KerryAnn O’Meara will be assuming the role of provost and senior vice president of Student Affairs for Fordham University, effective in July. O’Meara will be replacing current Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dennis C. Jacobs, who has been serving as Fordham’s “Chief Academic Officer” since 2019.
“It is my job [and] responsibility to ensure that Fordham fulfills its mission of offering all the academic programs that it offers, of hiring the deans and the faculty, and ensuring that we deliver on the promise of Fordham education for every undergraduate and graduate student,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs said he was not on the search committee or hiring committee for the new provost, and that it is University President Tania Tetlow’s decision, which he said is common practice in higher education.
O’Meara graduated from Loyola University Maryland in 1993 with a bachelor’s in English literature. She then received her Master’s in studying higher education administration from Ohio State University, and later, her own Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Maryland in 2000.
While at the University of Maryland, O’Meara previous practice and research were continuously supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which had included a $3.2 million grant from the NSF to support women in STEM.
After 15 years of working in positions at the University of Maryland, O’Meara had joined Columbia University’s Teachers College (TC) as vice president for Academic Affairs, provost and dean of the College in July 2023.
During her brief tenure at TC, she worked with staff on the TC Commitments Vision and Action Plan, as well as financial aid reform and also centralizing student advising.
Although O’Meara graduated from a Jesuit university in 1993 and is a current member of its Board of Trustees, the role at Fordham will be O’Meara’s first time working at a religious institution.
O’Meara said her first plan of action when she enters her new position at Fordham is to get to know the students.
“I want to take the Ram Van between campuses with some of them,” O’Meara said in an email to The Ram. “Learn about their Ramily traditions, where the best cup of coffee is and what places are best for studying.”
O’Meara said she will be bringing cura personalis into her position.
“Fordham is first in the opportunities it provides for students to figure out how they can make a difference in the world, and gain the experience and formation to get there,” said O’Meara.
In an email statement to The Ram regarding O’Meara’s hiring, Tetlow had explained O’Meara’s understanding of the provost role.
“She understands the provostship as a role of accompaniment, stewardship, and collaboration,” Tetlow said. “Especially at a time when higher education faces real pressures and competing demands.”
Tetlow also had highlighed that O’Meara’s experience at a large public research university will be beneficial to Fordham in its current ambitions to strengthen its own STEM program.
“Her experience … supporting faculty across the sciences and professional fields will serve Fordham well as we advance our STEM ambitions,” Tetlow said.
Jacobs also noted the work under his tenure that she will be continuing.
“We’ve also worked very hard on advancing the sciences and really trying to build and broaden programming,” said Jacobs. “[Including the] new honors program for science students at Rose Hill starting this fall.”
O’Meara will be prepared to officially start her position at Fordham in July 2026.
“We’ll have a lot of discussions leading up to her start in the summer to make sure that she has a very successful launch as the new provost,” Jacobs said.
Regarding his retirement, Jacobs said he and his wife are relocating to Chicago where all of his children and his grandchildren live.
