Here's who will lead the search for Penn's next provost

A committee has been formed to replace departing Penn Provost Vincent Price, the group’s chair announced Tuesday.

J. Larry Jameson, the dean of the Perelman School of Medicine, will head the group. On Dec. 2 the University announced that Price will be leaving Penn to become the president of Duke University next summer.

The group will include 11 faculty members, four students, two “consultants,” one staff member and an ex officio participant. College senior Kat McKay, the president of the Undergraduate Assembly, will be among the student representatives.

“The Committee is consulting widely with members of the Penn community to ensure that we fully understand the scope of the Provost’s responsibilities and the opportunities and challenges he or she will face in the years ahead,” Jameson wrote in an email. “We are especially interested in hearing the perspectives of Penn’s students at this early stage in the search process.”

The provost serves, per Penn’s website, as the University’s chief academics officer — overseeing “teaching and learning across the university, including education, research, faculty affairs and student life.”

Jameson, who also serves as executive vice president for the university’s health system, publicly solicited names for possible nominees via an online portal.

“The Committee has been asked to complete its work expeditiously. In support of this goal, we ask that you make any nominations or suggestions as soon as possible,” Jameson added.

Price, who has served as provost since January 2009, will begin his term at Duke on July 1. Before assuming the role of provost, Price served as Associate Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication and interim provost. During his tenure, his office kickstarted the Campaign for Community, a University-sponsored initiative to foster campus dialogue on difficult issues of social importance. July 1.