UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The University of Missouri System today (June 11) announced the appointment of Henry C. “Hank” Foley as executive vice president for academic affairs for the UM System. Foley has served since 2009 as vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at Penn State.
Before his appointment as vice president at Penn State, Foley served as dean of Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. In addition Foley is the president of the Penn State Research Foundation and the Penn State Research Park Management Corporation. In his tenure at Penn State, he has held the positions of named chair, department head, associate vice president for research and director of strategic initiatives, and dean.
"Hank Foley has been a great asset to Penn State for the past 13 years," said Penn State President Rodney Erickson. "He has filled a number of important leadership roles and has successfully overseen one of Penn State's largest and most significant areas — our research enterprise, which currently stands at $808 million. We are sorry to see him leave, but the University of Missouri System has made an excellent choice."
Foley will assume his new responsibilities at the UM System later this summer, the exact date yet to be worked out. Penn State will move in the next several weeks to identify interim leadership for research administration and the Graduate School.
"As a Penn State alumnus, working here over the last 13 years has been a joy. I have learned so much from everyone and will bring my experience and excitement to the University of Missouri System," Foley said. "Like Penn State, the University of Missouri is made up of humble, hard-working people who want the best for their state, the region and the nation. I believe in public research universities like Penn State and the schools making up the University of Missouri System. These are great institutions; it is a privilege for me to serve them."
In his new role as executive vice president for the UM System, Foley will lead strategic planning efforts, provide system-wide leadership in academic programs, promote economic development, advance research collaborations and enhance funding, as well as lead the institutional research, student access and success, academic program review and eLearning functions of the system. The appointment is subject to approval by the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
Originally from Providence, R.I., Foley earned a master’s degree in chemistry from Purdue University and a doctorate in physical and inorganic chemistry from Penn State. Foley served on the University of Delaware chemical engineering faculty for 14 years before returning to Penn State in 2000.