Dr. Luis Glaser, UM’s executive vice president and provost, recently announced his resignation to the UM community. After serving for 18 years as the head of students’ academic affairs and chief budget officer, Glaser is stepping down to dedicate more time to teaching.
“I am a scientist. It’s time to step aside and let someone with new vision and new ideas come in,” Glaser said. “There is never a perfect time to step aside, but I think it is time.”
Before he was provost at UM, Glaser taught at Washington University in St. Louis for 33 years. He was the director for biological science and also was in charge of the research lab.
Glaser lives his life by two philosophies.
“One is, never do things halfway. Commit and give all you got,” Glaser said. “The other is strive for excellence.”
Glaser has left his mark on UM, through both his efforts as an administrator and his relationships at UM.
“Dr. Glaser has so much knowledge about the subjects he teaches,” said Swati Chalavarya, a sophomore who took Cellular and Molecular Biology with Glaser last semester. “You can really tell that he loves what he’s doing.”
“I have worked with Dr. Glaser for six years,” Elizabeth Markowitz, Glaser’s executive assistant, said. “Dr. Glaser is absolutely wonderful and is totally devoted to the university. He is brilliant and cares very deeply about the school.”
Glaser will continue to teach biology and work closely with UM President Donna Shalala. He wants the new provost to recognize the height to which he and others are trying to take the school.
“I hope the next provost continues to make progress. Progress makes UM better and more powerful,” he said. “We need more gifted people in the arts, science, mathematics, whichever area. I hope he continues to move us forward.”
Glaser went on to say that UM is young compared to other institutions that are hundreds of years old, and that the university will become better and more recognized as it gets older.
“People make progress happen,” Glaser said. “Recruiting the best students will only make us better.”
“[Glaser’s] legacy will be a university that is better, both academically and financially, as a result of his countless contributions and tireless efforts to make this university better,” Markowitz said. “Dr. Glaser will be missed.”
Judith Hudson can be contacted at j.hudson1@umiami.edu.