Norris named permanent Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
May 7, 2021
Effective immediately, Heather Norris will assume the permanent position of Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor after serving as interim since February 2020.
Chancellor Sheri Everts wrote in a campus-wide email Friday that Norris’ leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic has been “exceptional.”
“She has risen to each challenge, building consensus, leading by example and fostering innovation and creative solutions under immensely difficult circumstances,” Everts wrote.
Norris joined the App State community in 2003 as a faculty member in Walker College of Business. After holding the positions of assistant dean for undergraduate programs and senior associate dean, she became the permanent dean for the school in 2016.
Before her career on the mountain, Norris served on the faculty at Bowling Green State University, Pennsylvania State University and West Virginia University. She was also a board of directors member for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
Norris received a bachelor of business administration in finance from James Madison University. She also completed her master’s and Ph.D. in finance from Penn State University.
MuChao • May 25, 2021 at 10:25 am
Wait a minute…
So departments are often forced spend (tens of) thousands of dollars on national searches (even when often there are already excellent candidates in-house), but the Chancellor decides it’s totally appropriate to simply appoint Norris to the chief academic officer position?
Yeah, no. This is not how it works, Sheri.
This chancellor is such a f’n disgrace to this university and a pox on this community. The resource vampire and every one of her little toadies needs to go.
Lindsey Williams • May 11, 2021 at 3:16 pm
So much for inclusive excellence and diversity. The Chancellor dismisses inclusive searches and diverse applicant pools. She picks her friend like she’s in a good ole boys club. Talk the talk but can’t walk the walk. Chancellor needs to go, and she can take the Provost with her.
Perplexed • May 11, 2021 at 2:27 pm
The Provost position is the Chief Academic Officer and therefore the most important position on campus for academics. And yet neither students nor faculty had any opportunity to hear Dr. Norris’ vision for leading this university and give feedback on this vision. The Chancellor appointed Dr. Norris without any search process, internal or external, and the Provost accepted this without insisting that faculty review her or that a real search take place. What are the takeaways? Should faculty start hiring their friends and people they feel comfortable with, instead of following Diversity, Equity and Inclusion protocols to be sure we give all qualified applicants the opportunity to apply and be sure we hire the best person for the job?