Jere W. Morehead, who serves as vice president for instruction at the University, was named senior vice president for academic affairs and provost Friday morning by University President Michael Adams.

“After reviewing all of their résumés and considering carefully these matters for 10 days or so, I became convinced that the person most capable of leading the academic mission of the University of Georgia for the next several years was already here in our vice president for instruction, Jere Morehead,” Adams said in making the announcement.

“There were three final tipping points in what was a difficult decision, given the qualifications of all the candidates,” he added. “First is Jere’s unquestioned integrity that exhibits itself in the sense of concern and compassion for everyone with whom he deals. Second are the lengthy discussions the senior administration has had about the need to focus in the next five years on research and graduate and professional education, discussions in which Jere has participated and where he is prepared to take a leadership role. And finally, there is simply no way that anyone was going to have a deeper commitment to or knowledge of the University of Georgia.”

Morehead has been at the University since 1986. Since then he has served as vice provost for academic affairs, associate provost and director of the Honors Program and executive director of Legal Affairs. He was named vice president for instruction in 2007 after serving on an interim basis in 2006.

“I’m very pleased to have been in the company of so many outstanding individuals who were considered for this position,” Morehead said. “I also am very fortunate to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Arnett Mace, who has provided distinguished service to this institution as provost.”

Morehead said he looked forward to receiving advice from Mace in the coming months before assuming the provost position in January.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve the University as its next provost,” Morehead said. “In everything I do in this position, I will attempt to maximize our academic resources to benefit this university, the state of Georgia and those we serve around the world. We will continue to pursue a vision for academic excellence centered on recruiting and retaining great faculty and bringing the best and brightest graduate students, professional students and undergraduate students to the University of Georgia. Doing so is key to achieving the highest levels of excellence in instruction, research and public service.”

Morehead, who was the only candidate of the four from UGA, said during his open forum with faculty, staff, students last month that his previous experience within the community makes him well-suited for the job of addressing the budget crisis and other issues to come.

“I believe that someone with a great deal of experience at the University who has spent many years building strong relationships with key state and federal officials as well as members of the Board of Regents and the Board of Regents staff can make a positive contribution as provost and help lead us through a more hopeful period of recovery and renewal as we leave the recession,” Morehead said.

The other candidates were: Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, dean of arts and sciences at University of South Carolina; Robert Newman, dean of humanities and associate vice president for interdisciplinary studies at the University of Utah; and Sallie Keller-McNulty, dean of engineering at Rice University.

Morehead succeeds Arnett Mace Jr., who is scheduled to retire on Jan. 1 after 18 years of service to UGA, with seven of those years as provost. Mace will continue his leadership role in the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership under the title Special Assistant to the President.