Executive Vice President and Provost Gretchen Ritter joined the University of Minnesota on July 31.

Chief among her responsibilities are the approval of faculty promotion and tenure, as well as academic programs across the University and operations, planning, and continued support and growth of the Twin Cities campus, and guiding the implementation of the University’s strategic plan on the Twin Cities campus.

Get to know her a little better through the Q&A below.

What excites you about joining the University of Minnesota?
The University of Minnesota is a superb university. When I visited, I took a stroll down the Scholars Walk on the Twin Cities campus and I was awed by the history of remarkable achievement represented there. Our faculty and alumni have been honored with nobel prizes, pulitzers, MacArthur Genius Grants, national academy membership, the national book award, among other prestigious international or national awards. 

What were your favorite things you learned about the University of Minnesota through the appointment process?
I learned about the breadth and excellence of the Twin Cities campus and the broader university system. One of the things that drew me to the University of Minnesota was Rebecca Cunningham. Over the course of the search process as I learned more about her, I came to appreciate the values, commitment, and skill set she brings to her role. Given all of the challenges that are happening in higher education right now, I think the University of Minnesota is quite fortunate to have her serving as the president.

What drew you to your profession? 
I have been interested in American politics and our democratic tradition since I was a kid. My father ran for office when I was a teenager and served as the District Attorney in the county where I grew up. That’s what drew me to my discipline of political science. When I first had an opportunity to teach (while I was still a graduate student at MIT), I came to appreciate what an impact you can have as a good teacher—helping to guide a young person on their path to adulthood. That is still one of the reasons why I especially like working with first-year students. Going to college is a huge transition moment—and having someone who supports and challenges you at that juncture in your life is a wonderful role to have.

What are your top priorities in your first few months at the University amidst the current challenges in higher education?
My biggest priority is to get to know the Twin Cities campus. I am planning to visit every school and college. I am eager to get into conversation with our students, staff, and faculty—to learn from them about what makes this university great and where we can do more to support their success. I am also pleased to have a chance to work with all of our great deans, and to collaborate with the chancellors on the other University campuses. Other issues I will be focused on early on include managing the academic budget in the context of a changed federal landscape, and strengthening our admissions and enrollment functions.

What steps will you take to meet the diverse needs of the University community?
For all of our schools and colleges, we expect the faculty, chairs, and deans to be focused on excellence in education, scholarship, and public outreach. But what that looks like varies a great deal by discipline and area. In the arts, excellence scholarship may be expressed in terms of your participation in a juried competition or a curated exhibition, while in the sciences the focus may be on your ability to obtain an R1 grant, or to serve as the lead author on an article that is published in a top journal like Nature. Similarly, in some fields the approach to education may include studio reviews, while in another field students may learn through dialogue and discussion in a small seminar. Hearing from our faculty and students about their goals and needs is a good place to start in understanding how we can best support their success. Finally, we want to support all of our schools and colleges as they express our land grant commitment to serving the people of the state—whether it be in terms of helping farmers to understand and respond to new diseases that may affect their crops, or through partnering with some of the tribal colleges to address the shortage of licensed preschool teachers in rural communities.

What are some of your hobbies?
I love to read great fiction (and will miss my book group from New York). I enjoy cooking, entertaining, outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking and biking, and spending time with my family (my wife and our four adult kids) and our pets (two dogs and a cat).

What is the best advice you have received?
Pay attention to the things that bring you happiness, and take time to recognize and appreciate others.