Fiu Provost Douglas Wartzok Pushes Strategic 5year Plan As University Wins Reaccreditation Deals With Financial Bind

Douglas Wartzok, who became provost of Florida International University in June, had actually been in the university’s number-two spot for nearly a year.

He agreed to act as interim provost after Ronald Berkman stepped down and has since been working closely with new President Mark Rosenberg to both manage the university in an era of ever-constricting funding and to develop a five-year plan they hope will be a key to FIU’s future success.

But one of the biggest challenges of his first year was the once-in-a-decade reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. With that now in the rearview, full focus has been turned to planning the university’s future.

"The key to our strategic plan, a document the president put together that he actually used during his interview for the position, he called "Hit The Ground Running’ and has four points, Mr. Wartzok said. "One was financial based, one was partnerships with the community, one was more student centeredness and the last was to enhance research and creative activity.

Once that plan is finished and adopted by trustees, the university will look to begin acting on its recommendations.

Dr. Wartzok discussed tactics for serving as the university’s chief academic officer and plans for broadening FIU’s international efforts in his offices on the main campus with Miami Today staff writer Zachary S. Fagenson. To read this profile article in its entirety, subscribe to Miami Today’s E-paper. With the E-paper you will be able to read the entire contents of Miami Today online exactly as it appears in print. Or order this issue, to receive a regular printed copy of this week’s Miami Today. You may also subscribe to the printed edition of Miami Today to receive the newspaper every week by mail. If you are reading this in Miami Today’s “Online Archive” as an archived web page and would like to see the entire article that was published, call Miami Today, 305-358-2663 and ask for the Circulation Department. Advertisement