Willamette University has appointed Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, a scholar and higher education professional, as the university’s next provost. Henderson will start the role July 1, succeeding Carol Long, who is retiring after 45 years at Willamette. Long served as department chair, associate dean, and dean in the College of Arts & Sciences before her current role as provost. An English professor for over 30 years, her research specialized in twentieth century British and American literature, the rhetoric of science, and academic administration.  Henderson is currently vice provost for academic affairs at Trinity University. She has “overseen strategic growth initiatives, managed university-wide strategic operations, and supervised critical academic support units, including the Registrar’s Office and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” according to Willamette email sent recently to staff and students.  Henderson attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, as an undergraduate, which she describes as “a school that’s very much like Willamette.” She also holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington. Her main ties to Oregon are her former students.  “I have a whole lot of former students who are working in the Portland area. I’m always glad to come visit Portland, because I get to see [them],” she said.  The provost at Willamette University is the chief academic officer and senior vice president of the institution. The main responsibilities include overseeing academic programs, supervising deans across the different schools and aligning academic goals with overall institutional strategy. As the second-highest-ranking executive of the institution, Henderson will also be the senior adviser to the university president, Steve Thorsett. Henderson sees it as a priority to talk to faculty and students about Willamette’s response to the Covid crisis – especially with regards to budget cuts – and have a better understanding of the university’s values and priorities.  “I’m definitely one of the people who’s happy to take responsibility for decisions. I want to make sure that I’ve heard the voices of people before I make those decisions. The fiscal crises across higher education are very real, and I think that we have some of the most creative minds in the world at our universities to like be tackling these kinds of challenges,” Henderson said in an interview. Despite facing budget issues, Willamette has not been hit as hard by the pandemic as many other schools due to proactive decision-making, she said. The university “seems to be more on the leading edge of thinking about what’s next in education, where a lot of your peers and aspirant institutions aren’t there yet. They’re in denial that higher education is not the same as it used to be.” Her role also deals with enrolling and retaining students. She said that despite a decreasing college-age population, liberal arts institutions like Willamette have a promising future.  “I know a lot of students [in Texas] are really looking for liberal arts education that may not be in this location. I also think there are a whole lot of other people in our country who are interested in education, and we need to meet them where they are,” Henderson said. Henderson is incorporating into the role after a year marked by student protests and debates around free speech on college campuses. A First Amendment historian and media ethics expert, she understands the importance of being “involved in conversations with students as much as possible about how to protest effectively and to do it within the bounds of the law, because that helps everyone,” she said. “When people just yell at each other, it doesn’t help us all that much as a society.” Henderson considers herself a professional who listens actively to the needs of students and faculty. At Trinity University, she meets regularly with students and organizations involved in activism to better understand their thoughts and needs.  “I am someone who is known on this campus as the most wide open door person. I can’t see that changing in the future,” she said. Contact reporter Alan Cohen: [email protected]. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Willamette University names Jennifer Henderson provost appeared first on Salem Reporter.