Watcher to become deputy provost

Law and Economics Professor Michael Wachter will take office as deputy provost Saturday, replacing Physics Professor Walter Wales, who served in the position for almost three years. Wachter has been the director of the Center for Law and Economics since 1984, and holds a faculty post in the law school. He was selected for the deputy provost position in March. In the past, the deputy provost has been responsible for all faculty matters -- including appointments, grievances, benefits, promotions and overseeing tenure cases. He would also act for the provost in his absence. But Provost Stanley Chodorow said in March that Wachter's position is going to have less of a focus on personnel issues. Instead, Chodorow said Wachter will be using his new position to focus on academic planning. "He will work with me to set the agenda for the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and work with the deans on the review of academic programs -- an essential element of academic planning," he said. Chodorow added that Wachter will be at the center of all strategic planning and institutional research in the provost's office. "It will be through Wachter that the continuing process of planning the new undergraduate experience will connect to the broader issues of academic planning," he said. And he said he will be relying on Wachter for advice on "a wide variety of issues that fall within my responsibility." Chodorow added that he plans to create a new position in the provost's office to handle personnel, police and faculty members' individual issues. Wales announced his intention to step down effective December 31, 1994 last April. But he agreed not to vacate the post until the deputy provost search committee, headed by History Professor Richard Dunn, completed its work. Wachter has been at the University since 1969. He was a faculty assistant to former President Martin Meyerson in the early 1970s. He was involved implementing the University's current budgeting system. And after returning full-time to the faculty, he served on the Academic Planning and Budget Committee for many years. "He earned a reputation for deep knowledge of the University and for sound judgement," Chodorow said. Wachter was unavailable for comment.

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