Deputy Provost Vincent Tompkins '84 left the University July 1 to lead a private school in New York City.
He had served as deputy provost since 2005. A search to find his replacement began over the summer, Provost David Kertzer '69 P'95 P'98 told The Herald.
"He is a huge loss for us," Kertzer said. "He just had a terrific ability to have very high standards for Brown, yet be able to deal with people in a way that made them feel good and comfortable."
Tompkins will serve as headmaster of Saint Ann's School, a private school in Brooklyn offering prekindergarten through twelfth grade. The school is known for its academics and unique approach to grading — students receive teacher-written reports instead of grades.
"Students here derive their motivation from things that have a deeper meaning than getting a good grade," Tompkins told the Wall Street Journal in May. "What St. Ann's is doing is working powerfully, and I am going to figure out a way to sustain that and hopefully even make it better."
In a statement on its website, the school announced, "Vince has demonstrated throughout his career as a teacher and administrator how well he understands that the rich and complex interplay between outstanding faculty and students is the backbone of any great educational institution."
Kertzer said he is leading a small, informal committee to find a replacement for Tompkins. Associate Provost Nancy Dunbar is helping coordinate the search, he said.
The University listed the job in the Chronicle of Higher Education on June 8. The listing said that applications were due on July 15.
"We've already received a number of attractive applicants, and we're getting toward the final stages of the search," Kertzer said.
The deputy provost reports to the provost and works closely with senior administrators to coordinate meetings with deans and department chairs, Kertzer said. The job also entails overseeing the Office of Continuing Education, the Office of Institutional Research, and the Office of the Registrar.
"Vince is a terrific person," Kertzer said. "It'll be hard for anybody to follow in his footsteps."
