Dr. James Benson was named Vice Provost on August 1, following the resignation of Dr. Willard Gingerich.

Gingerich resigned after accepting the position of University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. In addition to being Vice Provost, Gingerich was a professor of English in St. John’s College.

Following Gingerich’s resignation, Dr. Julia  Upton, R.S.M., University Provost, appointed Benson as the new Vice Provost.

Benson joined St. John’s in 1983 as an associate professor in the division of library and information sciences and subsequently took on the position of director of the division. In particular, Benson is noted for his efforts with the laptop program. The distribution of over 6,000 laptops, as well as wireless Internet access on campus, has contributed to the academic progress of both students and faculty.

“As Vice Provost, Dr. Benson is responsible for the development of library and online learning, and academic technology planning,” said Theresa Maylone, Executive Director of University Libraries. “The availability of information and its collaboration with technology is essential for preparing students for not only the classroom, but for the work place as well.”

Maylone emphasized Benson’s focus on taking strong measures to ensure student and faculty satisfaction in all areas of academics. In return, students are expected to leave feedback on the changes made by the academic sector of the University.