someone who was a first-generation college student, I am also drawn to Randolph’s commitment to providing opportunity and support for all students as they strive to reach their fullest potential.”
Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in art history from the University of South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in history and the criticism of art from Florida State University in 2002.
