Office of the Provost
Led by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Office is responsible
for the strategic planning, development, and evaluation of the University’s instructional,
research, and community engagement programs. Collaborating closely with the Deans
of the Schools—including the School of Humanities and Social Sciences; the School
of Education and Business; and the School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology—the
Office ensures the academic integrity of the institution.
The Provost serves as the chief academic officer, providing final recommendations
to the Chancellor, the ECSU Board of Trustees, and the UNC Board of Governors regarding
the establishment of new degree programs and critical faculty matters including appointment,
promotion, tenure, and compensation. Additionally, the Office oversees the implementation
of academic policies and standards, ensuring the accuracy of the ECSU Undergraduate
and Graduate Catalogs to support the university’s commitment to excellence and student-centered
learning.
Provost
Dr. Robert N. Corley III is the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). Since joining the university, he has led the Division of Academic Affairs with a strategic focus on advancing student success and elevating ECSU’s academic profile.
With more than two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Corley previously
served as a senior advisor to the president and dean at Virginia State University,
as well as a faculty member and Faculty Senate chair at Tuskegee University. During
his tenure at Virginia State University, he played a key role in strengthening research
capacity and institutional competitiveness—doubling competitive grant awards from
$13 million to $26 million over three years. He also successfully advocated for a
$1.7 million increase in state matching funds, raising total support to $9.1 million
to enhance research infrastructure and expand public service initiatives. In addition,
he secured $1 million in philanthropic investment to advance the Hospitality Management
program and oversaw strategic capital investments that supported academic excellence,
innovation, and programmatic growth.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Corley has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications
and has raised over $66 million in personal research, extension, and academic program
funding to accelerate institutional mission fulfillment. His scholarship, supported
by numerous funding agencies, focuses on animal and human health, nutrition, and the
ethical dimensions of scientific work.
Dr. Corley holds a doctorate in animal sciences from the University of Illinois and
completed a fellowship in bioethics at Georgetown University.
Want to invite the Provost to an event? Please contact Mrs. Jestine Hughes, Executive Assistant to the Provost.