ANN ARBOR — Paul Courant, who has served as interim provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs of the University of Michigan since January, has been appointed to the position on a permanent basis by President Mary Sue Coleman. The three-year term will be effective Oct.1, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents. President Mary Sue Coleman said, “Paul Courant embodies the academic credentials, the management experience and the public policy expertise that make him ideally suited to the position of provost. As an eminent economist and a seasoned administrative leader, he combines a passion for the academic mission with a deep understanding of the structure and organization of the University. “Furthermore, he is a longtime member of the University faculty who brings a great love and knowledge of the institution. I have worked with him as a valued and trusted colleague since becoming president, and I look forward to our continued association.” Courant said, “I am honored to serve as the chief academic officer of the University of Michigan, one of the great public research universities in the United States. “The most important thing we can do is to enable our superb faculty and our outstanding students to take advantage of the tremendous depth and breadth of what the University can offer. The University of Michigan has historically led the nation’s universities in fostering collaborations that connect different units, multiple disciplines and diverse backgrounds, and I look forward to continuing and strengthening these traditions. The University can and must maintain and build upon its excellence in order to serve our students, our faculty, the national research community and the state of Michigan. “I look forward to working with President Coleman, the deans and executive officers, faculty, students, and the entire community to serve this wonderful institution.” Courant’s distinguished service to the University includes serving as chair of the Department of Economics in 1995-97 and as director of the Institute of Public Policy Studies (now the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy) in 1983-87 and 1989-90. He was appointed a senior fellow of the Michigan Society of Fellows, 1997-2001, and was named an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, 1996-99, for his outstanding teaching. He served as a senior staff economist with the President’s Council of Economic Advisers in 1979-80, and as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Congressional Budget Office in 1987-88. Courant has published numerous articles and books on research topics including tax policy and reform, federal budget deficits, poverty, the effects of gender in labor markets and school finance. He holds a B.A. in history from Swarthmore College (1968), as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 1973 and 1974, respectively. Courant joined the U-M faculty in 1973, and has been a faculty associate of the Institute for Social Research since 1975. Courant’s appointment begins Oct. 1, 2002 and continues through current rate received as interim provost, $283,250. Following a comprehensive review after the second year of the term, the appointment may be renewed for a term of five years.