Provost Michelle McCauley will step down from her role as executive vice president and provost of Middlebury College at the end of the academic year, according to a message sent to the college community by President Ian Baucom on January 22. McCauley will officially leave her position on June 30, after which she plans to take a sabbatical before deciding whether to continue in academic leadership elsewhere or return to teaching and research at Middlebury.
President Baucom expressed appreciation for McCauley’s service, stating: “I want to express my deep gratitude to Michelle for her exceptional service to Middlebury both as a close advisor to me from the moment I was appointed as president and as a leader who has stepped up to do what is best for Middlebury time and again. Throughout her career, Michelle has continually accepted new challenges without hesitation, even in the most trying of circumstances, doing so with steadiness and deep care for our people and our mission.”
McCauley joined Middlebury in 1995 as a professor of psychology. Her research has addressed legal and environmental decision-making as well as eyewitness memory. She directed Middlebury’s Conservation Psychology Lab and co-founded The Vermont Center for Behavioral Science Research on Climate and the Environment in 2021. That same year, she became the first director of the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation.
After the passing of former Provost Jeff Cason, McCauley moved into senior administration roles at Middlebury, initially serving as interim provost for 18 months before being named executive vice president and provost in 2024. During her tenure, she supported faculty research initiatives and led efforts such as developing a program in Copenhagen for first-year students when campus enrollment increased following the pandemic. She also co-chaired a task force focused on artificial intelligence that included members from across the college community.
Following last fall’s decision by President Baucom and the Board to end residential graduate programs in Monterey, McCauley led efforts related to winding down those programs while supporting remaining students through completion.
President Baucom noted: “On a personal and professional level, Michelle has been a wonderful colleague—a wise, selfless counselor, dedicated to the best for our entire Middlebury community.”
A national search will be conducted for McCauley’s successor. More information about this process is expected soon.
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