PROVOST & SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Dr. F. Wayne Vaught joined UVU on June 1, 2019. Prior to joining us, Dr. Vaught had a 21-year career at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he served as a professor and then dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. His Ph.D. in Philosophy, with a concentration in Medical Ethics, is from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Before UMKC, he taught at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences (merged with Drexel University), as well as Georgetown College in Kentucky. Dean Vaught’s primary research is in biomedical ethics, with a focus on ethical issues in pediatrics. He has published several papers in leading ethics journals including The Hastings Center Report, The Journal of Clinical Ethics and Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics. He is co-editor of Ethics Across the Professions, Oxford University Press.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Philosophy/Bioethics – University of Tennessee
M.A., Philosophy – Baylor University
B.A., Philosophy, Psychology, & Religion – Georgetown College
Kat came to UVU in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Department of History and Political Science. She served as the department summer chair from 2003 to 2008, when the department elected her as full-time chair. In 2011, she was hired as the Assistant Vice President of Academic Administration. She is currently the Deputy Provost of Academic Affairs and serves on UVU’s Presidential Cabinet. Kat’s portfolio includes academic policies; academic space (including new academic buildings); faculty hiring, development, and RTP procedures; the Fulton Library; chairs training; the coordination of academic issues with General Counsel, HR, and the AA/EO offices; and the coordination of Academic Affairs issues with the President’s Office.
In addition, Kat still often teaches to maintain a connection to students and her discipline. While it's sometimes difficult to balance all of these areas, the breadth of her portfolio, the support of her colleagues, and always-different workdays make the balancing act (almost always) nerdily joyful.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Russian Economic History – Bowling Green State University
M.S., History (Russian) – Bowling Green State University
B.A., History – Alma College
Dr. David R. Connelly is the Associate Provost for Student Successat Utah Valley University. He is a former faculty senate president and chair of the History and Political Science Department. His primary teaching interests are in public administration with specific interests in public management, leadership, performance measurement and survey research. David has worked extensively in economic and community development in rural areas while working for the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs(IIRA) for eight years and teaching at Western Illinois University. He has also worked developing and implementing information technology policy at the local, state and federal levelwhile at the Center for Technology in Government (CTG) at the University at Albany. David has a Ph.D. from the University at Albany while his MPA is from Brigham Young University. His current research interests include public sector sustainability measures, rural policy, information technology applications for government and public management curriculum issues.
Laurie joined UVU on August 16, 2022. Prior to joining UVU, Laurie enjoyed a 13-year career in higher education at public colleges and universities in Texas. She pioneeredthree leadership positions in Academic Administration within the Office of the Provost at Tarleton State University, serving as the first Assistant Vice President for Strategic Academic Initiatives, founding Dean of University College, and inaugural Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies for First- and Second-Year Experience. Before moving into academic administration, Laurie held the Dr. John G. O’Brien Distinguished Chair in Education endowed faculty position at West Texas A&M University and served as an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Tarleton State University.Laurie also taught courses in the Associate of Arts in Teaching degree program at Tarrant County College. Prior to higher education, Laurie was an elementaryschoolteacher in Texas and Florida public schools.
Laurie has individually and collaboratively secured over $4 million in grant funding, published more than 100 works, and presented at many local, state, and national conferences. She has also engaged as a leader in service work with state- and national-level professional organizations for education and literacy professionals, including the Texas Association for Literacy Education, Specialized Literacy Professionals, and the International Literacy Association. Laurie has received several awards that recognize her significant accomplishments in teaching, scholarship, and service.
EDUCATION
Ed.D., Educational Leadership – Tarleton State University
M.Ed., Elementary Education – University of Central Florida
Graduate Certificate, Teaching Writing Grades K-12 – University of Central Florida
B.S., Elementary Education – University of Central Florida
A.A., General Education – Daytona State College
