After a successful internal search, Dr. Jason Garvey (Jay), Friedman-Hipps Green and Gold Professor of Education, has been appointed as Interim Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs in the College of Education and Social Services (CESS) Dean’s Office, effective August 1, 2026. Dr. Garvey is an outstanding scholar and a proven leader who has served for the past three years as Executive Director for the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) at UVM. His prior leadership roles in CESS include HESA Program Coordinator and Interim Vice Chair in the Department of Education. As Executive Director of OIRA, Jay has led the transformation of the office into a strategic data and assessment hub, with a focus on data governance, data infrastructure, outreach and education, and equity-centered data practices.
Jay’s interdisciplinary scholarship draws on his expertise in student success, teaching and learning, education policy, and statistics to merge data-informed decision making with social change and impact in higher education. He has secured over $1 million in research funding from agencies including the National Science Foundation and Spencer Foundation, and is the Principal Investigator for QTPiE: Queer and Trans People in Education, a multi-institutional research team with a mission to educate, advocate, and build coalitions that advance equitable policies and practices for queer and trans people in education. Jay is deeply committed to building communities of practice for collective action and prioritizing relational trust and transparent processes that support the success of faculty, staff, and students while advancing institutional priorities.
We are immensely grateful for Jay’s leadership of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and the integrity, intellect, collegiality, and care he brought to the role of Executive Director. Plans for the national search for his replacement will be shared with campus soon.
While Jay’s presence on the senior leadership team will be missed, we are delighted to congratulate him on his appointment to the College of Education and Social Services leadership team.