Folt's appointment comes as College administrators are beginning to prepare for a two-year strategic planning process following the College's recent budget cuts and administrative restructuring. Folt, who said she was "honored" and "excited" about her appointment, will be leading the strategic planning process with President Kim.
The strategic planning process will include initiatives to support the faculty, "strengthen and develop [the College's] curriculum" and enhance the aspects of students' education that they consider most important, Folt said.
The provost is "Dartmouth's second ranking officer and is directly responsible for overseeing the academic integrity, educational and research programs of the institution, including the three professional schools and Arts & Sciences," according to the College press release announcing the appointment.
As Folt transitions permanently into her new position, Kim said he hopes the position will change back to the more traditional role of chief academic officer.
"I felt comfortable moving back to that role having people like Carol Folt within the College," he said. "The provost role is really evolving into a more classic provost role."
Folt will take on the full responsibilities of the role as soon as the next dean of the faculty is selected, with the search for the position beginning immediately, Kim said. The faculty will be conducting the search process and it is likely to be strictly internal, according to Kim.
Among her first tasks as permanent Provost, Folt will be expected to "continue with and finish up" all the projects that resulted from the budget reduction process, Kim said.
As part of her role as "chief academic officer," Folt will work to increase the services available to faculty seeking research grants and funding, she said.
Folt will begin to help with the reorganization of the "life sciences" at Dartmouth College, Kim said. Kim and Folt are still consulting with faculty and could not comment to the specifics of a restructuring effort, he said.
"We really do envision this strategic planning process including the vision for Dartmouth across all members of the community," Folt said. "It's quite an exciting time for all of us."
The effort will involve taking advantage of "Dartmouth's size and scope" in order to "do something unique and exciting" with the life sciences program, Folt said.
"We're undergoing major explosion in life sciences as field of knowledge, so one of the exciting areas that [Kim] and I and I think the faculty seek for Dartmouth is trying to increase the connections between the life sciences and the arts and sciences, the life sciences and [Dartmouth Medical School] and [Thayer Engineering School]," Folt said.
Folt's familiarity with Dartmouth will help her succeed as Provost, according to Kim. As a biology professor, Folt has been a member of the Dartmouth faculty since 1983. She has also served in a variety of administrative posts, including dean of graduate studies, a position she held from 2001 to 2004, and dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which she has held since 2004.
"Presidents come from the outside often, as colleges and universities will be looking for a new perspective, yet it's really important that you have people in the administration who know the place well," Kim said.
Kim also said that in working closely with Folt over the past 10 months, that they "complement each other well."
"We really do envision this strategic planning process including the vision for Dartmouth across all members of the community," Folt said. "It's quite an exciting time for all of us."
Although there is no specific timeline for appointing a new dean of faculty, Kim anticipates that the process will be completed "as soon as possible," Kim said.
"The most important thing is that the faculty feel that we respect the process and that their voice has been heard," he said.
Folt estimated that the search process in prior years usually takes between four and six weeks.
The new dean of faculty should be someone who is excited to work across all disciplines within the arts and sciences, Folt said.
"It's not a job that requires a particular discipline," Folt said. "It's more about the relationships and the interests that [the new Dean of Faculty has] in working with students and faculty across disciplines that's the most important part."
As a biologist, Folt's research has focused on toxic metals and the health effects of mercury and arsenic. Folt was recently named a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences.
"[Folt] is on one hand an outstanding scholar and has a love for and understanding of Dartmouth College that is truly unrivaled," Kim said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "She is one of the most talented and visionary administrators that I've ever worked with."
