No longer an 'interim,' Liz Tovar to lead University of Iowa's office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The University of Iowa has named Liz Tovar to the top administrative position overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion.

In her role as executive officer for diversity, equity and inclusion, Tovar will sit as a member of the president's cabinet when she officially begins on Feb. 1. She has been serving as interim associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion since August.

Iowa's Board of Regents will need to approve the appointment before it becomes official. The position comes with a $250,000 salary.

The university's decision to name Tovar for the job means it did not conduct a formal search process. Candidates vying for the position withdrew from consideration in October, when President Bruce Harreld announced he intends to retire as soon as the university names his replacement.

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"Iowa needs consistent and principled leadership in order to create a more just and inclusive campus," Harreld said in a Thursday news release. "Over the past six months, Dr. Tovar has proven she is the right leader to move us forward, and doing another search will not yield someone more capable or dedicated."

Tovar earned multiple degrees from the University of Kansas, where she studied psychology and educational leadership. There, she began her career in academic services before joining the University of Iowa in 2013 as the associate athletics director for academic student services.

Tovar will continue in her role with the athletics department while serving in her new role overseeing the university's diversity initiatives.

“I could not be more pleased that Dr. Tovar has agreed to fill this role and that our entire university community will continue to benefit from the stability and leadership she provides,” Kevin Kregel, interim executive vice president and provost for the university, said in a news release. “She has a clear vision for positive change founded on cross-campus collaboration, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to implement that vision.”

Cleo Krejci covers education for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. You can reach her at ckrejci@press-citizen.com or on Twitter via @_CleoKrejci.