Amy Cook Named Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Amy Cook has been named as the new Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Stony Brook University, following a public, internal search. The appointment takes effect in early July and was announced in an email to faculty and staff from Provost and Executive Vice President Carl Lejuez.

Cook, a professor in the Department of English, has held a series of leadership positions at Stony Brook, including currently serving as director of the Academy of Civic Life, and previously as associate dean for research and innovation in the College of Arts and Sciences.

As associate dean, Cook co-wrote the proposal for the IDEA Fellows program in CAS, as well as created the IDEA grad program, and wrote and received external funding for two programs aimed at increasing access to higher education. Prior to that, she also served as chair of the Department of Art, and graduate director and artistic director in the Department of Theatre Arts. She’s also served on several university-wide committees, including administrative searches, promotion and tenure, and Strategic Budget Initiative groups.

In her scholarship, Cook integrates cognitive science into theatre and performance, with particular attention to Shakespeare. She has published three books, several chapters, and many peer-reviewed journal articles. She received her PhD from the University of California, San Diego and her BA from the University of Michigan.

The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs role is part of a reconfiguration of core service functions in the Provost’s leadership team. The primary goal in this vice provost portfolio is to ensure clarity, consistency, and equity in key academic processes while also seeking opportunities to reduce barriers that hinder the success of Stony Brook faculty and staff. As Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Cook will focus on development and refinement of academic policy and procedures with a particular emphasis on promotion, tenure, and re-appointments, and hold oversight of curriculum, and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT).

“Amy will be a tremendous addition to the Provost’s Office team as we continue to enhance our capacity and focus in the services most needed by our faculty, staff, and students to thrive at Stony Brook,” Lejuez said.

“I see this role as a new way to be an ally to my exceptional faculty colleagues at Stony Brook and to advance curricular and pedagogical excellence,” Cook said. “I am excited about the opportunity to solve problems, collaborate across disciplines and colleges, and work to reduce unnecessary friction as we grow and innovate as a University.”

This realignment of portfolios also allows the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs role to shift focus entirely to faculty and academic staff development, such as new faculty onboarding, Emerging Leaders programming, and professional development for chairs and directors. These development programs will continue to be led by Mónica Bugallo, whose title will be Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Staff Development. The inclusion of curriculum in the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs portfolio also allows the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education role to be redefined with a singular focus on undergraduate education.

In an email to university faculty and staff announcing Cook’s appointment, Lejuez thanked the search committee and its co-chairs, Stacy Jaffee Gropack, Dean of the School of Health Professions, and Jon Longtin, Interim Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.