SMITHFIELD – After close to a year of searching, Bryant University has found its new provost and chief academic officer.
The university announced Wednesday that Rupendra Paliwal, who helped guide Fairfield, Conn.-based Sacred Heart University’s academic affairs and strategic planning, has been named Bryant’s new provost. He will start his new role on June 1, succeeding Glenn M. Sulmasy.
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Sulmasy departed Bryant in the summer of 2021 after six years as provost to become president of Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.
Bryant said Paliwal will provide leadership in expanding graduate and career-advancement programs at the university, increasing enrollment and adding new academic programs, such as B-STEM, and health and behavioral sciences. He will also work on enhancing experiential learning and Bryant’s investments in new facilities and technology, the university said.
Paliwal, Bryant said, will also work closely with President Ross Gittell’s executive cabinet to enhance the university’s academic and student life learning environment. He’ll also advocate for greater visibility for academic affairs at Bryant, advance selected research and academic areas, and recruit and retain faculty.
In a statement, Paliwal said he is drawn to Bryant’s commitment to delivering “exceptional student outcomes with one of the most robust undergraduate business programs and applied liberal arts programs with clear pathways to professional success.”
Gittell said in a statement that Paliwal will be a significant asset to Bryant. “As provost and chief academic officer, [Paliwal] will work with our faculty and the entire Bryant community to create programs that continue to advance Bryant’s student-centered focus, superior return on education investment, and academic excellence,” Gittell said.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
