Provost Roger J. Ward Joins USM on Interim Basis
Dear Colleagues,
I write today to share that Provost and Executive Vice President Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, will be joining the University System of Maryland (USM) as interim chief administrative and strategy officer in the wake of the departure of Senior Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Ellen Herbst, MBA. Ms. Herbst has been named executive vice president for finance and administration at the University of Delaware. Dr. Ward will begin in this new role Aug. 1.
As a loaned executive to USM, Dr. Ward will help Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD, plan our system’s next chapter by shaping its vision for the future and advancing the work that will get USM there. In addition, he will be responsible for making sure that the system’s administrative functions are ready and resourced to achieve its goals.
It’s not surprising that in his hour of need, Chancellor Perman would look to Dr. Ward to fill this interim position. Dr. Ward has overseen so many critical areas during his tenure at UMB, including academic and faculty affairs, strategy and risk, research integrity and compliance, strategic planning, and so much more, the fact that the system came calling and Dr. Ward answered the call is indicative of the kind of leader he is.
I will be announcing an interim provost in the coming days and wish Dr. Ward well in this interim position.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
President