Miami University

Jeffrey Herbst named provost

Jeffrey Herbst, professor of politics and international affairs and chair of the department of politics at Princeton University, has been named provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

“Professor Herbst has chaired one of the largest academic departments at Princeton while building a national reputation as one of the brightest stars in his scholarly discipline. His commitment both to students and to high academic standards fits well with Miami's educational objectives. Furthermore, his research interests in international affairs will help us ensure that Miami graduates are well-trained to cope with the realities of an ever-shrinking world,” said President Jim Garland.

“I am deeply honored and tremendously excited to assume the position of provost at Miami. I look forward to working with Jim Garland and my new colleagues to further strengthen Miami and to build on its outstanding reputation,” Herbst said.

Herbst currently is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, working on a project about geography and political development.

Herbst's research explores the public policy and politics of sub-Saharan Africa, including peacekeeping, how the United States can promote democratic liberalization in Africa and what the international community can do to further economic growth in poor regions of the world. He has been affiliated with the University of Zimbabwe; the University of Ghana, Legon; the University of Cape Town; and the University of the Western Cape.

He serves on the editorial boards of the Princeton University Press, the Journal of Modern African Studies and World Politics. Herbst has held a variety of administrative posts at Princeton including director of the Council of Regional Studies and acting associate dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

His book States and Power in Africa was awarded the Gregory M. Luebbert Prize for the best book in comparative politics in 2000 from the American Political Science Association and was a finalist for the 2001 Melville J. Herskovits Award for the best book in African studies from the African Studies Association. He has also received Fulbright Scholarship to study in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.

He is the author or co-author of several books or monographs and more than 30 journal articles, reports, book chapters and book reviews.

Herbst earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton in 1983 and a master's and doctorate in political science from Yale University in 1985 and 1987.

He succeeds Ronald Crutcher, who left Miami in 2004 to become president of Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. John Skillings, former dean of the College of Arts and Science, has been serving as interim provost.

Herbst begins his new duties July 1.

Date Published: 04/21/2005
Volume: 24   Number: 33