Provost and executive vice president
Mark Richards, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs
Mark Richards joined the University of Washington as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs on July 1, 2018.
A geophysicist, Richards also holds a faculty appointment in the College of the Environment’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences.
As provost, he is the University’s chief academic and budget officer.
Updates
Provost’s Town Hall
UW Provost and Executive Vice President Mark Richards discussed excellence in teaching and learning; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; and post-pandemic challenges and opportunities during a livestream event on February 15.
Learn more about the provost’s Faculty Diversity Initiative.

COVID-19 Updates
Get the latest news about novel coronavirus, precautions that are being taken and prevention measures you can take.

Winter Quarter FAQ
Learn what students can expect in winter quarter, campus health and safety requirements, and an overview of campus life.

Back to School Task Force
To protect the safety of students, faculty and other academic personnel, and staff, the Back to School Task Force is reviewing and updating University protocols in learning spaces.

Teaching and Learning
The Center for Teaching and Learning offers best practice and resources to instructors as they plan and teach their courses.
Excellence and Impact
Washington Research Foundation donates $1.65 million to support UW and WSU graduate students
WRF’s recent donation to support of ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter endowments deepens WRF’s long-standing commitment to supporting graduate students who conduct transformative research with potential for real-world impact in natural sciences and engineering.
Pandemic experts and their research
Researchers across the UW are searching for answers to the pandemic, and two groups have been in the spotlight: the Center for an Informed Public and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Data science minor
Undergraduate students in the arts, social sciences and humanities can now earn a minor in data science to expand their knowledge, skills and career options.
In recognition of outstanding achievement
Seven UW faculty members elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences.
Radical Listening
Ralina Joseph, director of the UW Center for Communication, Difference and Equity and associate dean for diversity in the Graduate School, advocates for radical listening – listening without judgment — as we push for racial equity.
Initiatives
Faculty Diversity Initiative
The initiative aim to further the UW’s goals for diversity, equity and inclusion, including $5 million in funding for faculty hiring in the next two years.
WRF/Research Exchange
The UW partners in a new postdoctoral program to diversify the science and engineering faculty at America’s research universities.
Graduate Fellowships
Fellowships are key to supporting our graduate students who form the backbone of our large research enterprise and provide a vital component of teaching at the UW.
Population Health
At the UW, we believe improving population health worldwide is a moral imperative, driven by our public mission of service to all.
UW Finance Transformation
To continue to support the UW’s mission, we are modernizing our financial systems, policies and processes.
Enrollment Management
We are working to improve the student experience at the UW — including leadership activities, pathways to majors, research experience and mentoring.