New Assistant Provost Named

After a six-month search, Provost Mark Stanton, Ph.D., named Rebecca Cantor, Ph.D., assistant provost on January 28, 2016. Cantor will oversee strategic academic projects, research and apply best practices in higher education, facilitate communication from the provost’s office related to important academic issues, and help advance university initiatives. Specifically, she will help support efforts to accomplish the university’s Academic Vision 2022, which outlines goals to increase APU’s academic reputation as a high-quality, comprehensive university and cultivate a culture of trust and collaboration in the pursuit of excellence.

An experienced administrator, writer, and educator, Cantor earned her doctorate from Claremont Graduate University and taught at Loyola Marymount University and the University of California, Irvine, and brings a wealth of practical experience to this position. She began her tenure at APU in 2009 as an adjunct professor for several years, then served as Writing Center director for two years, and most recently as the first executive director of writing programs. In that role, she focused on establishing the writing curriculum as part of the new General Education (GE) program that involves a cross-discipline approach to writing. Beginning in fall 2016, the GE program will include three new writing courses that build on one another and advance students’ skills throughout their college years. Upon completion, students will walk away with skills that transfer from class to class and into their careers. Given the significance of that charge, she will initially divide her time between both positions to ensure a smooth transition.