GFU’s New Provost, Andrea Scott
Reported by: Aurora Biggers
Photographed by: Imogene Eagan
NEWBERG, Ore. – Andrea Scott is the new provost of George Fox University (GFU), formerly the dean and professor of marketing at the Jabs School of Business at California Baptist University (CBU). Scott began her tenure as GFU’s provost in July.
In a recent interview with The Crescent, Scott talked about her new position, the current academic priorities of the university, COVID-19, and the university’s financial situation.
Initially, when an executive recruiter reached out to Scott about the provost position at GFU, Scott refused the opportunity. “I was very happy in my position,” Scott said, adding, “My only touch point for George Fox was, unfortunately, the Obama effigy back in 2009. I had written the school off. I would never go to a school like that.”
Andrea Scott photographed by Imogene Eagan
In 2008, a George Fox University (GFU) employee discovered a life-sized cardboard cutout of former President (then Senator) Barack Obama suspended by a fishing line from a tree on campus, with a sign that read “Act Six reject.” The effigy prompted the FBI to open a preliminary investigation to determine if a federal law had been violated, and through an internal investigation, four students confessed their involvement. The FBI concluded its investigation, and no federal charges were filed. The students were suspended by GFU.
However, Scott said the recruiter informed her about GFU’s disciplinary actions against the students. “That [disciplinary action] impressed me because a lot of times universities will sweep stuff like that under the rug,” Scott said, “but Fox took a strong stand, and it had a significant impact on the school and who they became and what they wanted to pursue. That spoke to me in pretty clear terms.”
After navigating the hiring process, Scott accepted the position of provost and began her tenure in July. As provost, Scott is the “chief academic officer”; she sets the academic priorities and direction for the university. “The integrity of the learning experience lies in my hand,” Scott said.
The provost also oversees the faculty hiring process and handles academic dishonesty. “Deans do the hiring of faculty, but no faculty member is accepted to Fox without getting approved by the provost and the president,” Scott said. “There's also an aspect of gatekeeping, so to speak, for the quality of who carries out instruction in this institution.”
When The Crescent asked Scott about GFU’s current academic priorities, Scott listed STEM, faith integration, and the George Fox Honors Program as her office’s priorities. But first, Scott said, the university has to address COVID-19. “My top priority has been to keep students and faculty safe. If they don't feel safe, then the learning experience is going to be compromised,” Scott said.
GFU’s decision to remain in-person for classes was controversial. According to Scott, the decision had already been made before she was hired, but she supports it. “The goal was to stay open, and I am so proud of all the faculty and students and staff who have hustled and been inconvenienced and been disappointed and frustrated — all those things — and still got the job done,” Scott said. “Overall, I am pleased.”
Scott is also aware of the controversy surrounding the response. “I'm well aware that there are things that are less than perfect, and that is just a complication of COVID-19,” Scott said. “I had hard decisions, decisions that were not always easy, but that's part of the mantle of leadership. I think we did the best that we could given the circumstances. So, I'm very proud of our team and the hard decisions that we made.”
Scott also addressed her decision to eliminate spring break from the university calendar. “It’s a safety issue. I think that's all I really want to say about it. It wasn't to bum anybody out. We are taking the steps we feel necessary to help us stay open and help keep people safe,” Scott said. Students can expect several three-day weekends in March, as opposed to the traditional week off from classes. Scott also noted that other colleges and universities were also foregoing spring break and said GFU is “following best practices.”
“I would love to give everybody what they want, myself included. I would love a week-long break,” Scott said. “But what I would love more is staying open the entire academic year and not having ... outbreaks and having the best alternative experience that we possibly can.”
Scott said she sympathizes with students, “Yeah, this is not ideal … The thing that I miss the most is that I have not been able to celebrate people the way I wanted to.”
Scott, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, explained, “I am Jamaican, so I love a good party, right? … If there’s one thing I miss, it’s even a way to say ‘hey, let us come together; let us break bread together in celebration of this, that, and the other.’ As soon as we can do that, oh, I hope to have the greatest celebration that Fox has ever seen.”
GFU hired Scott during a period of financial re-evaluation for the university. Several programs and more than a dozen faculty members were cut in an effort to preserve the university’s financial standing. Scott was reluctant to discuss details, citing that these decisions were made before she arrived. “I can say that I have been more than impressed, given my business background, with the level of intentionality and scrutiny and thoughtfulness given to the decisions and the rigor behind it,” Scott said.
As a former dean of the Jabs School of Business at CBU, Scott has an extensive background in business, with a resume including advertising agency experience with national clients such as General Mills and Wrigley at DDB and BBDO in Chicago, with NBC during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and working as a business analyst for Honeywell, Inc.
Of GFU’s current financial status and her confidence in the university’s future, Scott said, “I do feel confident, and I say that as a person who has had [profit and loss] responsibilities elsewhere. We’re in very capable hands with our CFO, and we've got a very intelligent board.” This doesn’t come without some loss though. According to Scott, more cuts will likely occur, “They’re paying attention, and that's why we have to make hard, unpopular decisions; because that's how you maintain the confidence in the financial future. The reason why I can say so confidently is because we’re willing to make the hard decisions.”
Not all GFU students have perceived the cuts to programs and faculty as positive for the direction of the university, “And I empathize with the angst that creates. I don’t want to appear callous to that,” Scott said.
Scott looks forward to that day when the pandemic is over, but until then, her office will likely continue to make “the hard decisions.”