Provost Site
All Duke Sites

History of the Provost Position at Duke University

Duke Classroom photo

The 1902-1903 bylaws of Trinity College provided for the position of Dean. This officer was to act for the President in the latter's absence. The President at that time, John C. Kilgo, was still charged with "direction of the discipline and work of the College." In 1910, when William Preston Few succeeded John Kilgo, the Deanship began to acquire more responsibility for the educational program.

Up until 1927-1928, the catalog places the Dean just after the President in the list of officers of the administration. In the 1928-1929 and later catalogs until 1960, the chief academic officer had the title of Vice President of the Educational Division (there were three vice presidents: of education, student life, and public relations). The Vice President in the Educational Division also at times held the concurrent title of Dean of the University.

The position of Provost was formally established by a revision of the University's by-laws adopted in 1962, although R. Taylor Cole had used the title since 1960. As his autobiography states, "I was asked by Dr. Hart which title I would prefer, Provost or Vice-President. I decided Provost had an appealing sound to it and I accordingly became Provost with oversight of academic affairs of Duke University." (The Recollections of R. Taylor Cole, Duke Press, 1983, p. 156.) University Archivist Emeritus William King believes that Cole proposed the title to Hart first and not, as this sentence implies, that Hart had it in mind. Hart would have used and been experienced with the term Vice-President.

Provosts of Duke University

Vice Presidents, Educational Division

Deans