President Ojakian Names Provost/Senior Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs

President Mark E. Ojakian is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Jane Gates as Provost/ Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU). The system oversees 12 community colleges, four state universities, and Charter Oak State College (the State’s only public online college). Dr. Gates assumes the position currently held by Dr. Estela Lopez who is retiring this summer.  Dr. Gates will officially begin her tenure on August 5. 

“Dr. Gates brings a broad range of academic and personal experience to the position of system Provost. Her enthusiasm and dedication to faculty and students will serve us well as we work to maintain access to high quality public higher education for all who want it."
President Ojakian

Dr. Gates has served in the role of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western Connecticut State University since 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Arkansas State University; a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville; a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Political Science with areas of concentration in Organizational Behavior, Public Policy Analysis, Legislative Process and Chinese Politics from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Gates has completed the Harvard School of Education Management Development Program, Leadership America Forum, and the Harvard Graduate School Institute for Management and Leadership.

President Ojakian called Dr. Gates a strong academic leader and an excellent choice to assume the Provost position at this critical time for the system. “Dr. Gates brings a broad range of academic and personal experience to the position of system Provost.  Her enthusiasm and dedication to faculty and students will serve us well as we work to maintain access to high quality public higher education for all who want it.  I am confident she can continue the work spearheaded by Provost Lopez on transfer and articulation and expansion of financial aid eligibility which will help students get their degrees.”

This year CSCU will serve over 90,000 students on its 17 campuses.  Many of these students are four-year students pursuing baccalaureate advanced degrees, but many more are “non-traditional” students, enrolled in courses leading to associate degrees or certificates, or in individual courses designed to advance their careers.  The Provost is critical to ensuring that that the CSCU institutions have the high quality programs and services that will make students successful.

In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Gates has a distinguished record of community service including serving as a member of the Fairfield County Chapter of the LINKS, Incorporated and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  Dr. Gates has recently been appointed to serve on the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Task Force on Teacher Education.

She is married to Alfred J. Gates and has one son, Jerron Vincent Gates, and one granddaughter, Aliyah, of Reading, Pennsylvania. See her full bio here.

Dr. Gates’ salary as Provost will be $227,500 per year.  She will also be entitled to the standard benefits package received by state employees.