New VP will focus on ‘entire student life cycle’

CGU President Len Jessup announced this week that archeology and anthropology scholar Diane Chase will join CGU in the new role of Vice President for Academic Innovation, Student Success & Strategic Initiatives.

Chase, who most recently served as executive vice president and provost of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) for more than three years, will begin at the university September 1.

The new position will take a more holistic approach that oversees “the entire student life cycle, including recruiting, admissions, onboarding, student experience, retention, graduation, and related student outcomes,” Jessup’s announcement said.

The announcement also noted administrative trends resulting in the creation of similar innovative positions “at other top institutions including Arizona State University, Clemson University, George Mason University, and the University of Michigan.”

With specific regard to Admissions and Enrollment–which has been successfully managed and led by Interim Vice President Chris Bell for some 18 months–Jessup’s announcement also stated that Tim Council, who has held the position of dean of admissions, has been promoted to assistant vice president of enrollment and dean of admissions and will report directly to Chase.

Chase holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and is a highly regarded archeologist and prolific scholar who is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She served as vice provost for academic program quality at the University of Central Florida before moving to UNLV, where she focused on elevating the university’s research, teaching, and community impact, as well as boosting student success.

At UNLV, Jessup noted, Chase helped the institution to achieve status as an R1institution––“very high research activity”––several years ahead of schedule and helped establish the MGM Resorts Public Policy Institute, among other collaborations. Chase and her team also effectively used predictive analytics for improving student retention, progression, and completion rates at UNLV.

Accompanying Chase to Claremont is her husband, Arlen Chase, who is joining Pomona College as a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology.