UNC’s current Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development has been selected to be the next Provost at the University of Central Florida.
Following a nationwide search, Tony Waldrop, who has held his position at UNC since 2001, was selected to be the second-highest ranking officer at UCF.
“I’m looking forward to that next challenge,” Waldrop said.
His job, which is to start Aug. 1, will provide academic leadership for the university’s 12 colleges, multiple campuses and research centers.
At UCF, the provost oversees academic support services and student services and is responsible for curriculum, academic planning, faculty appointments, development, promotion and tenure decisions.
UCF has 53,500 students, more than 10,000 employees and external research funding of $121.7 million.
In his current position, Waldrop works to keep and improve UNC’s standing as a top research university. He also worked on the Carolina North project — a research and mixed-use academic campus planned for two miles north of UNC’s main campus.
A former Morehead scholar, Waldrop holds three degrees from UNC: a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s in physical education and a Ph.D. in physiology.
He graduated as a top five NCAA student athlete. He won the 1973 indoor 1,000-yard run, the 1974 indoor mile NCAA championships and six Atlantic Coast Conference titles.
