Loyola’s exterior is not the only thing changing. For the 2008-2009 academic year, the university will have a new provost and three new deans.

On April 22, the university announced Edward J. Kvet, who currently serves as dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts, will be the new provost and vice president of academic affairs. Kvet will be replacing Walter Harris, the current provost, who will retire next school year.

Kvet said he always wanted to join a university-level faculty and teach music education. He joined the College of Music faculty in 1982, just after completing his doctoral degree in music from the University of Cincinnati. During the 1985-1986 academic year, Kvet was appointed associate dean, but left in 1990 to become the director of the school of music at Central Michigan University. Finally, in 1998, Kvet returned to New Orleans to become dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts at Loyola.

“Both my wife and I really liked New Orleans, we were one of those groups … that were really passionate about the city,” Kvet said.

In an e-mail to the Maroon, the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, said he is enthusiastic about the future of the university under the direction of Kvet.

“I believe that Ed will bring positive leadership for our faculty and our new deans,” Wildes said. “He will bring a strong sense of academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration that will be important for our faculty and students.”

Kvet said his chief motivation for being provost is to preserve and expose the university’s history. He said the bringing in of three new deans will give Loyola “stability.” He hopes to have others, from students to administration, help in recruitment.

“I truly believe that I’m a very inclusive person,” Kvet said. “I talk a lot. I ask a lot of questions and seek a lot of input.”

Kvet is very optimistic about the school’s struggling enrollment numbers. He said those who were at the university often lose sight of the progress Loyola has made.

“I really hope we kind of turn the corner on all of that,” Kvet said.

Anthony Decuir, associate dean and professor in the College of Music and Fine Arts, will be interim dean when Kvet begins his term as Provost.

Although teaching is his first love, Kvet doubts that he will be able to teach full-time the next academic year.

“I’d rather guest lecture than teach,” Kvet said. “My concern is that if I were teaching a regularly scheduled course, I know just by the rigors of the job I would have to miss a number of classes, and I don’t think it’s fair to the students.”

Kvet joked that it is very rare for the current provost and the new provost to have such strong backgrounds in music.

“Much like many disciplines, music is a disciplined discipline,” Kvet said. “It’s a very rigorous subject, it helps you become more disciplined for other aspects in your life.”

THREE NEW DEANS

Luis Miron, Ann Cary and Jo Ann Moran Cruz will all be joining the Loyola University administration as the dean of the College of Social Sciences, director of the School of Nursing and dean of the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences, respectively.

A native of New Orleans, Miron taught in the education department at Loyola during the mid-1990s. Miron is currently teaching at Florida International University.

He says he hopes to form a better relationship with students and administration, because students often feel distant from their administrators.

Wildes said that he is very confident in the new administrators chosen.

“Not only Luis, but JoAnn, will really help to improve our academic quality,” Wildes said. “They will be good representatives for the faculty.”

“I hope this will be more of an accessible position,” Miron said.

“I have already been in contact with leaders in student government from the College of Social Sciences.”

Miron is aware of the many internal and external changes the university is experiencing, and hopes to be a vital part in making Loyola better.

“It’s definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity to come back and help rebuild Loyola, and help be part of higher education’s role in rebuilding, renewing the city,” Miron said.

In an announcement to the university on April 28, Wildes thanked Alfred Lorenz, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences; Mary McCay, interim dean of the College of Humanities and Natural Sciences; and Gail Tumulty; interim director of the School of Nursing, for their “energy, service and leadership during this time of transition.”

Jaune Jackson can be reached at [email protected]