David R. Harris (sociologist)

David R. Harris is an American sociologist and academic administrator. He is currently the president of Union College and chancellor of Union University. He previously served as the provost of Tufts University.[1][2]

David R. Harris
19th President of Union College
Assumed office
July 1, 2018
Preceded byStephen Ainlay
8th Provost of Tufts University
In office
July 1, 2012 – July 1, 2018
Preceded byJamshed Bharucha
Succeeded byNadine Aubry
Personal details
SpouseAnne Harris
Children3
Alma materNorthwestern University (BA, PhD)

Education edit

Harris studied at Northwestern University where he received a B.S. in human development and social policy in 1991.[3] He later received his Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern in 1997.[3]

Career edit

Harris was the former senior associate dean at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences and a former deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to his position as dean, he was also Cornell's vice provost, deputy provost, and interim provost. Before Cornell he was also associate chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Michigan.[4]

During his time at Cornell, he became the founding director of Cornell's new Institute for the Social Sciences in 2004. In 2005 Cornell's provost Carolyn Martin asked him to become the university's first vice provost for social sciences. Two years later Harris became Cornell's first deputy provost, which included acting as the provost's alternate. He played an important role in Reimagining Cornell, a strategic initiative aimed at the financial and administrative reconstruction of the university.[5] In 2010, Harris joined the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary for human services policy. After, he returned as senior associate dean of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences.[6][7]

In 2018, Harris was selected for honoris causa membership in Omicron Delta Kappa at Union College.

References edit

  1. ^ "Office of the President". Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  2. ^ "History of the Office". Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "CV" (PDF). David R. Harris. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Northwestern Alumni Association - David R. Harris". Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  5. ^ Thurler, Kim (28 March 2012). "Tufts Taps Cornell's David R. Harris as Provost". Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  6. ^ Kelley, Susan (15 March 2010). "David Harris takes leave to join Obama administration". Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  7. ^ Crawford, Franklin (23 August 2007). "David Harris named to new position of deputy provost". Retrieved 25 June 2016.