Cathy L. Barlow has officially accepted the job of UNCW provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. In May of 2009 Barlow was named interim provost, a position she held until accepting the full-time position Monday, May 10.

“As provost and vice chancellor, I want to listen and learn from all members of the university community as well as our external partners and constituents,” Barlow told UNCW news. “Together, we can continue to build on those strengths and collaborate on initiatives for the next decade.”

As provost, Barlow will report directly to Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo and will serve as the chief academic officer of the university.

Barlow came to UNCW in 2000 and was named dean of the Watson School of Education, a position she held until 2009. As dean, Barlow helped raise the quality of the Watson School and assisted in making UNCW’s undergraduate and graduate teacher licensure programs some of the best in the country.

Barlow takes over the position of provost after the brief tenure of Brian Chapman, who resigned after just 9 months. Chapman was named UNCW provost in July 2008 but resigned in April 2009 to “pursue other interests,” according to a statement release by UNCW.

Chapman was in the middle of controversy in March, 2009, when he and a group of other UNCW administrators requested that nude photos of minors be taken out of an art exhibit called “The Century Project.” “The Century Project” is an exhibit showing photographs of nude women of all ages, accompanied by a short personal narrative by each woman.

This action upset many teachers and students, as Chapman failed to consult with fellow faculty members and interested parties on the issue. One of Barlow’s top concerns is to keep the lines of communication open between administration and faculty.

“Communication with faculty and staff will be my number one priority moving forward,” she told UNCW news. “We have so many strengths on this campus – highly qualified and dedicated faculty, top-notch academic programs, mutually beneficial community relationships at the local and state level, a culture that values diversity and international experiences, and high achieving students who are willing to work hard to learn and succeed.”

Barlow is a graduate of Milligan College where she earned her bachelor’s degree in education and psychology. She received her master’s degree in special education at Ball State and received her doctorate in leadership/administration statistics from the University of Tulsa.