ANN ARBOR—University of Michigan President Lee

C. Bollinger announced that he is recommending the appointment of

E. Royster Harper to be interim vice president of student

affairs. Harper, who is currently senior associate vice president

for student affairs and dean of

students, would take up the position being vacated by Maureen Hartford

who will leave the University early this summer to become president of

Meredith College near Raleigh, N.C.

The appointment is pending approval by the University’s Board of Regents at its May meeting.

Hartford, who departs for her new post on June 7, says: “I leave the University

knowing that Student Affairs is in good hands. Royster Harper is both

a good manager and an extremely caring person who always acts on the

philosophy that the students come first, that they are at the center

of what we do.”

Harper earned a B.S. degree in special education and English in 1973 and an M.A. in special education in 1974, both from U-M. She is a pre-candidate for the Ph.D. in Higher Education at U-M’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.

Before moving to Student Affairs in 1991, Harper was assistant to the U-M vice president for academic affairs and to the dean, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts in 1989-90 with primary responsibility for effectively integrating students’ academic and non-academic experiences and to improve the quality of student life. In 1983-89 she was director of academic services and programs for the Comprehensive Studies Program and the Opportunity Program, responsible for developing academic support systems for inexperienced students. In 1978-83 Harper served as academic counselor, assistant director and director of the Opportunity Program.

She has held teaching positions at Wayne County Community College and with the Atlanta, Ga., Public School System and was a research associate in the Department of Curriculum at the University of Georgia.

Harper served as a member of the Ann Arbor Board of Education beginning in 1982 and was its president in 1984-85.

College of Literature, Science, and the Arts