Ask a high school student a question about a provost, and not too many are familiar with the term.
There are many definitions of the word provost. One is the chief jailor at a prison. Another means chief magistrate in some Scottish cities. At the University of Miami provost is neither of the two.
UM Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Luis Glaser is the Chief Operating Officer. All the deans report to him, and he has overall control of the money. “My job is to make all programs better, and to do that, I have influence over the money,” he said.
Even though Glaser is the Executive Vice President, he also finds time in his daily schedule to teach class. Provost Glaser reverts to Professor Glaser, at home in the Cox Science Building where he teaches BIL 255, Cellular and Molecular Biology.
“I teach because at the University of Miami, that is what we are all about,” he said.
Glaser said one of his greatest satisfactions as a college administrator and teacher is watching students grow up. “It is great, because they come in as babies, and I am still in touch with many of them.”
Not only is Glaser a proponent of academics, but also Greek life. Glaser is also a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
Glaser sees many great things ahead at the University of Miami. “We are going to take a different approach to general education,” he said. “We will become less rigid, and we will focus on the students ability to process information,” he added, ” noting that he foresees a significant increase in student research activity.
The University of Miami also is starting a Capital Campaign, which Glaser believes this will have a great effect on the university by providing better facilities for education purposes. There will also be more student scholarships available.
In the near future, UM will see completion of a new convocation center, construction of more student apartments, additional buildings for architecture, completion of the library, and groundbreaking for the new School of Nursing.
Glaser offers three tips to new students at the University of Miami. First, each student must understand proper time management. Second, experience people outside of the classroom. “At the University of Miami, we have an extraordinary collection of people. You can learn as much from fellow students as you can learn inside the classroom.” And third, get involved in activities and socialize.
A final bit of learned advice from the provost: “Use the university as a resource. If you do not tell the system your needs, the system will never know. Start a dialogue with the system. Do not be shy, because you will be a better student and a better human being because of that.”