Past Provosts

Past Provosts: The role of the university provost — the university’s chief academic officer, or head of academic affairs — has existed at Georgia State for many years, though the specific title of this role changed through the decades.
During some phases of the university’s history, the actual duties of a provost were fulfilled by a “vice president for academic affairs,” heading up an Office of Academic Affairs, even though there may have been overlap from 1981 through 1989 with another individual holding the title of “provost” for mostly ceremonial purposes during that period.
Since 1990, the titles of provost and vice president for academic affairs have been combined to properly describe one single person as the chief academic officer of Georgia State in terms of both ceremonial role and actual job duties.
The following is a list of individuals who have filled this role since the Board of Regents elevated Georgia State to the official status of a university in 1969.
A person who held the title of “vice president for academic affairs” is included here and is considered a past provost for the historical record by the University Library Archives, even if “provost” was not officially in their title.

William M. Suttles
prior to 1970: Vice President for Academic Affairs
1970-89: Executive Vice-President & Provost

Eli A. Zubay
1971-81: Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Harold E. Davis
1981-82: Interim Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Thomas B. Brewer
1982-88: Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Frederick A. Massey
1988-90: Acting Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Thomas J. La Belle
1990-92: Provost & Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Cleon C. Arrington
1992-94: Acting Provost & Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Ronald J. Henry
1994-2009: Provost & Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Risa Palm
2009-2019: Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Read more about Dr. Palm’s research and achievements as Provost here.

Wendy Hensel
2019 – 2021: Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Nicolle Parsons-Pollard
2022 – present: Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Source: Georgia State University Archives, University Library
— Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost