Dr. Archie W. Vanderpuye Named HT’s Provost and VP/Academic Affairs
Saturday Feb, 20 2016
(AUSTIN, Texas) 2.20.16 — It is with pleasure that we announce the appointment of Dr. Archie W. Vanderpuye as Huston-Tillotson University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“Dr. Vanderpuye has a proven record of student success that reflects the University’s student centric focus,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Colette Pierce Burnette. “His leadership aligns with the future direction of the University that includes solidifying our status as the intellectual heartbeat of East Austin.”
Dr. Vanderpuye joined HT in 2011 as the Associate Provost where he utilized his scholarly expertise to strengthen existing academic programs and create systems to ensure student persistence.
Dr. Vanderpuye’s positions at HT also included Interim Dean of Enrollment Management and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Before joining HT, Dr. Vanderpuye served as Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of Retention and Intervention at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. Under his leadership at HT, he increased the fall to fall first-time freshman retention rate from an average of 50% to 56% over the past three years and created a spring semester Freshman Seminar course which contributed to an all-time high 72% spring-to-fall first-time freshman retention rate. In addition, he streamlined the faculty approval process for teaching online courses in preparation to offer fully online programs and is revising and implementing policies to ensure compliance with state and federal policies and regulations to advance the University. He also provided oversight of the implementation of the Masters of Education program and a successful Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) program review onsite visit.
Dr. Vanderpuye earned his doctorate in plant science from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. He earned his master’s degree in biology from the University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway; and his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Huston-Tillotson University, a historically black university and the oldest institution of higher education in Austin, Texas, offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree program, is experiencing growth in its Adult Degree Program, has completed the construction of its first new building in 42 years—the Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health and Wellness Center—and completed Downs-Jones Library and Davage-Durden Student Union renovations. The Green is the New Black® student organization is an award winning organization that focuses on sustainability efforts, and, recently, student Joseph Reese won the national Mr. HBCU title.
