UF taps Arizona State provost as first leader of online bachelor's degree programs

September 6, 2013

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A key strategic architect of Arizona State University’s successful online degree program has been named the executive director of the University of Florida’s new online bachelor’s degree programs.

Elizabeth D. “Betty” Phillips, ASU’s provost and executive vice president, will begin her new duties at UF on Jan. 1 — the same day UF’s online bachelor’s degree programs take flight.

In her position at ASU, Phillips has been the chief academic leader in the creation of ASU Online, Arizona State’s online arm.

“Betty’s key role in the creation of ASU Online and her considerable experience in university administration make her an ideal choice for the job of guiding UF’s online degree programs,” UF President Bernie Machen said. “UF is at the forefront of an exciting new chapter in the future of higher education, and I’m looking forward to Betty bringing her impressive knowledge and leadership to bear at UF.”

As ASU’s provost and executive vice president, Phillips has also led the university’s commitment to academic excellence and creating opportunities for more people to earn degrees. She guided the modernization of ASU’s mission to include emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, student success, collaboration and global engagement.

Phillips said she is eager to get started.

“I am excited by the opportunity to expand access to the University of Florida via online degrees,” she said. “Modern learning science has enabled us to use technology to personalize learning and improve learning outcomes without students needing to come to campus, vastly increasing the number of people who can successfully complete a baccalaureate degree. It is particularly valuable to expand access to the very high quality programs and faculty of the University of Florida.”

UF’s fully online bachelor’s degree programs, among the first in the nation, launch Jan. 1 with five majors for students aiming to finish a four-year degree: business administration, criminology and law, environmental management, health education and behavior, and sport management. The first freshman class will begin in summer 2014, and each year UF will add additional majors. The application period opened Sept. 3.

Phillips has served as ASU’s executive vice president and provost since 2006. From 2003 to 2006, she was vice chancellor and chief of staff for the State University of New York, and from 2000 to 2003 she was provost at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. She was a psychology professor at UF from 1989 to 2000 and provost from 1996 to 1999. As UF provost, Phillips played a major role in improving sponsored research and technology transfer and was instrumental in a new student advising system that was responsible for dramatic improvements in graduation rates.

Prior to that, she was a psychology professor at Purdue University.

Phillips earned a doctorate in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969 and a bachelor’s degree, also in psychology, from the University of Rochester in 1965. She is married to Win Phillips, UF’s chief operating officer.