Rice University President Reginald DesRoches has extended Amy Dittmar’s contract as the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs through the 2031 fiscal year with the support of the Rice Board of Trustees.
Dittmar, who joined Rice in 2022, oversees the university’s academic enterprise and has played a central role in advancing Rice’s strategic priorities, including faculty growth, student success, academic and financial planning, research partnerships and global engagement.
“Since joining Rice in 2022, Amy has been an exceptional partner to me and an indispensable member of our leadership team,” DesRoches said. “She brings a strong understanding of higher education, a deep commitment to academic excellence, a clear sense of what Rice can and must accomplish, and a remarkable ability to turn ambitious ideas into action.”
As provost, Dittmar has direct reporting from the deans of Rice’s eight schools, the vice provost for student life and dean of undergraduates, the dean of graduate and postdoctoral studies, the vice president for global strategy, the vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid, and other university leaders.
She co-led a transformation of Rice’s budget process and oversees the academic budget in partnership with the executive vice president for operations, finance and support. Dittmar also led the development and implementation of Momentous, Rice’s strategic plan establishing the university’s direction for the next decade.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Rice and working alongside our extraordinary faculty, students and staff,” Dittmar said. “We have tremendous momentum, and I look forward to continuing our work to strengthen academic excellence, expand opportunities for our students and faculty, and advance Rice’s impact in Houston and around the world.”
A major focus of Dittmar’s tenure has been ensuring that Rice’s growth strengthens the quality of its academic experience and expands its capacity for research and discovery. She is leading a faculty expansion designed to ultimately increase Rice’s tenure-track faculty by 25%. During her tenure, Rice has hired 200 tenure-track faculty members at all levels and across all schools in areas supporting the university’s strategic goals.
Dittmar also has increased resources to recruit and retain faculty and strengthened graduate student support through annual stipend increases, greater health care support and expanded on-campus dining options. As Rice’s undergraduate population has grown, she has worked to maintain the university’s commitment to a personalized education.
Student success has been another priority. Under Dittmar’s leadership, Rice launched Owl Access to support first-generation and low-income students, and she helped secure the gift and design the Sallyport Fellows Program, a comprehensive initiative supporting first-generation and limited-income undergraduate students throughout their Rice experience. The program incorporates research and assessment aimed at improving Rice’s efforts and advancing student support across higher education.
Dittmar also created the Office of Academic Support for Undergraduate Students , which launched Rice’s first central tutoring and test accommodation center. The center provides peer tutoring for 30 foundational courses, supported through a gift Dittmar helped secure. Approximately 2,000 students used the services last year, including almost 70% of first- and second-year students, with participation expected to grow as services expand.
Beyond campus, Dittmar has helped strengthen Rice’s connections with the Texas Medical Center through new programs, research centers, institutes and seed grants, particularly in cancer and brain health. She serves on governance boards overseeing partnerships with several Texas Medical Center institutes and is co-chair of the steering committee for Project Metis , an initiative led by the Center for Houston’s Future to position the Houston-Galveston region as a global leader in brain health and the emerging brain economy.
Dittmar also oversees Rice Global, which has established and expanded teaching and research partnerships across Europe, Asia and Latin America. She serves as president of Rice Global LLC, which oversees the Rice Global Paris Center, the Rice School of Architecture in Paris and Rice Global India.
“Taken together, Amy’s work has helped Rice grow with purpose,” DesRoches said. “She has strengthened our faculty, expanded support for students, brought greater alignment to our academic and financial planning, deepened our connections in Houston and around the world, and helped translate our aspirations into a clear strategy for the future.”
DesRoches added, “I am grateful for all she has contributed to Rice and delighted that she will continue helping lead the university through this important period in its history.”