Dan Warner to assume role as vice provost of undergraduate admissions in April

Dan Warner has been selected as the new vice provost of undergraduate admissions and financial aid. He will begin his new role on April 30.

“The person who sits in that position is in a unique position because they’ll have a good understanding of what the students and parents are looking for when they come to Lehigh,” said Pat Farrell, the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Farrell said Warner’s duties will go beyond the traditional tasks of admissions and financial aid. For example, he might need to devise ways to help students be more successful at Lehigh.

Warner served as the director of admissions at Rice University for the past eight years and was selected for the Lehigh position in a nationwide search conducted by a committee created by Farrell.

The committee was headed by Cameron Wesson, an associate dean for undergraduate programs and a professor of sociology and anthropology. It consisted of faculty, trustees and professors from all of Lehigh’s colleges.

Farrell said Lehigh hired an outside search firm to help with the logistics of the search, which is typical protocol for senior leadership positions. Search firms usually place advertisements in strategic places and help link Lehigh to potential candidates for the position.

“That’s what we call building a pool,” Farrell said. “The idea is to reach as broadly as we can, look for diverse candidates, try to find out who has the talent we are looking for and who has the experiences to be successful.” 

Warner’s duties as the new vice provost will consist of linking the Admissions Office and the Office of Financial Aid, increasing Lehigh’s competitive position and expanding the university’s reach to potential applicants.

“I want to understand what’s been working for Lehigh and what are the challenges,” Warner said. “And I want to find ways to meet those challenges and attract talented students to Lehigh.”

Warner said he plans to be consistent with Lehigh’s values put forward by the Path to Prominence.

“I want to stay true to the university,” Warner said.

Bruce Bunnick, the interim vice provost of admissions and financial aid, said Warner’s experiences will help create new perspectives and new strategies that Lehigh admissions has not previously used. Bunnick will resume his position as director of admissions when Warner arrives at Lehigh.

Bunnick said he wants to work with Warner to maintain Lehigh’s strong position within the Northeast but also branch out across the entire nation. Bunnick wants to see stronger communication across regions like the Midwest and the West Coast.

In addition to Farrell and Bunnick, Warner will work closely with Jennifer Mertz, the director of financial aid; Jennifer Jensen, a deputy provost; and Henry Zheng, a vice provost for institutional research.

Warner said he looks forward to joining the Lehigh community, but must first finish up his work at Rice.