David Colburn Named Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Gail F. Baker, Vice President

Dr. Charles E. Young has announced the appointment of David Colburn to serve as interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs effective immediately. Dr. Colburn is currently vice provost and senior associate vice president for Academic Affairs and director of the Reubin Askew Institute at the University of Florida. Since August of this year, he has served as interim dean for the International Center.

“I am delighted that Dr. Colburn has agreed to accept this assignment. He brings broad experience in academic affairs and extensive knowledge about the workings of this campus to the position,” Dr. Young said. “Dr. Colburn is a noted scholar, a prize-winning author and a respected teacher who possesses all the tools needed to be the chief academic officer of this university at this time.”

Dr. Colburn, a professor of History, earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina in 1971. He served two years in the US Army, including a tour in Vietnam, and was a fellow in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1997. The author of eight books and over 20 articles, Dr. Colburn most recently wrote a study of Government in the Sunshine State: Florida Since Statehood. In 1995 he co-authored The African American Heritage of Florida with Jane L. Landers, a work that earned the Rembert W. Patrick Book Prize as the best book in Florida History for 1996 and also a Certificate of Commendation from the American Association of State and Local History.

A regular guest columnist for the Orlando Sentinel on state and national politics, Dr. Colburn co-authored the report on Rosewood for the Board of Regents and State Legislature. He is a past president of the Florida Historical Society and was named Teacher of the Year at UF in 1977. He joined the UF faculty in 1972.