Provost Loh: Faculty and staff are lifeblood of University

On Aug. 1, Wallace Loh became University of Iowa executive vice president and provost, the University’s chief academic officer. For Loh, it’s a new role in a familiar setting, a chance to share decades of experience in education, government, and law—and a unique global perspective—in the state where he did his undergraduate work.

	University of Iowa provost Wallace Loh. Photo by Tim Schoon.

Most recently dean of arts and sciences at Seattle University, Loh also served as dean of the University of Washington law school and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Colorado. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College, a master’s from Cornell University, a PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan, and a JD from Yale.

fyi spoke with Loh about coming back to Iowa, his impressions of the University, and the challenges that await him.

You were born in China, grew up in Peru, and came to the United States as a teenager to attend college, first at Iowa Wesleyan College, then at Grinnell. What do you recall about the reception you encountered?

It was heartwarming. I came to America alone and didn’t know anybody, but the people I met were so friendly and generous. They welcomed me into their homes. They found me jobs. Small churches throughout southeast and central Iowa invited me to visit and speak—those church potlucks offered some of the best food I’ve had anywhere! During my four years in Iowa, I observed the importance of family, faith, rootedness, and caring for others. Those years had a lasting impact on my life. 

By your own account, you jumped at the chance to return.

I happened to read about The University of Iowa’s search for a provost on New Year’s Day, and it brought back a lot of good memories. As I learned more about the University, I felt a good fit in terms of values—excellence, service, shared governance, and diversity.

Also, the timing was right. My mother, who lived with my wife, Barbara, and me, passed away last summer at age 100. Our daughter will be off to college this fall. So the idea of returning to Iowa, the place where I’d started my life in the United States, had real appeal. I saw my career coming full circle.

My wife had never been to Iowa, but her great-grandfather emigrated here from Scotland and enlisted in an Iowa regiment that fought in the Civil War. She’s a nurse, and a painter by avocation, and she’s eager to be part of this community.   

What things about the University have struck you over the past few months?

My main impression is that this is a great university with great people. Throughout the spring and summer, I made a series of visits to campus and talked with a wide range of people about the issues we face. I’ve met so many high-achieving faculty, staff, and administrators, plus many talented student leaders. They all share a passion for the University.

In June, I joined a group of faculty members on a civic engagement tour of communities in central and southeast Iowa—a back-to-the-future experience that reacquainted me with Iowa values. I got to see the University’s importance to the educational, cultural, economic, and physical well-being of the state and its people.

The one disconcerting impression I’d note is the scope of underage drinking in our community, which affects students’ health and safety and the learning environment. I realize this is a longstanding issue with no easy solutions, but it’s an issue that has to be managed, even if it can’t be readily solved.

Let’s turn to one of your top goals as executive vice president and provost—retaining and recruiting the best faculty and staff.

Faculty and staff are the lifeblood of a university, and no university is better than the quality of its personnel. Competitive compensation to recruit and retain top faculty and staff is essential for a front-rank research university. In recent years, The University of Iowa has reallocated resources to boost compensation, so the challenge now is to restore the faculty positions that were reallocated while maintaining competitive compensation.

It’s also important to nurture a climate where all members of the University community can thrive and feel a sense of belonging. Iowa has an advantage in this regard, because there’s a sense of common unity here that’s stronger than at many other public research universities.

Diversity is a key aspect in building a strong university community.

A great university is a diverse university, where different peoples and perspectives enrich learning, scholarship, and governance. The University of Iowa has made steady progress toward its diversity goals—our campus population is now more diverse than the state as a whole.

Our national motto is E Pluribus Unum, one formed from many. The challenge and opportunity is to find the proper balance between the one and the many, between community and diversity.

I think it’s important to view diversity today in the context of globalization. America is changing as a result of immigration, and Iowa has a steady increase in Latino immigrants who are revitalizing local economies. Traditionally, universities address domestic diversity and international diversity separately, but I’d like to see us explore the convergence of these demographic and cultural trends.

You spent some time in state government as policy director for former Washington governor Gary Locke. How did that experience affect your view of higher education?

For me, working in government was an adventure, not a career, but it was an invaluable adventure. As a faculty member and university administrator, I had a campuswide perspective. From my government service, I gained a systemwide perspective, observing the roles of public research universities in the larger context of K–12 education, community colleges, and comprehensive universities—a K–16 system. That’s the view with which many policymakers and external stakeholders see postsecondary education issues.

I also learned a lot about the dynamics of the appropriations process and the compromises that come with setting and funding state priorities. I’ve a better appreciation of the public demand for greater institutional accountability and for more student access and affordability. I understand why public investment in higher education may continue to decline as a share of state budgets. But I also believe, more than ever, that public research universities are states’ best hopes for the future. 

You’ve described yourself as an “accidental administrator.” What drives you in this role?

I came into my first administrative position quite by accident. I was serving on a search committee for a dean when my committee colleagues asked if I would consider becoming a candidate for the job. Then I found myself appointed when the top candidate withdrew. My mother was a school principal and she told me, “There are those who sing and dance, and there are those who enable others to sing and dance. Don’t forget your main responsibility.” I’ve tried to follow her advice.

Those of us in administrative leadership positions know that it’s not what we do that counts. It’s what we inspire others to do that makes for institutional progress. Our main job is to nurture and support hopes, aspirations, and possibilities among faculty, staff, and students. The satisfactions of administration derive from the accomplishments of others.  

What’s your take on the rankings race among universities?

Well, our society is obsessed with all sorts of rankings. Magazine rankings of colleges are like institutional beauty contests, and I don’t think the quality of complex organizations can be reduced to some algorithm. To claim that there are measurable differences in overall ranking between institutions of comparable size and mission is voodoo statistics.

However, I recognize that these rankings make a difference to prospective students, their parents, employers, and others. They provide a rough measure of comparative prestige, although that’s not the optimal way to determine whether a particular college is the best fit for a particular student.

As a major public research university, we must remain accessible to Iowa residents and continue to provide a first-rate undergraduate education. Our national and international reputation rests on research and patient care. We need to preserve and enhance our areas of excellence and also identify new opportunities for growth. If we do these things, and improve on them, we will enhance the quality and stature of our university.

Some folks say Iowa is too shy about touting its strengths and blowing its own horn. What do you think?

My impression is that Iowans take great pride in their strengths, but without the bragging or one-upmanship that’s the style in other parts of the country. It’s a quiet and unassuming pride that comes from confidence in one’s strengths. Iowa should be what Iowa is—that’s what makes this place special. 

by Lin Larson