Editor’s note: This message was sent to the CSU community by Interim Provost Janice Nerger on Feb. 16.

Dear Colleagues:

I am extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Associate Professor Thomas Siller as Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs (VPUA). Dr. Siller will assume the duties of the VPUA effective immediately, joining the Provost’s leadership team from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he has served on faculty since 1988. He also served for 12 years as Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering.

If you have not yet had the good fortune to engage with Tom, please introduce yourself when you have the opportunity. When you do, you will quickly learn three things about Tom: (1) he is an innovator – spearheading endeavors that improve experiential learning and academic programs; (2) he is collaborative and welcoming – he listens and always invites the ideas of others; and (3) he has an intense commitment to elevating student success and enhancing the academic experience.

Tom has dedicated his career at CSU to advocating for students at every turn, and that has earned him the admiration of his colleagues and students year after year, over his 35 years at CSU. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his outstanding pedagogy, student engagement and advising, and distinguished service, and for his work to empower STEM scholars and teachers. I have great respect for Tom and all he has contributed to elevate our mission of access and inclusive excellence. He has focused not only on students who come to CSU to study, but also on encouraging middle and high school students to pursue a STEM education through competitions, summer camps and other opportunities he has helped organize.

Tom’s accomplishments as a teaching and research scholar are as impressive as his dedication to our students. He has taught more than 20 different undergraduate and graduate courses in addition to several external workshops and short courses. Additionally, he is a prolific writer, authoring or co-authoring two books, dozens of journal articles and book chapters, and presenting at more than 50 national and international conferences. He has managed to do all this while also supervising Ph.D. and master’s degree students and building an impressive funding history.

One colleague described Tom as “absolutely one of the best people on our campus.” I agree and am so thrilled to have him serve on the Provost’s leadership team. Please join me in congratulating him and welcoming him in the role of Interim VPUA.

Best regards,

Jan

Janice L. Nerger, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs