Small College America Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner - VP Academic Affairs La Roche University
“Welcome to Small College America, a podcast dedicated to exploring the role and value of small colleges in the higher education landscape. I’m Kent Barnds, and I’m joined by my co-host, Dean Hoke.”
Today on Small College America, we’re joined by Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, who serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at La Roche University in Pittsburgh. He is the editor of "The Chief Academic Officer's Handbook: A Provost's Guide to Visionary Leadership," just released by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Gregor previously was Provost and Executive Vice President at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, was Acting Provost and Dean at North Park University in Chicago, and was Department Chair and Professor at Gordon College.
He actively serves on the boards of the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) and, recently, as the President of the Association of Chief Academic Officers (ACAO). He holds memberships or fellowships in prestigious organizations, including the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Royal Historical Society. He has also served as Podcast host of EdUp Provost.
Gregor, welcome to Small College America.”
Q1: Gregor, to begin, could you tell our audience about La Roche University and what attracted you to the role of Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty?
Q2: During your first year at La Roche, what are your top academic priorities? Are there particular initiatives — whether in programs, partnerships, or student success — that you’re especially excited to advance?
Q3: Much of your career has been spent in small college settings. How do the insights in The Chief Academic Officer’s Handbook especially resonate for provosts at smaller, tuition-dependent institutions?
Q4: As well as serving as the book’s editor, you wrote a chapter titled Lifelong Learning for Provosts: Increasing One’s Toolbox. Tell our audience more about that, and discuss one of your takeaways — particularly the idea of ‘embrace being uncomfortable.’
Q5: You’ve served in senior leadership roles at Whitworth, now at La Roche, and with the Association of Chief Academic Officers. What are the most critical skills provosts need today to succeed in such a complex environment?
Q6: Looking ahead, how do you see the role of the provost evolving over the next decade, especially as institutions face current and future unknown challenges?
“Gregor, thank you for joining us today and sharing your insights on leadership and the future of small colleges. For those listening, if you’d like to learn more about Small College America, go to our webpage at www.smallcollegeamerica.net, where you can find details on upcoming episodes, contact us, and suggest topics you’d like us to cover.
This episode of Small College America is made possible with underwriting support from Perspective Data Science, a firm specializing in AI-powered tools and data solutions, including the Financial Compass platform.
On behalf of our guest, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, my co-host Kent Barnds, and myself, thank you for listening.”
