Interim Associate Provost: Walter Wales

Provost Robert Barchi has announced the appointment of Dr. Walter Wales, emeritus professor of physics and former Deputy Provost, as Interim Associate Provost, filling the position held by Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing Barbara Lowery, who died earlier this month (Almanac October 15). He will serve as Interim Associate Provost at least through the current academic year.

"Walter is highly regarded by the faculty as a man whose wisdom, judgment, and broad knowledge of the University are unsurpassed. As Deputy Provost, he carried out many of the same responsibilities that are now assigned to the Associate Provost. His wide-ranging administrative experience, his sense of humor, and his compassionate nature will greatly benefit his new office. We are very glad that he has agreed to take on this important assignment."

Dr. Wales, who joined Penn as an instructor in 1959, has held numerous academic administrative posts in the University. Chair of the Physics Department for ten years, he later served as associate dean of SAS twice and as acting dean three times, and held the post of Deputy Provost from 1992 to 1995. More recently he served as University Ombudsman. Dr. Wales also has been active in the Faculty Senate, heading the 1977-80 Task Force on University Governance and serving as chair of the Faculty Senate in 1979-80. He is a 1990 recipient of the prestigious Ira Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching given by the School of Arts and Sciences, and a Fellow of the American Physical Society.