Janet McNew
Education
1973 University of North Carolina, B.A.
1975 University of Virginia, M.A.
1980 University of Virginia, Ph.D.Career Specialties
Janet McNew's scholarly background is in British literature and poetry. She has also written articles about literature, curricular controversies and higher education that have appeared in publications such as American Book Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review and Contemporary Literature.Professional and Community Activities:
McNew joined the University in July 2006 as the provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of English. Since arriving, she has led the academic reorganization of the University, which has resulted in a four-college model, which went into effect in fall 2007.
McNew has continued the largest expansion of UT faculty in the history of the University, as well as the growth of enrollment to 5,300 students. In her first year, she facilitated the hiring of a dean of academic services, as well as interim deans for the three new colleges.
She previously served as provost and dean of the faculty and an English professor at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1993 to 2006, where she supervised the hiring of more than 80 continuing faculty members. She also changed the academic calendar to include a new May term and developed a new, goals-based General Education Program.
McNew was acting president of the university from 2003 to 2004, leading the community in writing a new university mission statement, raising more than $10 million in gifts and pledges and instituting a strategic goal of enhancing diversity.
McNew began her academic career at the University of Virginia, when during her graduate years she headed the interlibrary loan department, and then became an instructor of English and assistant director of the writing programs. After receiving her doctorate from the University of Virginia, McNew joined the English Department at St. John's as an assistant professor and rose through the ranks to become full professor and chair of the English Department.Honors and Awards
McNew has received a number of awards, including the Bush Leadership Fellowship and was on the honor roll for the American Association for Higher Education. She was also awarded the Faculty Advising/Teaching Excellence Award at St. John’s University and was a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellow.
McNew was Phi Beta Kappa at the University of North Carolina and in the Raven Honor Society at the University of Virginia.