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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, December 6, 2011

IU Maurer School of Law dean named interim provost

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 6, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University announced today, Dec. 6, that Lauren Robel, dean of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, has been named interim provost for its Bloomington campus. She succeeds Karen Hanson, who will leave the university Jan. 31 to accept a role as senior vice president and provost at the University of Minnesota.

Robel was appointed provost, the top academic officer for the Bloomington campus, on an interim basis by Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie, subject to approval by the university's Board of Trustees. The board is expected to vote on the appointment at its next regular meeting Dec. 8-9.

Robel, a summa cum laude graduate of the IU Bloomington law school, has been dean of the school since 2003 and has been a faculty member at IU Bloomington since 1985. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Auburn University, where she graduated with high honors.

Robel is president-elect of the Association of American Law Schools and an expert on the U.S. federal court system. She has published numerous scholarly articles and co-authored two books.

"Lauren Robel is an outstanding scholar and leader with a demonstrated passion for Indiana University and its students," McRobbie said. "I am grateful that she has agreed to accept this important role while we conduct a search for a permanent successor to Karen Hanson, and have no doubt that she will do an outstanding job."

The university plans to create a search committee to make a recommendation to President McRobbie on a permanent successor to Hanson, who has been provost at IU Bloomington since 2007 and an IU faculty member for more than 30 years.

No timetable has been set for naming a permanent provost at IU Bloomington.

"I have been privileged to be a faculty member at Indiana University for nearly my entire career and am happy to be of service to a place that has given me so much," Robel said. "I look forward to doing my part to ensure a smooth transition as the campus searches for a new academic leader."

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