Amy Dittmar, the senior vice provost at the University of Michigan, was named the new chief administrator at Rice University, according to a June 16 press release from the school’s office of public affairs.

In accepting the job, Dittmar cited Rice’s commitment to undergraduate affordability as the main draw.

“Rice has that breath of excellence, so to further excel, to make sure that they are raising all boats was part of the vision I have,” she said

Dittmar will be the university’s 14th provost, whose role as chief academic officer is the second highest position on campus after the university president.

In a November press release, the school’s current provost Reginald DesRoches was chosen by Rice’s board of trustees to succeed Rice University President David Leebron following the announcement that Leebron would be stepping down from the role on July 1.

DesRoches, a structural engineer, has been the university’s provost since 2020 and will be Rice’s 9th president.

Dittmar will take office on August 1 as she makes the transitions from Michigan to Texas.