Friday afternoon, the University named Mary Pat McMahon as the new vice provost/vice president for campus life, replacing Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs.
Since 2014, McMahon has served as the dean of student affairs at Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences and Engineering. She will begin her role at Duke and succeed Moneta July 8.
“I look forward to hearing from student leaders about ways to build upon the outstanding work of the Student Affairs team and deepen partnerships with graduate and undergraduate student leaders, the Durham community and the broader Blue Devil community,” McMahon said in a news release.
President Vincent Price said he was “delighted” to welcome McMahon to the University in the release.
“Her leadership in every part of student affairs--from residential life to wellness to the important work of inclusion, identity and culture--will contribute to our goal of having the most vibrant and dynamic university community,” Price said. “Mary Pat will be a wise and enthusiastic partner for students and faculty, and I look forward to working with her.”
Provost Sally Kornbluth said that McMahon is an “experienced leader” with “boundless enthusiasm and energy.” Kornbluth noted that she was impressed by McMahon’s "communication skills" and her experience working with students on issues that are similar to those administrators deal with at Duke.
At Tufts, McMahon helped to spearhead a review of the university’s undergraduate residential life, which led to the creation of all first-year residence halls and a restructured education curriculum. She was also a member of the President’s Mental Health Task Force at Tufts, where she was in charge of analyzing the increase in students seeking mental health resources.
McMahon served as a member of the Steering Committee for Tufts’ Sexual Misconduct Prevention Task Force, where she supported student-led initiatives that promoted consent education and bystander intervention.
Kornbluth also acknowledged the work of Moneta, the current vice president for student affairs, calling him a “transformative leader.”
“He established a high standard of excellence in all areas—from housing and dining to student activities and student wellness,” she said in the release. “Larry has led a complex organization with great skill.”
Moneta is slated to retire June 30 after 18 years at Duke.
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